Mississippi US Route 61 highway marker

Description

US Highway 61 originally went from Pigeon River, Minnesota all the way down south to New Orleans, Louisiana. Its course has always generally run along the Mississippi River to the delta region. It enters the state of Mississippi near Memphis, Tennessee, serving Clarksdale, Vicksburg, and Natchez, before exiting the state north of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Legend has it that famous blues musician Robert Johnson got his talent by selling his soul to the Devil at a crossroads along US-61. Most accounts give the location as the junction with US-49 in Clarksdale, although some say  it was State Route 10. Regardless of which, if any, version of the story you believe, Highway 61 has come to be closely associated with the Delta Blues; beyond the famous story, much of the genre’s development took place in various locations along this historic road.

We’ve recreated several iterations of the Mississippi US Route 61 sign for your enjoyment. First is the classic 1926 standard, with the block fonts that were standard for the era nationwide. Around 1946, like many states, Mississippi began experimenting with assigning different colors to major highways to aid in navigation. Under this scheme, all US-61 markers in Mississippi were colored green, with white text. Finally, we present a variant of the 1952 standard, which introduced the modern FHWA Series fonts still used today. Our version of this marker is inspired by a one-off piece created for fun in the Mississippi sign shop. This version uses the iconic “Mississippi” script logotype with interlocking S’s, as seen on Mississippi’s state line signage and many other official state materials.

Our Mississippi US Route 61 sign is flat printed on heavy 14-gauge steel. It includes a glossy, non-reflective finish reminiscent of the classic porcelain signs of the early days of American road signage. This sign is durable enough to look great for years, whether displayed indoors or outdoors. Choose between one of the three variants we have on offer, each available in four sizes. The 16-inch-tall version is that most commonly found in the field for the first few decades of the highway’s existence. We also offer a scaled-down 12-inch version for easier indoor display, as well as oversize 24-inch and 36-inch versions that were sometimes used when enhanced visibility was a must. All versions include two mounting holes for easy hanging. (Want a sign like this for another highway, in Mississippi or some other state? Just ask! We will happily create a route marker to meet your needs. Just contact Jake to get started.)