Utah (USAA) Park City, Salt Lake City, Heber, Denver directional sign

Description

The earliest days of the automobile were fraught with difficulties for the would-be motorist. The roads criss-crossing the United States were built to handle horse-drawn vehicles, and were often impassible when wet. The early adopters of the automobile began to band together into automobile associations to advocate for improvements to America’s nascent highway system. In 1918, Utah drivers organized the Utah State Automobile Association (USAA). In addition to advocating for good roads, USAA helped travelers by providing traveler information such as maps and posting signage along the state’s roads. USAA’s directional and warning signage likely saved a fair number of drivers from running into trouble in some of Utah’s most remote areas. The state took over the responsibility of posting signs when the numbered US Highway system was instituted in 1926.

This sign is a replica of one of USAA’s signs that stood between Park City and Heber City, likely along old US-40 with its junction with the original route of the road currently called SR-248. This junction is now at the bottom of the Jordanelle Reservoir. In addition to Park City and Heber, the sign also guided travelers bound for Salt Lake City and Denver, Colorado, over 500 miles away! Like most of the signs USAA posted, it is printed on a yellow diamond; this one has black text, though others had blue instead. (The USAA signs bear a strong resemblance to the standards that were in use by the California State Automobile Association at the time, which posted signs from Northern California all the way to Kansas, including through Utah.) The Utah State Auto Association logo appears in the bottom point of the diamond. With our replica, you can enjoy this sign’s vintage vibes, indoors or outdoors, without paying the hefty premium the original would fetch on the collector’s market.

Our Park City and Heber directional sign is flat printed in the United States on heavy 14-gauge steel. Its high-gloss finish is nearly indistinguishable from the porcelain enamel found on the original signs. Our faithful replica is just as durable as the original, as well, allowing it to serve your needs for years, even when exposed to the elements. Convenient mounting holes are included to make installation easy. We offer this sign in two sizes:

• 11-inch sides (about 18 in. across from point to point and 14 in. high)
• 18½-inch sides (about 29 in. across from point to point and 23 in. high)

Want a sign like this with a different set of destinations? Or perhaps one of a different style, be it from Utah or anywhere else? We can make nearly any road sign you could think of! If you don’t see it on our site, don’t worry, placing a custom order is easy—to get started, all you have to do is contact Jake!