Signage

"A Springdale resident also worked on the highway for several years. Louise (Rackliff) Ports, a very talented artist, painted and lettered highway signs from Troutdale to the Hood River County line. According to reports, it was an ordinary sight, while motoring the Gorge highway, to see Louise Ports on a ladder painting a road sign. She carried a short ladder, paints and other materials in the trunk of her Ford coupe. Later, she obtained employment with the Robinson Sign Company as a painter. Her son, Jay Ports, also took up the work and joined his mother working for the same firm."


Mershon, East of the Sandy III, 17
Oregon State Highway Commission - 4th Biennial Report of the Oregon State Highway Commission Covering the Period December 1st, 1918 to November 30th, 1920http://digital.lib.pdx.edu/oscdl/files/odot/pdx005t0003.pdf
"I really wish there were more of these shields still in the wild."Posted by Jonathan Ledbetter (http://blog.beaverstateroads.net) to Past and Present Views Along the Columbia River Highway Facebook Group on February 12, 2020
"The ODOT office happened to have a shield on display when I visited in September 2017. This one looks newer -- it's reflective and the font looks more like a version of Times New Roman. The other one looks matte with more distinctive lettering. "Posted by Jonathan Ledbetter (http://blog.beaverstateroads.net) to Past and Present Views Along the Columbia River Highway Facebook Group on February 12, 2020

Past and Present Views Along the Columbia River Highway

Kirk J. Poole, February 12, 2020

Could've been an in-house make vs. an Irwin-Hodson production sign?

Jonathan Ledbetter, February 12, 2020

Nah, I remember seeing a couple variants of the shield back in the mid-2000s. I photographed one back in the day and used it to make a little GIF of the shield for my website, and the one I shot definitely used Times New Roman.

Jamen Lee, February 12, 2020

Based on the design from Lancaster’s book I think. This was one of the first “scenic byway” logos for the HCRH once it received its “historic” designation.

ODOT - 2013 - Advisory Committee 2013 Year End Review Presentation
"Historic US 30 sign post along Columbia River Gorge route"Posted by Joel Windmiller‎ ‎to Past and Present Views Along the Columbia River Highway Facebook Group on February 11, 2020
ODOT - 2013 - Advisory Committee 2013 Year End Review Presentation

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