These signs, which used to grace the many pages found throughout this website, have either been taken down or are no longer in service. While their usefulness may have ended, they won't soon be forgotten. To that end, I have developed this page of those wonderful signs that are no longer around.
Durham County| Sign | Former Location | Description |
| Wellesley Inn & Suites sign | Central Park Dr. @ Miami Blvd., off I-40 Exit #281; Nelson community [Map] | These signs actually lead to an Extended Stay Deluxe Hotel, which took over the Wellesley spot in 2004. Still, these signs pretty much remained in place for over a year before they finally came down. [ESD Hotel Website] |
| Orange Dual Lane Shift sign | Alston Ave. (NC Hwy. 55) @ Chatham St., next to Durham Freeway (NC Hwy. 147) [Map] | Road repair crews put this sign up in October 2001 after a truck carrying a crane on the Durham Freeway hit the bridge and cut a natural gas line. Crews had to work for several days to get the gas line fixed and repair one of the beams that support the bridge. |
| Durham Bulls Centennial sign | Pettigrew St. @ Julian Carr St., next to the American Tobacco complex [Map] | The Durham Bulls baseball team got the city to change their regular signs and erect these special signs around the DBAP to commemorate a century of baseball in the Bull City for the 2002 season. Interestingly enough, that was the same season the Bulls clinched their second International League Governor's Cup Championship. |
| Hidden Driveway sign | Gregson St. @ Knox St., Trinity Park section [Map] | This sign looks somewhat similar to those posted around the UNC campus. Only difference here is that this one is big enough to alert motorists who have a tendency to zoom through that part of town, since it's located on a one-way street that serves as a major thoroughfare. It was eventually replaced in late 2004 by a sign with a different message. |
| COMING SOON sign | Pickett Rd. @ Cambridge Rd., near Trinity School [Map] | This sign was spotted in November 2001 to alert motorists of a possible interchange re-alignment ahead. The change was eventually made to alleviate traffic problems around the school, especially when parents had to drop their kids off and pick them up later in the day. Sign was taken down a month later. |
| Small Children Playing sign | Meadowrun Dr. @ Hope Valley Rd. [Map] | This sign may not be noticeable to motorists passing through this particular neighborhood. It was later replaced by a more regular playground sign. |
| Temporary Opening sign | Davis Dr. @ Laboratory Dr., approaching I-40 adjacent to CDC Building; RTP [Map] | They say the gap in the median behind the sign will eventually be filled. And yet, it still hasn't happened. Doesn't really matter, now that the sign was eventually removed. |
| White Bethesda sign | Miami Blvd. @ Angier Ave. [Map] | This sign marks what is supposed to be the crossroads of the Bethesda community. At one time, the area that surrounded the intersection was largely rural. A Wendy's is located in the background now, which gives a good idea as to how much Bethesda has changed over time. Roadwork in the area knocked this sign out of the way in June 2002. |
| Sign | Former Location | Description |
| Whistlers' Convention sign | Bickett Blvd. @ Noble Ave., Louisburg [Map] | I just happened to be in town during the weekend of the annual International Whistlers' Convention. This event attracts people from all over the world to show off their ability to pucker up and whistle away. [Website] |
| Closed To Trucks sign | Main St. @ Joyner St., Franklinton [Map] | Signs such as these were pretty common along residential streets in this town before they went with a completely different design. |
| Sign | Former Location | Description |
| High Water alert sign | Market St. @ 6th Ave., approaching Brightleaf Blvd. (US 301); Smithfield [Map] | A section of Market Street has a tendency to shut down almost every time heavy rains occur in the area. The street dips below the railroad overpass a few blocks away, making it easier for water to collect underneath. This sign was later replaced with a more permanent reminder in early 2005. |
| Fire Hydrant sign | US 70 Business @ Sadisco Rd, just off US 70; near Wilsons Mills [Map] | The actual fire hydrant in question had been located smack dab in the middle of the median where these two roads intersect. The hydrant was dismantled in late 2005 to accomodate construction of the Clayton Bypass. |
| Sign | Former Location | Description |
| OWASA Conservation sign | Erwin Rd. @ Chipoaks Dr., Chapel Hill [Map] | These signs were erected during the Summer of 2002 to address a water-shortage problem with the town's reservoirs. A drought that's lasted nearly four years, coupled with growth in the area, lead to the mandate for the town's residents to cut back. Heavy rains that came during the early part of autumn caused the reservoirs to fill up, thus ending the need for mandatory conservation as well as these signs. |
| Hey You! Slow Down! sign | Hillsborough St. @ Bolinwood Dr., Chapel Hill [Map] | This sign used to grace the same location as the "Drive 25" sign above. Still, I thought its impact made quite a statement for its day. |
| Old Kids Playing sign | Milton Dr., between Greensboro St. and Cheek St.; Carrboro [Map] | This is one of those signs that was put together through a cut-and-paste method. Still, it does retain more of a vintage flair in a peculiar way, even though it was later ditched for the standard "We Love Our Kids" sign. |
| Residential Traffic Management Speed Bump signs | Pine St., between Hillsborough Rd. & Greensboro St.; Carrboro [Map] | This setup once served as a rather neat way for residents of that street to determine how good (or bad) traffic was on this cut-through between two majorstreets in town. |
| Orange Unmarked Pavement sign | Ebenezer Church Rd. @ Pleasant Green Rd., Pleasant Green community [Map] | Sometime around mid-2004, this road was resurfaced, sans any yellow and white lines. It was another six months before the lines were painted onto the surface. |
| Wilson Park sign | Greensboro St. @ Williams St., Carrboro [Map] | This sign features an older version of the town seal. It has since been updated for a sign that is more regular-looking sign (albeit an abberation). |
| Speed Hump sign | Pinehurst Dr. @ Burning Tree Dr., near Chapel Hill Country Club [Map] | This is yet example of an older sign that was modified to reflect recent changes in the area. This sign only had one word until this street was attached to Meadowmont. Too bad it didn't last long. |
| Traffic Calming sign | Mason Farm Rd. @ Purefoy Rd., near UNC campus [Map] | This sign was put up in an effort to curb speeding along this stretch of road. Speed bumps and multiple stop signs were set up to put the brakes on extra traffic that might want to use this road as a shortcut onto campus. The road has since been reconfigured to accomodate the newly built Married Student Housing complex at UNC. EDITOR'S NOTE: My church used to be located here until August 2001, so I am well aware how bad this stretch of road can be. |
| Sign | Former Location | Description |
| Red Emergency sign | Durham Rd. (US 501) @ Garrett St., adjacent to Wal*Mart Supercenter; Roxboro [Map] | This overhead signage was once located in front of Roxboro Fire Station #2, which is situated next to the WMS. Even though the overhead was very eye-catching, it was nowhere to be found as I made my way through here in August 2005 after completing a very long road trip that took me through four states in the Mid-Atlantic region (including the District of Columbia). |
| Sign | Location | Description |
| Entering City sign | Ruin Creek Rd. @ Dabney Dr., behind Charles Boyd Automotive; Henderson [Map] | This has to be the most subtle way of telling the motorist that you've just entered the city limits. There is an actual city limits sign on Dabney Drive nearby, so it does make sense not to use duplicate signs so close to each other. Pretty clever idea indeed. Unfortunately, it didn't last as this sign became a casulty to progress when Ruin Creek Road was being widened in late 2003. |
| Sign | Location | Description |
| Road Renaming sign | Humie Olive Rd. @ New Hill-Olive Chapel Rd., New Hill [Map] | This sign was put up in June 2005 when the Wake County Government opted to change the name of one of the roads in the area. Not quite sure if it ever happened yet or not. |
| No U Turn text sign | Hunter St. @ W. Chatham St.; just off NC Hwy. 55; Apex [Map] | Apparently, the town decided to use the old-school approach to discourage motorists from doing the 180. Good thing, too, since one of the town fire stations is located nearby. |
| Senior PGA sign | Blue Ridge Rd. @ Trinity Rd., near the N.C. State Fairgrounds; West Raleigh [Map] | This picture was taken in September 2002 when Prestonwood Country Club in Cary was hosting the SAS Championship. Since parking wasn't allowed anywhere near the site, the parking lot at Carter-Finley Stadium served as the main lot for golf fans to park their expensive cars and catch some great golf action. Newer signs were erected in time for the 2004 event, when parking was located much closer. |
| Storm Debris sign | NC Hwy. 55 @ Turner Creek Rd., Apex [Map] | The Carolina Winter Ice Storm of 2002 did a significant amount of tree damage throughout the Triangle area. The Town of Cary took care of its business by setting up a refuse site for trucks carrying loose limbs and parts of trees affected by the storm. The end result was a huge amount of free mulch for the town's citizens to beautify their yards. An elementary school now sits at the same site today. |
| Mayview Street sign | Dixie Trail @ Mayview Rd.; Raleigh [Map] | This sign goof first appeared on my original Interesting Signs of the Triangle section that resided on my personal website nearly two years ago. Yet, for some strange reason, this misspelling managed to stick for about two years before the error was finally rectified. |
| Ballantine Street Closed sign | Avent Ferry Rd. @ W. Elm Ave., Holly Springs [Map] | A one-block section of this particular street in the heart of this ever-growing burg has been closed off to make way for construction of the new Town Hall, which opened in June 2003. |
| White Wake Crossroads sign | Mitchell Mill Rd. @ Forestville Rd., Wake Crossroads [Map] | This once-rural crossroads is also feeling the pinch of the continual march of suburbia. Unfortunately, this sign has finally given way to all the changes that have been cropping up along "The Mitch" as of late. |
| No Passing on the Right sign | Duraleigh Rd. @ Timberhurst Dr., Raleigh [Map] | This major thoroughfare once had an unsightly huge right turn lane that served as breeding ground for illegal passing manuevers. Those problems have since relegated to the past, now that this stretch of Duraleigh is a four-lane parkway with a median. |
| Children Playing sign | Church St. @ E. Young St., next to Rolesville Baptist Church; Rolesville [Map] | Time and the elements have worn this very old sign downto the point where it had to be removed after the church expanded its parking lot to better accomodate its parishoners. |
