I always love it when I can uncover ancient street signage. One such sign is, or was until recently, right here on Oakley and Cubberly Places. It was a true Staten Island ancient artifact…a mounted yellow and black street sign that dates from Staten Island’s first examples of standardized street signage. Examples of these are indeed precious and few today. I am not sure when these were installed but we can safely say it’s somewhere between 1925 and 1950 judging from the lettering.
I had thought that the sign was safe from plunder as it was mounted on the lawn, technically private property, where the Department of Transportation in its pursuit of rigid conformity, couldn’t touch it. Unfortunately, the sign has disappeared. I don’t get out to this neck of New Dorp often, but Google Street View shows it in 2018, but not in 2021. Perhaps the property owners didn’t want a rusty pole there anymore. In any case, it’s gone and so ends the last of Staten Island’s classic 20th Century street signs. Sic transit, Gloria!
Comments are open if you know where it went.
8/18/22
6 comments
It may not have been on private property. The city may own the land a foot or two beyond the sidewalk, I’m not sure.
Or, alternatively, the City could have had an easement that allowed them to come onto the property to repair/replace that sign.
Peter:
Judging by the second photo, the sign post looks like it’s on private property. A friend of mine had a tree root problem thus lifting the concrete walk a inch or two creating a tripping hazard. He reported it to the city and they stated the Parks Dept would correct the situation. I believe the home owner may have removed since the city wasn’t going to replace it. Shame, the sign should have ended up in a Staten Island museum.
Maybe the city has an easement to cross private property to maintain signs. Idk
People have no respect for tradition, history or rusty objects.
It probably ended up on Ebay
“Own a piece of Staten Island history”