ALTHOUGH I am a loyal (dues-paying) member of the NYC Transit Museum on Schermerhorn Street, I have not been able to visit since January 2020, just before the pandemic. The museum has exhibited a fairly comprehensive selection of subway signage throughout the years. I’m fascinated by the square signs that were employed on subway columns. Most of these, before the 1980s, were white enamel signs with black lettering in a font designed specifically for the Transit Authority (I have not seen it elsewhere).
Most of these signs were replaced by black signs with white lettering, first in the Standard font, then in Helvetica. The most prominent feature of these signs was that speace considerations required abbreviation, sometimes with apostrophes or hyphens, sometimes not. In this batch, notice that Nostrand is divided into two lines without punctuation, while Kingsbridge has a hyphen and period, and Fordham and Tremont get apostrophes.
If you look carefully, on the lower right in very small lettering, too small for my zoom lens to make clear, is the manufacturer and its address. Many of these signs were made by the Baltimore Enamel and Novelty Company, in business from 1898 to 1943, which produced products like municipal signs and license plates. Occasionally signs like these pop up for sale online. I do not know if the company produced Manhattan’s distinctive navy and white humpback street signs.
The last enamel signs of this type in service were on the BMT Times Square station which remained in place into the 1990s. In some stations, you’ll find them in columns located between uptown and downtown tracks, such as at the West 4th Street IND station. They’re pretty dust and crud-encased by now, though.
Check out the ForgottenBook, take a look at the gift shop. As always, “comment…as you see fit.” I earn a small payment when you click on any ad on the site.
1/23/26