SCOUTING
FIELD NOTES

A NY Road Sign the DOT Forgot About

I think this is quite possibly my favorite road sign in New York:

004

You can find this decaying sign on Seagirt Boulevard just before you cross the bridge to Atlantic Beach in south Queens.

006

But the real question is: what the heck does this sign mean? You’re already in the middle of New York when you pass it; that arrow could be pointing in any direction and still be accurate! And if it’s referring to Manhattan, it’s definitely pointing in the wrong direction.

001

If it said Atlantic Beach or Long Beach or Nassau County or Long Island, it might make some sense…but as it stands, it’s just a simple wooden sign with an arrow pointing to “New York.” And when was the last time the DOT put up signs printed on wood??

002

To be totally honest, this is actually my favorite road sign in New York. Forget the silly “How sweet it is!” and “Fuggedaboutit!” signs…

007
“Welcome to Brooklyn: Home To Everyone From Everywhere!”

…that’s the absolute best description of Brooklyn I’ve ever heard.

-SCOUT

Many more posts in the archives!

Share this post via…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. Chicken Underwear Avatar
    Chicken Underwear

    Wow, I remember that sign. Back in the 80s, I lived in Brooklyn and worked at a beach club in Atlantic Beach. I always took it to mean that if you make the upcoming right turn your only go to the beach, but if you go straight you get the rest on of New York and “The City”.

    Also, it is no biggie, but that sign and all of Rockaway is in Queens.

    Reply
  2. Tyler Avatar
    Tyler

    As I remember it people in Brooklyn used to say “I’m going to New York”. Queens and the burbs called it “The City” There were signs in Forest Hills, i think. that said “To City”.

    Don’t know if it’s true but I heard the Brooklyn way dated back to when Brooklyn was a separate city.

    Good find.

    Reply
  3. Kay Jay Why Avatar
    Kay Jay Why

    “Home to Everyone From Everywhere” is, indeed, a great description of Brooklyn. Still, “Fuggheddaboudit” made a great punchline to my Brooklyn montage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeZWx_-FL2o

    Reply
  4. Paul Avatar
    Paul

    looks like that sign may have been re-purposed at one time -then the new front of it fell off revealing the original NY sign.
    I’ve seen metal signs that were painted over with new info on them, but the older info still shows thru a bit.

    Reply
  5. Katie Avatar
    Katie

    One of my favorites is the “Now leaving Brooklyn… Oy Vey!” as you head onto the Williamsburg Bridge towards Manhattan.

    Reply
  6. John Avatar
    John

    I agree with post number 4. I think it was repurposed. Look at how the curved edges have been shaved off on the sides to make it fit the backboard.

    Reply
  7. vanillasugar Avatar
    vanillasugar

    how strange indeed. a gov’t mess up, that got lost

    Reply
  8. Linda Danz Avatar
    Linda Danz

    LOVE IT!!!!

    Reply
  9. Sheryl Avatar
    Sheryl

    I love the sign that says How Sweet it is ….

    Reply
  10. Ross P. Avatar
    Ross P.

    Haha, so someone else has put his sign on the internet! Good job. I live kind of in the South VS/Lynbrook/Hewlett area, and sometimes when driving back from Brooklyn I might take the “back way” down Flatbush Ave through the Rockaways and always enjoyed the sign. My girlfriend thought it might have been set on fire the first time I pointed it out to her… that might not be so out of character with Far Rockaway, though, haha.

    Having signs printed “To New York” isn’t uncommon at all on Long Island, although a sign physically facing east saying such is strange.

    Let’s hope it continues to stand!

    Reply
  11. Steve K Avatar
    Steve K

    Formerly, was there another sign near there that said something like “Brooklyn: Hometown to People from 150 Nations”?

    Reply
  12. Josh Avatar
    Josh

    I drive past this location everyday, unfortunately the sign disappeared several months ago, although the post still stands. For other locations near by, check out the Far Rockaway Post Office on Mott Avenue (a juxtaposition from a bygone era which no longer reflects the neighborhood). I’ve always found the abandoned Post Office (approx. 90 Beach Channel Drive) in Rockaway Beach intriguing, wondering if it’s was once as nice as the one on Mott.

    Reply
  13. dave in milwaukee Avatar
    dave in milwaukee

    Wow, those pics bring back a lot of memories . . . I lived in Lawrence, right over Queens-Nassau border from Far Rock as a kid in late 60s to early 70s. We would always go exactly that way on the way home from visiting family in Bkln. The county line and end of Seagirt is right up ahead in the photos: stay on road and it curves around to go north on Doughty Blvd to Lawrence (long before the expressway was built), or exit to right to go over Atlantic Beach Bridge. I recall that back then the bridge toll was $.25 each way.

    Don’t recall the “NY” sign (but it must’ve been there long before I lived there). But the scene is otherwise exactly the way I remember it from when my family moved away from Lawrence and NY in 1973. Doesn’t seem like it’s been almost 40 years!

    Reply
  14. sam roberts Avatar
    sam roberts

    Looking for a photograph of those “To City” signs that pointed to Manhattan and used to be in Queens. Sam Roberts samrob@nytimes.com

    Reply
  15. James Avatar
    James

    I work over there and just thought its pointing towards 878 which has many routes branching off of it you can take to get to Manhattan.

    Reply

Many more posts in the archives…

PURCHASE

Scout Stories #3
“Hidden New York” Issue
Secrets and oddities to be found throughout NYC…
$12 / 44 pages / full color
Print only!

Scout Stories #2
“Show Business” Issue
True stories from the trenches of La La Land!
$12 / 52 pages / full color
Print only!

Scout Stories #2
“Desert” Issue
Strange encounters in the middle of nowhere…
$10 / 32 pages / full color
Print only!