Cleveland has a rich history and some of that history, at least of the 20th century, can be seen through our signs. Political signs, local signs, neon signs, they all tell the story of America and more specifically Cleveland through the 1900s. Check out some of these awesome signs we found via the Cleveland Memory Project.
WTAM neon sign, 1928 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectSign on Old Stone Church, 1933 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectCampaign poster for the Republican National Convention 1936, 1935 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectMonticello Club sign, Euclid Ave., 1938 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectEuclid Auditorium sign for Social Parties, 1939 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectBrass Rail, 1941 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectSherwin-Williams Co. billboard on Buckley Boulevard, 1945 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectWorld War II housing shortage sign, 1945 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectUnited Mothers of America, 1947 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectTelevision installed by Television Sales Corp., 1947 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectGreat Lakes Life Building, 1947 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectCondemned house on Eddy Road, 1949 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectCadillac Lounge, 1949 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectFleet’s Inn Nite Club, 1949 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectWeiss Tailors, 1950 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectPatty’s Cafe with Leisy’s and Erin brew neon signs, 1954 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectMay Company sign with bell, 1957 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectSign outside Lakeside Courthouse, 1957 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectSign for yachtsman at Edgewater Park boating docks, 1957 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectChildren with political signs for Nixon and Kennedy, 1960 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectSign advertising the Port of Cleveland at Edgewater, 1958 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectInaugural signs at Erieview Plaza, 1961 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectOK Hotel Rules, 1961 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectVandalized city sign, 1961 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectInstallation of new sign for Key Club, 1961 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectElection signs on Erieview buildings, 1962 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectRocks at Edgewater park painted with a police ordered swimming ban warning, 1962 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectSign above vacant store on Carnegie Avenue, 1964 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectKaramu House sign, 1965 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectUnveiling of new Cleveland State University sign, 1965 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectProtesters at Federal Building, 1965 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectSigns confiscated after raid, 1966 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectHoping to deter looters, a woman puts a sign in the window of her store, 1966 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectDirectional signs in Cleveland Hopkins Airport parking lot, 1966 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectIntersection with view of business signs on Euclid Avenue, 1967 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectCarl B. Stokes Mayor Sign at his Home, 1967 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectSign on house located at East 93rd St., 1968 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectVandalized sign at Severance Hall, 1968 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectSign covering part of window on Hippodrome Theater back door, 1970 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectWJMO sign, 1970 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectSign outside Woman’s General Hospital, 1971 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectLoew’s State sign coming down, 1971 Credit: Cleveland Memory Project“Beach Closed” sign, Mentor Headlands, 1971 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectBlack Unity Protester in front of Roger’s Jewelers, 1972 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectOne-way entrance street sign in Tremont, 1972 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectNeon signs on East 9th Street, 1972 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectEliot Ness Mayoral sign, 1974 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectBrowns fans with anti-Modell sign, 1974 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectChild holding sign at Indians game, 1974 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectSign at last Browns home game, 1975 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectWest Shoreway Signs, 1975 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectCampaign signs on Cedar Ave., 1975 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectBusing Protest signs at Airport, 1976 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectChild Sign for West Side Recreation Center, 1976 Credit: Cleveland Memory Project“Buckeye Welcomes You” sign on Buckeye Road, 1978 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectSteelworkers carry signs backing the recall of Dennis Kucinich, 1978 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectWoman holding”Don’t Bus My Baby” sign, 1978 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectSign at the headquarters for the effort to recall Dennis Kucinich from office, 1978 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectCleveland Municipal Light Plant, 1979 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectPublic Square redevelopment signage, 1979 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectCounty Fair Welcome Sign, 1979 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectNew street sign named for Martin Luther King Jr. in East Cleveland, 1980 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectPolitical sign at Monday night football game, 1980 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectRent strike, 1981 Credit: Cleveland Memory ProjectResidents protesting an unsafe intersection with car and dummy, 1982 Credit: Cleveland Memory Project