The beautiful beach community of Slaughter Beach, Delaware, was experiencing the negative effects of sign pollution. Rule, regulation, directional, and instructional signs displayed along fences and on poles left a disorderly and incongruent appearance in the community. The outdoor sign pollution took away from the beach landscape and the visual clusters of signage were left unread and ignored.
Home to the third-largest Shaker community in the United States between 1805 and 1910, Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill is Kentucky’s largest National Historic Landmark. Shaker Village attracts thousands of visitors every year to experience the 3,000-acre property, home to 34 original Shaker structures.
Interpretive trail signs provide opportunities for trail users from near and far and of all ages and abilities to develop a connection and appreciation for the surrounding landscape. Durable signs installed throughout the trail, from trailhead to trailhead, make for a unified and memorable experience. South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks made this a top priority when working on the signage for South Dakota’s Mickelson Trail.
The Cumberland Valley Rail Trail is a scenic, 13-mile trail that follows an abandoned railroad track from Newville, Pennsylvania, to Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. In 2012, thirteen Pannier Fiberglass Embedded panels and Traditional T exhibit bases were installed along the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail. The signage serves to educate the thousands of trail users that walk, cycle, and horseback ride along the trail each year. Signage topics share the history of the Cumberland Valley Railroad from early railroad travel, to agricultural and Civil War heritage.
People visit parks and recreation areas for a wide variety of reasons: education, adventure, relaxation, exercise — the list goes on. The one reason that each visitor has in common is that they are searching for something they value (Bacher et al. 8). When looking at the intricate world, it is human nature to ask questions and want to make meaning of experiences. What event took place here? What year was this built? Why is this location so special? What is the origin of this flower, and what mountain range is that? Site-specific interpretation is vital to learning, understanding and finding value in an area’s past and present, while also generating future action.
The Wynola Estates Fire Safe Council (WEFSC) was established with the goal of helping southern California communities become more fire resilient. This is achieved through a variety of projects and programs to preserve natural resources, wildlife, and homes in the event of a fire. Founder and native San Diegan, Coko Brown moved to Wynola Estates in 2011 and has since seen great success in her nine years developing the nonprofit organization. Recently, she has extended her efforts and developed two outreach programs.
Wayside exhibits enhance the resident and visitor experience at any location. These exhibits come in many forms and serve a multitude of functions, but a popular purpose of wayside exhibits is to showcase wayfinding signs and maps. Wayfinding signs help people navigate new places, locate local points of interest, and can even beautify the surrounding area. Once installed, wayfinding signs are available at all times and accessible to anyone who takes a moment to stop and look.
Maine Maritime Museum, located in Bath, Maine, recently completed a redevelopment project of the front entrance and other outdoor areas on the museum’s 20-acre campus. Appropriately named “First Impressions,” the project focused on enhancing the visitor experience the second a guest steps onto campus. This was accomplished by creating new wayfinding and interpretive outdoor museum signage.
Hunt Hill Audubon Sanctuary is one of northern Wisconsin’s most diverse natural areas. At Hunt Hill, educating the public on environmental understanding and appreciation are the main missions. This is achieved through dozens of camps and classes throughout the year, but when an instructor isn’t present, Hunt Hill recognizes the importance of educational signage.
Capay Open Space Park (COSP) is a 41-acre park located in Esparto, California. The area is rich in cultural and natural history and has been open to the public for over ten years. However, until recently, the park and its public access to Cache Creek was virtually unknown and received few visitors due to the lack of wayfinding and interpretive signage.