What Do These Brown & White Signs In Augusta, Maine Mean?

If you have spent much time driving around the residential neighborhoods of Augusta, there is a good chance that you have been by a few of these very unique looking street signs.

Unlike the normal street signs, which are bright green with shiny white lettering, these rather unique looking signs have a more classic look to them.  They are brown (maybe maroon?) with white lettering.  While they may be found in other parts of the city, they are mostly found in the older residential neighborhoods of the city's west side.

According to Wikipedia and the Maine Encyclopedia, these street signs denote the Winthrop Street Historic District.  Basically, they mark the streets that are part of the city's oldest residential neighborhoods.

The district stretches out from Winthrop Street and includes properties on side streets extending to the north of Winthrop and the east of State Street.  In total, it covers about 100 acres and nearly 200 buildings.

If you look around as you walk or drive through the area, you'll see that it makes sense.  A large portion of the homes in this part of town were built prior to the 20th century.  Many of them were part of a post Civil War housing boom.  You are likely to spot plaques on many homes that explain who built the home and when they home was built.

So, next time you take a drive through Central Maine, keep an eye out for these "historic district" signs.

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