One of the best things about Oakland is…the signage!  We happen to adore Our Oakland, because Gene Anderson discovers signs that might otherwise get lost in the fray.

There’s a critical mass of signs at this point, covering all the quotidian needs of city slickers.  Many signs are historical artifacts and highly stylized.  Some signs are spit-shined, while others have seen better days.

Where to find signs: Our Oakland’s signs are scattered throughout the city, but blogger Gene has made them easy to locate.  Just click on a pin below, to see what a sign looks like and get directions to that sign.  For example, click on the yellow pin between highways 24/13 and you will see the Village Market.

Yellow pins are what you’re after, as they represent signs already covered on the blog.  The other blue colors indicate signs identified or already snapped for future coverage.  (Note:  After you click on a pin, you sometimes have to refresh this page to bring back the pin-covered map again.)

We love all the signs: Picking favorite signs is like choosing a favorite child, so we won’t go there.  However I enjoy ones that are more subtle and add to the overall fabric of neighborhoods.  The ones that still light up at night are also interesting to me, but that’s a personal thing.

Altogether, the current collection pays homage to bygone days.  We hope these cultural touchstones don’t get ripped down in the name of progress.  Heck, can you imagine the Fox or Paramount without them?