Behind the Sign

Next month I’ll be observing my 75th orbit around the sun. Having reached the three-quarters of a century mark, I’ve been a bonafide witness to the truth of the adage “What is old becomes new again.” While I certainly can’t apply that bit of folk wisdom to myself (75 years is, after all, 75 years), it’s an observation that rings true for the signage that Meyer Sign recently created for Mount Vernon’s venerable green space, Hillcrest Park. Allow me to explain.

“The city of Mount Vernon now boasts a park of its own, Hillcrest Park, ideally located in a grove of virgin timber that covers a thirty-acre tract. The land was purchased five years ago from J. C. McGinnitie at a cost of $6,000… with the final payment of $1,200 made just a few days ago, interest in the park has been revived…This week the water company offered to build a water main for a distance of 150 feet if the city will build the remaining 500 feet necessary to reach the park. With only a small expenditure, the park may be one of the finest and most picturesque in the Northwest.”

You can't walk through Hillcrest Park in Mount Vernon without noticing the kinetic metal fish sculpture at its north end. Here's the story behind it.

The moment I first set eyes on Hillcrest Lodge, my immediate thought was “WPA.” Inside and out, it has that solidly rustic quality that pervades so much of our beloved National Park system.