Signs, Signs, Everywhere a Sign!

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How do you get from here to there? Where can I park? What can I find to do in this Small Town on a Great Lake? Good wayfinding signage will tell you all you want to know and hopefully more.

Main Street Vermilion, in partnership with the city of Vermilion has worked to create and install navigation-friendly and aesthetically-pleasing signs around town. You’ll recognize them as the marine blue signs featuring the iconic schooner in their design. This coordinated effort creates a strong identity for the city. How did it happen?

  • It started with a $20,000 matching grant from Heritage Ohio, the statewide Main Street coordination organization and part of the National Main Street Center. Local collaborations between Main Street Vermilion, the City of Vermilion, the Chamber of Commerce and Friends of Harbourtown launched the wayfinding process.

  • The design of the signs was initiated by public and tourist input. MSV worked with the above organizations as well as Vermilion in Bloom, the Parks Board and the Port Authority to finalize the designs. The final product was the blue signs you see today. The classic schooner imagewas created by Captain William Austin, who built the first schooner ship along the Vermilion River. He called her “Friendship.” She was a 50-footer registered at 57 tons. The exact place where “Friendship” was built is not known, but it may have been at the foot of Huron Street, where the old shipyard stood. 

  • The “Harbourtown” concept was created by Theodore (Ted) Wakefield, and his daughter Margaret Wakefield Worcester carried on his legacy. Her name was prominently featured in old records, back when MSV was still known as Historic Vermilion, Inc

Since then, the signs greet your everywhere from Main Street Beach to the bridge on the eastern end of town. People have an easier time navigating Vermilion, and they bring pride to our residents....and that we’re  adding more is a “good sign.”

Hayley Carter, MSV Intern

Director’s Note: Recently we’ve added a few more signs to the series around town. One at the water department on Main Street; signage at City Hall; signage on Grand and Liberty reminding west bound travelers that there are “More Shops Ahead.,” a sign encouraging people to explore the growing number of businesses on the south side of Liberty, across from the Ritter Library.








Main Street Vermilion