New signs in Dowagiac

Road signs signal a lot of different messages; when to stop, when to turn, or even when not to enter, but the city of Dowagiac has some new signs that mean more than which direction to turn.

This past month, the city put up 11 new signs throughout the city and at each entrance into the city. They mark important landmarks like the police department, Beckwith Theatre or the Dowagiac Area History Museum,

They were put in place to help people navigate through the city easier.  

“We hope that as you enter the city, you'll get the feel of what you've come here to do, or you'll get the feel of the community as you pass through,” said Bobbie Jo Hartline, Secretary to the City Manager.

She added that the signs are unique to the community.

“We wanted to make them very special so you'll notice they reflect our artwork. There are 15 pieces of public art within the city, and there's a lot of city, festival, and organizational events going on. You'll see on the back side that there are posters for the events so whether you're coming or going from the city, you'll know what's going on and how to get around,” Hartline added.

Right now the back of all the signs feature the Dogwood Festival, which is going on until May 17th.

The project has been in the making for more than five years and the planning staff wanted to make sure that getting around the city was convenient and comfortable.

“It was a fun project because it really did evolve, we knew the spirit of what we wanted the signs to look like and see but they kind of grew themselves,” Hartline added.
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