Burma Shave

 Cattle Crossing
Please Go slow
 That Old Bull
Is Some Cow's Beau

       About the only place we traveled when I was growing up, was to Dad's sister Olie's house outside Dunlap and to my mother's family in Oakland, Il or Terre Houte, In.  Aunt Olie's was a destination of Sunday afternoons and Uncle Jess's or Uncle Russ's was during Caterpillar shut down in July.
       As we traveled south and east down Route 136, a favorite pastime for the family - like the rest of the country -  was reading the iconic advertising of a shaving soap, Burma Shave - five rectangle red  signs with white lettering, one line each of a poem and the fifth sign, the words Burma Shave.
       Before there were interstates and everyone drove on two lane roads, the signs were all along the road at the fence line of a farmer's field.    Most were clever, and fun to read.  Following are some of the actual signs:

Don't Stick Your Elbow
Out So Far
It May Go Home
In Another Car.
Burma Shave

She Kissed The Hairbrush
By Mistake
She Thought It Was
Her Husband Jake
Burma Shave

The Midnight Ride
Of Paul For Beer
Led To A Warmer
Hemisphere
Burma Shave

Around The Curve
Lickety-Split
Beautiful Car
Wasn't It?
Burma Shave

No Matter ThePrice
No Matter How New
The Best Safety Device
In The Car Is You
Burma Shave

Passing School Zone
Take It Slow
Let Our Little
Shavers Grow
Burma Shave

A Man, A Miss
A Kiss, A Curve
He Kissed the Miss
And Missed The Curve
Burma Shave

       The only signs close to that idea that I've seen in the last few years, is along the Interstates, the NRA has some signs about owning guns,  Protest signs around Metamora - for a few years they seemed to be protesting a lot,  and South of Springfield, on I55, a farm had a statue of the Blessed Mother pretty close to the road and then on similar sized white signs in blue lettering on down the highway, the prayer "Hail Mary".  It's been awhile  since I've been that way, so I'm not sure it's still there.
       Burma Shave signs, part of our history.