GRANTS PASS, Ore. — After months of deliberation, city officials in Grants Pass have made an unofficial ruling on the fate of an aged sign that has graced the city outskirts for decades.
The first 'Redwood Empire' sign went up in front of the Caveman Bridge sometime in the 1930s, shortly after the bridge's completion. Where 6th Street meets the bridge, that sign looms on the right as drivers head south across the Rogue.
Today the sign reads as follows:
"RIGHT LANE FOR / REDWOOD EMPIRE / OREGON CAVES / GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE"
Serious debate over the sign's fate was underway by April of this year. Some have expressed a desire to somehow renovate or preserve the original sign, while others prefer to see it replaced entirely.
CLICK HERE for more on the sign's history and the deliberation that has gone into its replacement.
Now, according to City Manager Aaron Cubic, the City Council revealed in a recent workshop that they will move to replace the sign.
Before anything happens to the sign, however, it will need to be brought to a vote at a City Council meeting. City officials have not yet scheduled the issue for a vote. The topic may come up for discussion on Wednesday night's Council meeting, as community members weigh in on what to do with the old sign if it is replaced.