About The Oldest Sign In America
This sign continues to accurately reflect the approximate mileage distance today
A sign is a displayed piece of information that uses words, symbols, images, or other visual elements to communicate a message, provide direction, identify a location, advertise something, or convey instructions to people who can see it.
The "1708 Boston Mile Marker" in Newbury, Massachusetts, refers to a historic granite milestone erected along the Old Bay Road (now called Middle Road), one of the earliest colonial highways in New England. The stone marker is the oldest surviving sign of any kind in the United States and a remnant of the early American colonial road system.
This stone is the first surviving marker in a series that guided travelers from Boston northward to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, beginning approximately 33 miles outside Boston. Dated 1708, it marks Milestone 33 from Boston and is notable for its early date, decorative carvings, and connection to the region's colonial infrastructure.
It is part of a system of five original milestones in Newbury, of which four still stand today. These markers were essential for stagecoach travelers, post riders, and traders in an era before standardized signage or maps.
The Old Bay Road was established by order of the Massachusetts General Court in 1639, mandating towns along the route to construct a path from Boston to the New Hampshire border (near Portsmouth).
This road, roughly following modern Route 1A in parts, became a vital artery for commerce, mail delivery, and migration, passing through towns like Chelsea, Malden, Lynn, Salem, Danvers, Peabody, Wenham, Hamilton, Ipswich, and Newbury. Newbury, settled in 1635 as one of the earliest Puritan plantations, served as a key waypoint due to its position on the Parker River and its role as a farming and shipping hub.
Milestones along the Bay Road were installed starting in the early 1700s to measure distances accurately, aiding post riders who carried mail on foot, horseback, or snowshoes. The system predates more famous markers like those attributed (often inaccurately) to Benjamin Franklin on the Boston Post Road in the 1760s.
By 1708, when this marker was placed, the road had evolved from a rudimentary trail into a more defined path, but travel remained arduous—journeys from Boston to Newbury could take a full day by coach.
The markers were typically rough-hewn fieldstones (likely diorite granite sourced locally) about 2–3 feet tall, set into the ground along the roadside. Newbury's stones, including the 1708 example, feature cryptic decorative motifs like triangles, whorls, and crossed circles—possibly Masonic symbols, mason's marks, or folk art—whose exact meanings remain debated among historians.
The marker is located on the grounds of the Governor's Academy (formerly Dummer Academy) in Byfield, a village within Newbury, at 1 Elm Street. It stands near the historic Dummer Mansion House (built c. 1720s), close to the junction of Elm Street and Central Street, along the original Bay Road alignment.
Preservation efforts include surveys by the Newbury Historical Commission and listings in the National Register of Historic Places (as part of broader Bay Road districts). Modern threats like erosion and development are monitored, with the town emphasizing their role in heritage tourism.