Remember growing up in Rome and watching Paul Revere ride his horse each and every night on top of The Revere manufacturing building? That sign hasn't lit up the city in a long time. It's always a popular discussion of who should fix it. 

The topic has been a hot one of discussion on the "People And Places Of Rome NY" Facebook page. It seems it comes up a lot, and users question who should fix it. Recently, it came up in the Rome Sentinel. Kathleen Murphy of Rome wrote in to ask why nothing is getting done restoring this sign:

This sign was something everyone looked forward to seeing as they re-entered our city...Paul and his horse lit up and riding across the sky. Just as Utica restored their icon, the Utica Club Brewery sign so should we restore ours. There are so many landmarks we have lost including historic buildings, fountains, etc."

According to Oneida County real property tax search, "Revere Copper Prod" still owns the property and the sign. At this point if the sign was to get restored, it would be up to Revere (not the city or any other group) to make the decision to repair and reactivate the sign. Many hope that the City of Rome will restore the sign, but no plan has been placed yet. The F.X. Matt Brewery recently updated their famous sign using money from their business, and not money from the city of Utica.

Many suggest making the sign solar powered, or lit up with LED's would help reduce costs of operation and fixing it up. One user posted (not confirmed) that renovations would cost near 40K. Many replacement parts would have to be custom made. Certain components have been removed to storage to avoid further weathering.

There is a Facebook Group dedicated to getting the sign back in order. "HELP RE-LIGHT THE REVERE SIGN ROME NY" has been trying to start the sign project through grass roots methods. You can follow updates on this page to see what the future of the sign holds.

Who do you think should pay the bill on the sign? Would you donate to a cause if it required citizens to help restore it?

Here's a video of a similar sign currently lit up in New Bedford, MA.

 

 


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