By Mary Gadberry
December 21, 2023 – Part of Clovis Avenue was closed briefly during the overnight hours earlier this week while crews performed minor maintenance and repairs on our overhead sign, that proudly informs visitors and residents alike that you are in Clovis, the Gateway to the Sierras.
The sign hangs over Clovis Avenue, between Fourth and Fifth Streets, on a stretch of Clovis Avenue that was historically part of Highway 168.
The original sign was commissioned during the 1920’s by a group of community members and was made of wood. In the late 1930’s, another group of citizens raised money for a new top of the line sign, made of porcelain in the Art Deco style.
The sign was built by Fresno Neon Sign Company, the business who also performed the restoration work on the sign in 2010. And yes, we know, it should be “Sierra” and not “Sierras,” but the error was on the first sign, and in the interests of history it was decided the error would continue on future signs.
The sign was once again refurbished in the 1990’s spearheaded by Fred Osterberg and the Clovis Historical Society, and funds were raised from local merchants.
In addition to renovating the sign, the support posts underwent a restoration in 2010. Initially, the sign had been supported by two wooden posts, essentially telephone poles, placed behind the buildings, with guide cables attached to the sign.
The current posts are cemented into the ground, and the cables are much more secure, and both are designed to withstand winds up to 75 mph. It weighs over 400 pounds, was originally made from sheet metal coated with porcelain, and has hand painted lettering and artwork.
Over the years, the thirteen-foot wide, four-foot-tall sign has sustained wind damage as well as damage from passing trucks that underestimated their clearance needs.
While most of the sign is original, the refurbishment in 2010 discovered some very Clovis damage. During some point, one side of the porcelain had been replaced with sheet metal, and upon removal of the metal, bullet holes were found.
That side was cleaned up and made operational, and the north side of the sign still has the original porcelain covering.
The Clovis sign has welcomed generations of residents and visitors alike over the last one hundred years. With the needed restoration and repairs completed, our sign should be in service for many years to come.