Historical Highlights

Progress in Preserving
and Restoring Markers in the
Town of Sand Lake

Members of the Sand Lake Historical Society have decided to tackle the preservation and restoration of the "neediest" of our markers. On this page, we'll keep you apprised of the progress. [Click on images to enlarge them]

Trinity Lutheran Church The marker in front of the former Trinity Lutheran Church (currently West Sand Lake Community Church) in West Sand Lake dates to 1938, when the (New York) State Education Department erected such markers across the State. When the first photo here was taken in the early 2000s, the marker was in good shape, undoubtedly having been refinished a time or two since 1938. The intervening years, though, have not been kind to this marker. Weather and, likely road salt used to keep roads passable in winter, have taken their toll, and the cast iron currently shows a fair bit of rust and paint deterioration (second photo). Fortunately, there appears to be little or no damage to the lettering and detail! On 4/18/2022, Brian Hunt from the Town Highway Department assisted SLHS members Mike Perry, Andy Mace and Bud Whitney (not pictured here) in removing one very heavy cast-iron marker from the pole. It was transported to ASC Powder Coating in Rensseleaer for blasting to clean off the old paint and rust. ASC has generously donated not only the blasting, but also powder-coating in the base blue!
State Education Department marker from 1938, seen in the early 2000s here.	The same marker in April 2022.	Trinity marker about to be removed from the pole 4/18/2022	A very rusty but still solid pole, 4/18/2022	The same pole primed for painting, 4/18/2022
Refinished in Blue, 4/20/2022. NOTE: Older markers tended to be a darker blue, while "modern" ones are this lighter "Royal" blue. As the powder-coated sign is that darker blue, the pole has since been repainted black.	UPDATE: The marker has been sandblasted and powder-coated in blue as of 5/7/2022. Our thanks to ASC Powder Coating!	"Where did this marker go?" sign; post repainted black 6/8/2022	Progress adding the yellow highlights (it will take two coats!), 6/5/2022. Mike Perry is applying the yellow.	More progress adding the yellow highlights; second coat of yellow, 6/6/2022, again applied by Mike Perry.
6/10/2022: Bud Whitneyand Mike Perry wrestle the refurbished marker into place on the pole. The older cast-iron markers are very heavy!		Mike works to tighten the grub screws holding the sign to the pole!		The restored marker in place and with QR code plaque installed!!

Sand Lake Union

The Sand Lake Union Cemetery sign has suffered a fair bit from the elements in its nearly 20 years. Most concerning is some surface pitting and deterioration of "detail" (lettering in particular) due to corrosion. This sign, located at a spot with significant traffic (and, therefore, much salting in winter), currently is receiving a thorough and careful chemical paint stripping and will be refinished.

Marker as seen in the early 2000s here.

The same marker in April 2022.

Sand Lake Union sign shows some deterioration of the letering

Closeup of marker in April 2022 showing some pitting in the surface and deterioration of some lettering.

Chemical paint stripper at work.

South face of the sign after stripping. Note blue "circle"; this might have been a casting flaw repair when first made?

Sand Lake Union Cemetery marker on display at Sky High Community Center on Sand Lake Cleanup Day, 5/7/2022

Temporary sign at Sand Lake Union sign pole, posted May 2022

On June 27, this sign, along with five others as detailed elsewhere on this page, was delivered to Sage Bros. in Troy, who will blast and refinish the six signs!

Bernhard Uhlein The marker in front of the former Trinity Lutheran Church (currently West Sand Lake Community Church) in West Sand Lake dates to 1938, when the (New York) State Education Department erected such markers across the State. When the first photo here was taken in the early 2000s, the marker was in good shape, undoubtedly having been refinished a time or two since 1938. The intervening years, though, have not been kind to this marker. Weather and, likely road salt used to keep roads passable in winter, have taken their toll, and the cast iron currently shows a fair bit of rust and paint deterioration (second photo). Fortunately, there appears to be little or no damage to the lettering and detail! On 4/18/2022, Brian Hunt from the Town Highway Department assisted SLHS members Mike Perry, Andy Mace and Bud Whitney (not pictured here) in removing one very heavy cast-iron marker from the pole. It was transported to ASC Powder Coating in Rensseleaer for blasting to clean off the old paint and rust. ASC has generously donated not only the blasting, but also powder-coating in the base blue!
State Education Department marker from 1938, seen in the early 2000s here.	The same marker in April 2022.	Trinity marker about to be removed from the pole 4/18/2022	A very rusty but still solid pole, 4/18/2022	The same pole primed for painting, 4/18/2022
UPDATE: The marker has been sandblasted and powder-coated in blue as of 5/7/2022. Our thanks to ASC Powder Coating!	Refinished in Blue, 4/20/2022. NOTE: Older markers seemed to have ben a darker blue, while "modern" ones are this lighter "Royal" blue. As the powder-coated sign is that darker blue, the pole has since been repainted black.	"Where did this marker go?" sign; post repainted black 6/8/2022	Progress adding the yellow highlights (it will take two coats!), 6/5/2022. Mike Perry is applying the yellow.	More progress adding the yellow highlights; second coat of yellow, 6/6/2022, again applied by Mike Perry.
6/10/2022: Bud Whitneyand Mike Perry wrestle the refurbished marker into place on the pole. The older cast-iron markers are very heavy!		Mike works to tighten the grub screws holding the sign to the pole!	The restored marker in place and with QR code plaque installed!!

Burden Lake The marker in front of the former Trinity Lutheran Church (currently West Sand Lake Community Church) in West Sand Lake dates to 1938, when the (New York) State Education Department erected such markers across the State. When the first photo here was taken in the early 2000s, the marker was in good shape, undoubtedly having been refinished a time or two since 1938. The intervening years, though, have not been kind to this marker. Weather and, likely road salt used to keep roads passable in winter, have taken their toll, and the cast iron currently shows a fair bit of rust and paint deterioration (second photo). Fortunately, there appears to be little or no damage to the lettering and detail! On 4/18/2022, Brian Hunt from the Town Highway Department assisted SLHS members Mike Perry, Andy Mace and Bud Whitney (not pictured here) in removing one very heavy cast-iron marker from the pole. It was transported to ASC Powder Coating in Rensseleaer for blasting to clean off the old paint and rust. ASC has generously donated not only the blasting, but also powder-coating in the base blue!
State Education Department marker from 1938, seen in the early 2000s here.	The same marker in April 2022.	Trinity marker about to be removed from the pole 4/18/2022	A very rusty but still solid pole, 4/18/2022	The same pole primed for painting, 4/18/2022
Refinished in Blue, 4/20/2022. NOTE: Older markers tended to be a darker blue, while "modern" ones are this lighter "Royal" blue. As the powder-coated sign is that darker blue, the pole has since been repainted black.	UPDATE: The marker has been sandblasted and powder-coated in blue as of 5/7/2022. Our thanks to ASC Powder Coating!	"Where did this marker go?" sign; post repainted black 6/8/2022	Progress adding the yellow highlights (it will take two coats!), 6/5/2022. Mike Perry is applying the yellow.	More progress adding the yellow highlights; second coat of yellow, 6/6/2022, again applied by Mike Perry.
6/10/2022: Bud Whitneyand Mike Perry wrestle the refurbished marker into place on the pole. The older cast-iron markers are very heavy!		Mike works to tighten the grub screws holding the sign to the pole!		The restored marker in place and with QR code plaque installed!!

Glass Lake The marker in front of the former Trinity Lutheran Church (currently West Sand Lake Community Church) in West Sand Lake dates to 1938, when the (New York) State Education Department erected such markers across the State. When the first photo here was taken in the early 2000s, the marker was in good shape, undoubtedly having been refinished a time or two since 1938. The intervening years, though, have not been kind to this marker. Weather and, likely road salt used to keep roads passable in winter, have taken their toll, and the cast iron currently shows a fair bit of rust and paint deterioration (second photo). Fortunately, there appears to be little or no damage to the lettering and detail! On 4/18/2022, Brian Hunt from the Town Highway Department assisted SLHS members Mike Perry, Andy Mace and Bud Whitney (not pictured here) in removing one very heavy cast-iron marker from the pole. It was transported to ASC Powder Coating in Rensseleaer for blasting to clean off the old paint and rust. ASC has generously donated not only the blasting, but also powder-coating in the base blue!
State Education Department marker from 1938, seen in the early 2000s here.	The same marker in April 2022.	Trinity marker about to be removed from the pole 4/18/2022	A very rusty but still solid pole, 4/18/2022	The same pole primed for painting, 4/18/2022
Refinished in Blue, 4/20/2022. NOTE: Older markers tended to be a darker blue, while "modern" ones are this lighter "Royal" blue. As the powder-coated sign is that darker blue, the pole has since been repainted black.	UPDATE: The marker has been sandblasted and powder-coated in blue as of 5/7/2022. Our thanks to ASC Powder Coating!	"Where did this marker go?" sign; post repainted black 6/8/2022	Progress adding the yellow highlights (it will take two coats!), 6/5/2022. Mike Perry is applying the yellow.	More progress adding the yellow highlights; second coat of yellow, 6/6/2022, again applied by Mike Perry.
6/10/2022: Bud Whitneyand Mike Perry wrestle the refurbished marker into place on the pole. The older cast-iron markers are very heavy!		Mike works to tighten the grub screws holding the sign to the pole!		The restored marker in place and with QR code plaque installed!!

Sand Lake Baptist Church The marker in front of the former Trinity Lutheran Church (currently West Sand Lake Community Church) in West Sand Lake dates to 1938, when the (New York) State Education Department erected such markers across the State. When the first photo here was taken in the early 2000s, the marker was in good shape, undoubtedly having been refinished a time or two since 1938. The intervening years, though, have not been kind to this marker. Weather and, likely road salt used to keep roads passable in winter, have taken their toll, and the cast iron currently shows a fair bit of rust and paint deterioration (second photo). Fortunately, there appears to be little or no damage to the lettering and detail! On 4/18/2022, Brian Hunt from the Town Highway Department assisted SLHS members Mike Perry, Andy Mace and Bud Whitney (not pictured here) in removing one very heavy cast-iron marker from the pole. It was transported to ASC Powder Coating in Rensseleaer for blasting to clean off the old paint and rust. ASC has generously donated not only the blasting, but also powder-coating in the base blue!
State Education Department marker from 1938, seen in the early 2000s here.	The same marker in April 2022.	Trinity marker about to be removed from the pole 4/18/2022	A very rusty but still solid pole, 4/18/2022	The same pole primed for painting, 4/18/2022
Refinished in Blue, 4/20/2022. NOTE: Older markers tended to be a darker blue, while "modern" ones are this lighter "Royal" blue. As the powder-coated sign is that darker blue, the pole has since been repainted black.	UPDATE: The marker has been sandblasted and powder-coated in blue as of 5/7/2022. Our thanks to ASC Powder Coating!	"Where did this marker go?" sign; post repainted black 6/8/2022	Progress adding the yellow highlights (it will take two coats!), 6/5/2022. Mike Perry is applying the yellow.	More progress adding the yellow highlights; second coat of yellow, 6/6/2022, again applied by Mike Perry.
6/10/2022: Bud Whitneyand Mike Perry wrestle the refurbished marker into place on the pole. The older cast-iron markers are very heavy!		Mike works to tighten the grub screws holding the sign to the pole!		The restored marker in place and with QR code plaque installed!!

Log Church Site The marker in front of the former Trinity Lutheran Church (currently West Sand Lake Community Church) in West Sand Lake dates to 1938, when the (New York) State Education Department erected such markers across the State. When the first photo here was taken in the early 2000s, the marker was in good shape, undoubtedly having been refinished a time or two since 1938. The intervening years, though, have not been kind to this marker. Weather and, likely road salt used to keep roads passable in winter, have taken their toll, and the cast iron currently shows a fair bit of rust and paint deterioration (second photo). Fortunately, there appears to be little or no damage to the lettering and detail! On 4/18/2022, Brian Hunt from the Town Highway Department assisted SLHS members Mike Perry, Andy Mace and Bud Whitney (not pictured here) in removing one very heavy cast-iron marker from the pole. It was transported to ASC Powder Coating in Rensseleaer for blasting to clean off the old paint and rust. ASC has generously donated not only the blasting, but also powder-coating in the base blue!
State Education Department marker from 1938, seen in the early 2000s here.	The same marker in April 2022.	Trinity marker about to be removed from the pole 4/18/2022	A very rusty but still solid pole, 4/18/2022	The same pole primed for painting, 4/18/2022
Refinished in Blue, 4/20/2022. NOTE: Older markers tended to be a darker blue, while "modern" ones are this lighter "Royal" blue. As the powder-coated sign is that darker blue, the pole has since been repainted black.	UPDATE: The marker has been sandblasted and powder-coated in blue as of 5/7/2022. Our thanks to ASC Powder Coating!	"Where did this marker go?" sign; post repainted black 6/8/2022	Progress adding the yellow highlights (it will take two coats!), 6/5/2022. Mike Perry is applying the yellow.	More progress adding the yellow highlights; second coat of yellow, 6/6/2022, again applied by Mike Perry.
6/10/2022: Bud Whitneyand Mike Perry wrestle the refurbished marker into place on the pole. The older cast-iron markers are very heavy!		Mike works to tighten the grub screws holding the sign to the pole!		The restored marker in place and with QR code plaque installed!!

Preservation Page

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Marker Page

Have any suggestions for historical markers in Sand Lake? If so, please contact us!

Historical Highlights

Progress in Preserving and Restoring Markers in the Town of Sand Lake

Members of the Sand Lake Historical Society have decided to tackle the preservation and restoration of the "neediest" of our markers. On this page, we'll keep you apprised of the progress. [Click on images to enlarge them]

Trinity Lutheran Church

Sand Lake Union

Bernhard Uhlein

Burden Lake

Glass Lake

Sand Lake Baptist Church

Log Church Site

Progress in Preserving
and Restoring Markers in the
Town of Sand Lake