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Unveiling the Story of America’s Highway Typeface

The Standard Alphabet embarks on a journey across the United States to trace the origins of the typeface seen on highway signs. Through a blend of photography, video, and meticulous historical research, the project explores how these letterforms embody both the poetry and authority of familiar road markers, revealing a unique visual language that shapes the American travel experience.

Tracing the Typeface of American Highways

Discover the journey behind the font that guides millions across the US, blending imagery, film, and history.

The Typeface Origins

Uncover the design roots and historical context of the highway signage font.

The Photographic Journey

Experience the visual narrative capturing signs and landscapes across America.

Historical Research

Dive into archival discoveries and stories behind the typeface’s evolution.

Experiments were conducted to determin the relative legibility of lower case and capital letters in large highway signs.

— Theodore Forbes

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Randall Hoyt (@thestandardalphabet) • Instagram photos and videos