Good Bye Paul Revere

by Edward Camara

Before all the residents of New Bedford go nuts and buy all the tissues in town, let’s understand a few things about the departure of the Paul Revere sign that went up in the early 1990’s at a point where Route 195E changes from 3 to 2 lanes. You just can’t save everything no matter how sentimental you feel about it.

Paul Revere Copper and Brass on the waterfront never made pots and pans. They made large sheets of copper and other metals that were then shipped to Rome, NY where finished products were made.

Paul Revere never visited New Bedford.

The sign was never multi-colored- it was all red like the signs on top of all the mills and the New Bedford Hotel, and no one cried when they came down. I won’t even get into the ‘race track’ thing- that’s poor conjecture not based on any research or facts.

The technology of bent glass tubes with neon gas inside is as old as crank phones and very breakable and unreliable.

The “reader board” at the bottom was added as an afterthought and was sometimes wrong because it was controlled by humans, plus it worked when it wanted to. Placing it on top of a windy hill made it a sail and we’re lucky it didn’t take off like one.

That wind and weather sped up the deterioration.

In short, let’s all wish it good bye and good luck in its new home. Oh yes, btw, where was everybody at the farewell parties for the Nobska, the Lightship, or Frates Funeral Home to mention a few…