Burlco Trivia IndexBurlco Trivia IndexIndex of topics included in Joe Index of topics included in Joe

Laufer’s Trivia PowerpointLaufer’s Trivia Powerpoint

PlusPlus

3-slide addition on Vincentown3-slide addition on Vincentown

Burma Shave SignsBurma Shave Signs

Burlco Trivia IndexBurlco Trivia IndexBellsBells

1. County Bell1. County Bell2. Smithville Bell2. Smithville Bell3. Burlington Bell3. Burlington Bell

Missed “drive bys”Missed “drive bys”4. Traffic Control Booth4. Traffic Control Booth5. Eight stone mile markers5. Eight stone mile markers6. Trolly Fare Collection Booth6. Trolly Fare Collection Booth7. Trolly Car Barn7. Trolly Car Barn8. Pemberton Lion8. Pemberton Lion9. Shamong’s “Mighty Joe”9. Shamong’s “Mighty Joe”

Only in Burlington CountyOnly in Burlington County10. Blackburn Mud10. Blackburn Mud11. Vincentown’s Burma Shave 11. Vincentown’s Burma Shave

SignsSigns

Crime and PunishmentCrime and Punishment12. County Prison12. County Prison13. Pemberton Lock-up13. Pemberton Lock-up14. Vincentown Lock-up14. Vincentown Lock-up15. Wesley Warner Trial15. Wesley Warner Trial16. Delta Grove Jinx16. Delta Grove Jinx

War VignettesWar Vignettes17. Steven Girard17. Steven Girard18. Ulysses Grant18. Ulysses Grant19. Bloody Hessian Hand at Copany19. Bloody Hessian Hand at Copany20. Crosswicks Canon Ball20. Crosswicks Canon Ball21. Jonathan O’Dell21. Jonathan O’Dell22. James Walter Wall22. James Walter Wall23. Hitler’s Yacht23. Hitler’s Yacht24. Agnes Gilkerson Statue24. Agnes Gilkerson Statue25. H.B. Smith Tomb25. H.B. Smith Tomb

Animals26. February the Moose27. Animal Kingdom Zoo28. Paws Farm29. Woolford Cedar Run30. Rancocas Nature Center31. Japanese Beetle

School Houses32. Vincentown33. Cross Keys34. Georgetown35. Tabernacle

Really Big Things36. Roebling Sculpture Garden37. Human Sun Dial

Odds and Ends38. Mercury Statue39. Mary’s Tavern, MLK40. Sacred Heart Church41. Helis Stock Farm

The first Burma Shave signs appeared in 1927 and new ones continued to come out until 1963, when the country was and would continue undergoing a lot of change in its culture and attitudes.   

The thoughtfulness that went into each Burma-Shave jingle is remarkable.  Burma-Shave signage certainly has the greeting card industry beaten. 

Trends in the signs were influenced by their decade of introduction.  For example, the earliest signs seem to have more of a rural tone, while the war years were, well, the war years.   The 50s saw more emphasis on driving and less on shaving, two of the three behaviors around which the signs existed - the third of course being romance!

SHAVE THE MODERN WAYNO BRUSHNO LATHERNO RUB-INBIG TUB 35 CENTS DRUGSTORES

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ROADWAS SLIPPERYCURVE WAS SHARPWHITE ROBE, HALOWINGS AND HARP                                     

48

DON'T LOSEYOUR HEADTO GAIN A MINUTEYOU NEED YOUR HEADYOUR BRAINS ARE IN IT

63

WE CAN'TPROVIDE YOUWITH A DATEBUT WE DO SUPPLYTHE BEST DARN BAIT

52

During 1995 and 1996, Reminisce Magazine invited nominations from small to mid-sized towns to participate in the “Bring Back Burma-Shave” project. Only one community would be selected for each U.S. State. They suggested that two-lane, non-interstate highways be chosen for sign placement.

Vincentown is the only community in New Jersey to be chosen by Reminisce Magazine to display a set of nostalgic Burma-Shave signs. In 1996, five Burma-Shave sign replicas were placed on Landing Street along the Jack Allen Farm just outside the village of Vincentown.

They read: TODAY'S KIDS...SURE MISSED A TREAT...NO MOONLIGHT RIDES...IN A RUMBLE SEAT. The final sign contains the logo of the sponsor, Reminisce Magazine (instead of the traditional “Burma-Shave”).

Town Historian Dot Best entered Vincentown into Reminisce's unique contest at the urging of Jack Allen, on whose property the signs are located.

See the January-February, 1997 issue of Reminisce Magazine concerning the choice of Vincentown as the only New Jersey town selected as a location for the Burma-Shave signs.