Sitting Bull Monument billboard, Route 1806, Mobridge, South Dakota
Billboard on Route 1806, Mobridge, South Dakota, with directions to the Sitting Bull Monument. The photo was taken by John Margolies in 1987 and is part of the John Margolies Roadside America Photograph Archive at the Library of Congress (call number LC-MA05–2428).
While “Burial Site – Monument” is painted in simple squarish block letters and “Mobridge” features a naïve interpretation of a (slab) serif style with swash initial, the letterforms used for “Sitting Bull” and “4 Mi.” are clearly patterned after a typeface. The model is Lettres Angulaires, a peculiar design with arrow-shaped terminals. It was cast by the Beaudoire foundry in Paris in the 19th century. There are several digital interpretations. This (indirect) Use probably involved a phototype version.
