Photo courtesy Town of Watson Lake via yukoninfo.com
In 1942, as the Alaska Highway was built, U.S. Army engineers erected directional signs, including one for Watson Lake, Yukon, marking distances to nearby communities and key locations as World War II raged on. At the time, Carl K. Lindley, an American soldier recovering from an injury was assigned a simple task in Watson Lake, Yukon: repair a damaged signpost along the Alaska Highway. Homesick, he decided to add a personal touch—a sign pointing toward his hometown of Danville, Illinois, nearly 4,828 km (3,000 mi) away. What started as a moment of nostalgia sparked a tradition that has grown far beyond a single post.
Travellers from all corners of the world now come to the Signpost Forest, bringing signs from their hometowns, creating an ever-evolving collection that tells countless stories from all over. In 1990, this collection stood at 10,000 signs. Today, more than 77,000 signs fill the forest, with new additions arriving every year, and the Town of Watson Lake ensuring the site’s maintenance. Rich in history, it also features relics from the highway’s construction and a time capsule to be opened in 2042. As visitors pass through Yukon’s Watson Lake, each sign they add becomes a personal tribute, leaving a piece of their journey in this living monument.
~ Marika Gabriel
