Signage

The Campus map was an example of "Special" signage

Part of this plan was the development of a coherent system of signage for the campus. Signage was designed to be low cost, easy to produce, and easy to change. With the College’s intent to grow, the signage needed to be built to adapt. The types of signage identified as necessary were street, directional, building exterior, building interior, and special (a welcome kiosk and map).

Sign at the intersection of Thornton Way and Bartlett Way

Street and directional signage consisted of concrete poles with attached rectangular signs that labeled street names or pointed students toward particular buildings or services. These signs could be changed out as needed. The signs were coded with both a color and a number to assist with wayfinding. The color indicated the type of facility and the number indicated the appropriate building door.

Frost Hall

Chocorua Hall

Building exterior signage consisted of large format rectangles next to building entrances with colors and numbers that matched the directional signage. The identifiable original main entrance numbers were:

14: Information & Admissions (Frost Hall)

15: Student Center

16: Computer Center (Frost Hall)

18: Frost Hall

19: Student Center

20: Chocorua Hall

21: Shapiro Library

22: Stark Hall

23: Health Center (Chocorua Hall)

24: Chocorua Hall

26: The Den (Chocorua Hall)

28: Chocorua Hall

Minor building entrances had smaller numbers with no associated color block. The color and number system seemed like a clear and straightforward means of directing students to where they needed to be. The system, however, changed over time, occasionally in ways that were confusing. For example, the earliest photographs of Winnisquam Hall show it with an entrance number 16, the same as the Computer Center, and some photographs show the main signage pole as designating 22 both as Stark Hall and the Health Center. As new residence halls were constructed, the door numbering system was not carried forward. By the early 1980s building entrances no longer featured numbers but rather the College logo and building name.

Signage showing the direction of Panaway Path

Street signs used white text on a dark gray background, and the signage made no distinction between paths intended for vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Street names drew their inspiration from the features of the Campus’ terrain as well as historical New Hampshire people and places.  

Streets included:

Mountain View Road: Likely refers to the Uncanoonuc Mountains in Goffstown, New Hampshire, which provided a path for vehicle traffic around the perimeter of the campus

Abnaki Drive: The Abenaki were the Native American people who inhabited much of New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. The area around campus, with its proximity to the Merrimack River and Amoskeag Falls, was likely frequented by the related Pennacook people. This road provided vehicle access to parking areas.

Thornton Way: Named after Matthew Thornton, a physician who was heavily involved in the development of New Hampshire’s state government and was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He lived in what is now Derry, New Hampshire.  This pedestrian walkway acted as the central organizing feature of the campus village concept

Bartlett Way: Named after Josiah Bartlett, who was also a physician and signer of the Declaration of Independence. He resided in Kingston, New Hampshire. This path was the main route that intersected Thornton Way, connecting parking, the village area, and the residence halls

Panaway Path: Pannaway Plantation was the name given to the first European settlement in New Hampshire in 1623 in what is now Rye. The word may have Abenaki origins. This was a secondary path connecting parking the village area, and the residence halls.

Ledge Path: Connected the two residence halls which were located just before the portion of the campus that sloped towards the Merrimack River, an area where there is exposed ledge.

Cartoon lampooning the new signs

Student reaction to the signage, as reported in the Collegiate Revolution, was largely negative. Complaints focused on the cost, perceived lack of need considering the small campus size, and perceived childishness of the bright colors. One student did provide a positive comment that the signs added color to the campus. Despite this initial reaction, the main signage pole located at the intersection of Thornton Way and Bartlett Way became a significant campus landmark. Students would gather around the pole for photographs and it was featured on College promotional material until its removal in the early 1990s.