Carrabelle Saga, Part 4: World's Smallest Police Station Gets a Makeover

Every small town has at least one landmark which makes it completely unique. These special features are a source of pride to her citizens. Altering them in any way is a big deal. It was with no small amount of care that I undertook the task of refurbishing Carrabelle's beloved claim to fame with a new design.

Above is a small history of display that we placed inside of the booth.

 The old computer-cut vinyl letters on the WSPS were "potato chipping" away from the glass. Something had to be done. I really had few reference photos and perhaps none were of the original graphics. Honestly, I suspect that the original may have been homemade if any. There is always the possibility that a local sign-painter might have lettered the booth by hand, as that was the most common method in the 1950's. It was with that mind-set that I proceeded. Being unsure of the original I chose type faces that were very utilitarian and used by the common sign-painter.

The WSPS is a must see for tourist traveling along Florida's Coastal Highway 98. Thousands stop to have their picture taken here, it has become the stuff that legends are made of. http://mycarrabelle.com/index.aspx?NID=62  The old phone booth/police station really needed to be polished up a bit and remain quaint at the same time. We developed a globe with lettering around it in order to take a bit more of a branding approach.

By TAMARA ALLEN

Special to the Times

The number one tourist attraction in Carrabelle got a facelift last month

The World’s Smallest Police Station was looking tired, faded and the old stick-on letters were even peeling off, so the city of Carrabelle used Tourist Development Council tax money to spruce up the famous landmark. They hired Bob Sauls, of Sauls Signs in Tallahassee, to do the job the old-fashioned way, by hand-painting

lettering on the glass as it was done it in 1953 when Police Chief Albin Westberg had the first sign painted.

 Sauls was tickled pink to be included in the police station make-over. “This town has

been very helpful to me. The old school hand lettering that was implemented for the History Museum sign and now the World’s Smallest Police Station allowed me to get back in touch with my roots as a sign painter,” he said. “It was all hand skills and knowledge, not computer generated graphics back then. All of the methods and typefaces chosen were what you would have expected to see in their day.”

 A bench with a little landscaping under the shade of the chinaberry tree will complete

the project, along with a sign explaining how Carrabelle got its famous police station.

Tamara Allen is the director of Carrabelle

CARES.

I do wonder just how many speeders have been pulled over by Carrabelle's finest in the shade of that chinaberry tree. At least those who were, had a very short walk to make the obligatory phone call that they were entitled to.

To Be Continued....