MA 12 NB turns right here at this embossed sign in Dudley. Would you like this sign here, or what's behind door number 1?


Good, you picked the door. Have an original wooden shield with its notched 2 and peeling reflectivity, at Pulaski Square, and click for a closeup.


Not nearly as old, but still dating to the DPW era, still northbound where MA 12 jogs east to spawn a new route.


Oxford doesn't know what state it's in, and put up circle shields on Depot Rd. WB at Old Worcester Rd. The first sign is where Depot Rd. turns left onto itself, and the second is where it splits again from Old Worcester, the whole thing having been converted from a skewed angle intersection to an offset pair. The second photo isn't even correct, as Old Worcester (left) is only good for MA 12 SB, while Depot (right) is the route to MA 12 NB. In partial atonement for these sins, Oxford offers an old all-text EB sign.


Much better, and back on the MA 12 mainline, NB at none other than Clara Barton Rd.


Button copy shields - they do a body good. Northbound.


Chandler St., technically also MA 122, on MA 9 EB/MA 12 NB. MA 122A turns here from the right (south) to straight ahead (north). Worcester love you longtime!


Heading north out of Worcester. The old signal sign is at I-190 Exit 4. The state highway begins there because it's city-maintained through Worcester, meaning the state route is continuous. Not every state highway is a route, either.


NB and SB with MA 140 just south of the Wachusett Reservoir bridge.


Looking east at the lovely Wachusett Reservoir. What could possibly be bad here?


Oh, that. Not only is the shield too narrow, but MA 110 hasn't begun yet. There should be a JCT somewhere in here, maybe instead of the EAST.


Rather haphazardly shedding MA 140 and then spawning MA 110.


Old signs on old alignments of MA 12 (Sterling Pl. and Albert Dr.), separated by four signs from current 12. Only one isn't old, and on my site, chances are if it's not old, it's wrong.


From the SB direction of Albert Dr.


NB in Leominster, which numbers its traffic signals.


SB in Leominster, probably from the first generation of signs following the New England Routes - unless it actually dates from the New England Routes themselves! Either way, this is the last remaining shield of its kind.


See if you can shake yourself away from that ancient treasure for the rest of this page. I continue north on MA 12 to a new cable-stayed bridge over something as mundane as a railroad at 5th St. Such a bridge makes a statement, in this case, that the city would rather spend its tax dollars on unnecessary adornments.


NB at Kimball St., where this ought to be TO MA 31, and it ought to have directional banners for the other routes (north and west, respectively).


Older, oldest, old. OK, they're not in age order, but they're in geographical order, heading north on MA 12 toward Vermont.

NB, narrow but getting away with it.


SB and NB north of those other curve signs.


NB, approaching Winchendon at Glenallen Street, this Mass. DPW shield is a relic of the 1960's. The narrow font, narrow shield, and cut-corner 2's are secondary to the white shield background, a true rarity. MA 12 briefly multiplexes with US 202, and I may have a photo or two from that area on the 202 page (link below).


Last couple of photos before NH - the one atop the page is the last one I took in MA. There's no mention of MA 12 NB turning right in the second photo, where US 202 SB turns left. If you want to see what a MA 12 shield would look like back when this 202 shield was new, head back up to the third photo on the page.

Onto MA 140 alone

Into Connecticut on 12
Into New Hampshire on 12
Onto MA 16
Onto I-290
Onto MA 110
Onto MA 13
Onto MA 2A
To MA 31
Onto MA 101
Onto US 202
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