'Night' lettering will be back
EVANS CITY — While the lettering “Home of Night of the Living Dead” has been removed from the two welcome signs to the borough, it will return in a new format.
In late May, public works employees put up the lettering across the top of the large, gray signs at the east and west ends of Route 68.
But the lettering recently was taken down from the signs, which are to be outfitted with placards from churches and service and veteran organizations in the borough.
Council President Lee Dyer said Monday the lettering appeared too stark, and two or three residents complained about it being too close to the church signs.
But he said just as many residents complimented him on the tribute to George Romero's classic black-and-white zombie movie, which was filmed in the late 1960s in and around Evans City.
“When I saw it, it wasn't as I imagined it to be,” Dyer said of the lettering.
He said the council has two groups working on the sign to come up with a better design.“We should have something in place by the end of the summer,” Dyer said.Kevin Kreiss, owner of the “Night of the Living Dead” Museum and Gift Shop on Main Street, commented on the removal of the lettering and its potential replacement.“While the welcome signs recognizing Evans City's role in film history will help our efforts to improve the economy and increase business with local merchants,” Kreiss said, “the existing signs were not the proper place for this and it is my understanding that borough officials are working on finding the proper format for such a welcome notice.”Dyer said the council continues to work on borough-wide rejuvenation, including replacing the bricks and concrete on Main Street with a new design, adding period lighting fixtures that would hold flowers and banners, and new signs.He said the council has gotten price quotes on projects and had Penn Power engineers visit the borough to determine the best way to provide electricity to the street for holiday decorations, lighting and other items.
