BALTIMORE — Look any direction in Fell’s Point, from Belgian block streets to street lamps emanating from a place Poe himself would have written about, and you’ll see history.

After an October filled with ghost stories, a once-worn historic sign in historic Fell’s Point has come back to life.

The rehabilitation of the iconic ‘Vote Against Prohibition’ sign is thanks in part to last month’s Fell’s Point Fun Festival and the hard work of a local artist.

“What I did was known as respectful rehabilitation,” explained Sam Redles, the artist tasked with fixing the sign.

Both art and history intrigued the Redles, who used old photographs to give the sign the look it once had. Work on the sign was completed last week.

Fell’s Point Fun Festival

“I am honored to be able to make this sign,” Redles added. This is something so unique to Maryland, its history of prohibition and the fact that we can’t really get to know it. “It’s surprising it’s still here.”

Preserving history in the neighborhood is helped in part by proceeds from last month’s Fell’s Point Fun Festival.

“This sign has been around forever,” said festival chairman Jeff Dewberry. “It’s one of Fells Point’s favorites, so we felt it was very, very important to redo it over the last couple of years, to reactivate it for people to enjoy.”

Dewberry said WMAR funds earned from the festival’s wristbands and beverages went towards commissioning the Redles to improve the sign and on history-preserving projects elsewhere in Fell’s Point.

“It feels great. I’m a huge history buff and I love being able to preserve this history and make it visible for future generations,” Dewberry added.