Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Scrabble Street Sign Coming Back To Queens
By
Jamie Feldmar
Published Jul 21, 2011
Modified Jul 21, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jamie Feldmar
Published Jul 21, 2011
Modified Jul 21, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Jackson Heights, the birthplace of Scrabble, is finally getting the recognition it deserves—for the second time—with the triumphant return of a beloved Scrabble-themed street sign.
The original sign, at the intersection of 35th Ave and 81st St, outside of a church where architect Alfred Mosher Butts invented the game in 1938, was put up in 1995. In 2008, it mysteriously disappeared, much to the chargrin of local residents. But a new sign will be re-erected this fall, a move dictionary-lovers and history buffs are heralding as "wonderful" and "long overdue."
"The city is a really seminal place in terms of Scrabble history," National Scrabble Association president John D. Williams told us. "Us New Yorkers like to think of ourselves as the center of everything, and Scrabble is no exception." Williams said he's "extremely happy" to hear of the new sign, which will be designed by Massimo Vignelli—though he did have one suggestion: "I wouldn't mind seeing it in tiles."
Tagged
cute
jackson heights
queens
scrabble
street sign
Jamie Feldmar
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
'You Can See Everything' … as long as you go to Staten Island
Nathan Fielder’s Elizabeth Holmes documentary has been selling out across Manhattan and Brooklyn. Tickets to see the film, however, are very much available in other boroughs.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 27, 2026
Inside the hidden chamber that controls Lincoln Center's magnificent fountain
Gothamist went behind the scenes to learn how the NYC landmark keeps its majestic waters flowing.
By
Sonia Rao
Arts & Entertainment
Inside the hidden chamber that controls Lincoln Center's magnificent fountain
Gothamist went behind the scenes to learn how the NYC landmark keeps its majestic waters flowing.
By
Sonia Rao
In the algorithm age, NYC college radio DJs are still broadcasting the funky stuff
By
James Ramsay
A Queens prop shop shutters, bunnies find a home uptown, and more openings and closings
By
Hannah Frishberg
A new film invites you to eavesdrop on one of the greatest conversations in NYC history
By
Sonia Rao
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .