For years, roadside billboards were built using multiple wooden poles. It was the standard approach, but it had serious limitations. These bulky structures required a lot of space and didn’t work well on properties that were already developed. You might get away with placing one on a vacant lot, but try adding it to a gas station or shopping center, and you’d run into problems fast.
The Problem with the Old Setup
Multiple poles meant more ground coverage. That didn’t sit well with property owners who needed space for parking, foot traffic, or a clean-looking storefront. You couldn’t expect a gas station to redesign its layout or a shopping mall to compromise its image just to accommodate a sign. The setup was simply too intrusive, both physically and visually.
A Smarter Structure Arrives
That all changed with the introduction of the monopole in the late 1960s. Instead of several posts, a billboard could now stand tall on a single steel column. This drastically reduced the footprint—just a few square feet of ground were needed. Suddenly, billboards could be added to busy corners, in front of businesses, and on previously off-limits properties without interfering with daily operations.
A Cleaner Look That Fit In
The visual benefits were just as important. Unlike the cluttered appearance of multiple posts, the monopole had a sleek, modern form. It could be painted to match nearby buildings, disguised to resemble a tree trunk, or even made to blend into the sky. In urban areas, where space and aesthetics both matter, this opened up countless new opportunities.
The Result? A More Flexible Industry
The billboard industry today owes much of its growth to the invention of the monopole. By making signs less invasive and more adaptable, it allowed advertisers and property owners to work together in ways that weren’t possible before. That one design change reshaped where and how billboards could be used—and it's still the standard to this day.