The well-known — and frequently photographed — heart-shaped Love Lane sign in Mattituck is in need of a makeover, and Jim Gorman, the craftsman behind it, is in the midst of restoring his 2009 creation to its original glory.
Although it’s only a few blocks long, stretching from Main Road to a cul-de-sac just north of Sound Avenue, Love Lane has a rich history dating to the mid-19th century and today boasts a bustling commercial strip. The soon to be restored sign pays homage to the street’s romantic lore, when young lovers would make their way down a secret dirt path to a scenic spot overlooking Mattituck Creek.
Mr. Gorman, a retired sign maker and former sexton at Mattituck Presbyterian Church, installed his Love Lane sign 15 years ago, replacing one from the 1970s that had stood at the corner of Route 25 for roughly 30 years.
At the time, the original sign had been the victim of multiple thefts and its weak foundation made it an easy target for high winds . Mr. Gorman created a stronger, Victorian-inspired version out of two-inch-thick cedar with a reinforced steel rod through the arrow.
The upgraded sign has withstood the test of time, but recently Mr. Gorman noticed the colors were starting to weather and the vibrant red was dimming to a dull pink.
“It’s got a lot of miles on it,” he said.
After talking to Mattituck Chamber of Commerce president Terry McShane, Mr. Gorman took down the sign earlier this month and put up a temporary replacement while he completes his restoration.
The work entails stripping the sign completely, repriming and repainting it with all the same colors and logo. The only addition will be a touch of 22-karat gold-flecked paint for the arrow, to make the sign look, he said, a little more “fancy.”
His hope is to have the sign restored and back in place ahead of the holidays.
Not only has the sign become a readily recognizable landmark, it has also served as an integral image on flyers and in advertisements for several Love Lane businesses. The image of the pierced red heart has also appeared in national magazines and today is a go-to tourist spot for photos.
Mr. Gorman reflected on his time as church sexton and the moments he would watch visitors admiring the sign from afar. He has also witnessed a few wedding proposals beneath it over the years.
“It’s a cool thing that people do really like the idea of the romanticism,” Mr. Gorman said. “I feel honored. I’m proud that people really like it — it’s one of the nicer, more meaningful signs that I’ve done in my probably 40 years of sign-making.”
