Present

When Pacific Stone Company moved into the property at 3826 Rucker Avenue in 1999, the old Farmers Garden Center sign found a new purpose. The lettering was updated to reflect the new business, but its most distinctive features—the towering rake and shovel—remained. For the next 25 years, the sign continued to greet motorists along Rucker Avenue, becoming known to many simply as the Pacific Stone sign.

In 2024, the Everett Housing Authority purchased the property with plans to develop affordable senior housing. Pacific Stone subsequently relocated to Nassau Street, leaving the longtime landmark facing an uncertain future. Then, in December 2025, residents noticed that the sign's iconic rake and shovel had disappeared. Their unexpected removal prompted concern throughout the community and renewed conversations about the importance of preserving this piece of Everett's history.

The public response helped inspire a collaborative restoration effort. The Everett Housing Authority announced plans for a community-led committee involving local organizations, artists, and preservation advocates to explore how the sign could be restored or reimagined. What might have been the quiet disappearance of another old roadside landmark instead became an opportunity for Everett residents to come together around something worth saving.

Today, the sign stands at a crossroads between its past and its future. Its original purpose may be long gone, but its place in Everett's story remains. The challenge now is to ensure that future generations have the opportunity to recognize and enjoy it, too.