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Have you ever wondered where all of the old license plates go to once they have finished serving their purpose? Landfills? Metal recyclers? License plate heaven? I think I have a good idea of where some of them end up. I saw it with my very own eyes today…displayed on the walls of a garage.
We were out looking at houses this past weekend and drove past this old, old garage on the side of the road and I did a double-take. This was another case of "Glad I Had My Camera". I couldn’t let the opportunity slip by without taking a few snapshots…I just don’t have it in me.
I’d be willing to bet that people all across the country save them or "decorate" their workshops and garages with them? I found the latter to be true while on this "house-stalking" run. I’ve seen quite a few birdhouse roofs made from them, too.
I’ve seen them plastered on the walls of quite a few restaurants and bars in my time, too (there sure are a lot of parrotheads out there!).
Some folks even collect old and/or antique license tags while others simply toss them in the trash. Personally, I can’t say what I do with my old license plates. Let’s just say that I do the right thing.
It’s About Garages…well…and…um…License Plates
But that’s NOT what this post is about. It’s about an old garage I passed out in the country that was literally plastered with them. And the odd thing was that it "fit" the structure that they were nailed to.
I can recall, when I was a child, visiting my great-grandparents’ house in Lancaster, OH and heading straight to the garage because the inside of it was covered wall-to-wall with old license plates dating back to the early 1900’s. It was an awe-inspiring sight in the eyes of a child.
What Are You Supposed To Do With Your Old License Plate?
You are supposed to either destroy your old license plates in a manner in which they would be unusable or return them to the local licensing office (DMV) to be recycled. Get a receipt from the DMV office that you turned it in for tax purposes (for proof that you are no longer using the tag on a vehicle if you are unduly charged).
I don’t think everyone is following that particular government-advised directive based on my experience of odd places I’ve seen them hanging.
What kinds of creative uses have you seen license plates used for?
Related:
eHow explains How To Decorate A Garage
Quick Facts About Collecting Vintage License Plates
I started as a home-stalker… visiting brand new homes under construction in the neighborhoods near my house. That inspired me to write about home building and home renovation projects — chronicling homes during different phases of construction from a consumer's point-of-view. Basically, the tips you'll find in my articles are a collection of checklists for what I think should (and should not) go into building or remodeling a quality home.
