<strong>Mysterious arrows:</strong> Have you ever spotted a mysterious concrete arrow in a remote American location? These structures have an intriguing history: they were built in the 1920s and '30s to guide pilots navigating the country's air mail system.<em> </em>
Mysterious arrows: Have you ever spotted a mysterious concrete arrow in a remote American location? These structures have an intriguing history: they were built in the 1920s and '30s to guide pilots navigating the country's air mail system.
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<strong>Unusual find:</strong> The US government built hundreds of these arrows in the early 20th century, before technology rendered them obsolete. <em>Pictured here: Arrow in Nevada on the Los Angeles-Salt Lake airway</em>
Unusual find: The US government built hundreds of these arrows in the early 20th century, before technology rendered them obsolete. Pictured here: Arrow in Nevada on the Los Angeles-Salt Lake airway
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<strong>Beacon of light: </strong>The arrows were illuminated by neighboring beacons. The arrows might remain, but most of the beacons are long gone, but a few survived -- including this one in Wyoming. <em>Pictured here: Medicine Bow Airport, Carbon County, Wyoming on the Salt Lake-Omaha airway.</em>
Beacon of light: The arrows were illuminated by neighboring beacons. The arrows might remain, but most of the beacons are long gone, but a few survived -- including this one in Wyoming. Pictured here: Medicine Bow Airport, Carbon County, Wyoming on the Salt Lake-Omaha airway.
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<strong>Faded history:</strong> According to the Journal of Air Traffic Control, the arrows were built by the Department of Commerce from late 1926 until 1931. Beacons were 25 miles apart from one another and the arrows were painted yellow -- although the paint on the remaining arrows has now faded.<em> Pictured here: Arrow in Elko County, Nevada on the San Francisco-Salt Lake airway.</em>
Faded history: According to the Journal of Air Traffic Control, the arrows were built by the Department of Commerce from late 1926 until 1931. Beacons were 25 miles apart from one another and the arrows were painted yellow -- although the paint on the remaining arrows has now faded. Pictured here: Arrow in Elko County, Nevada on the San Francisco-Salt Lake airway.
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<strong>Arrow attraction: </strong>Californian couple Brian and Charlotte Smith are fascinated by these arrows and track them on their website <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dreamsmithphotos.com%2Farrow%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Arrows Across America</a>. <em>Pictured here: Arrow in Lander County Nevada, on the San Francisco-Salt Lake airway</em>
Arrow attraction: Californian couple Brian and Charlotte Smith are fascinated by these arrows and track them on their website Arrows Across America. Pictured here: Arrow in Lander County Nevada, on the San Francisco-Salt Lake airway
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<strong>Accidental discovery</strong>: The Smiths discovered the arrows when Brian received an email: "Charlotte got really interested in it and wanted to find what it was, so started researching, looking for them on the internet," Brian tells CNN Travel. <em>Pictured here: Arrow in Elko county, Nevada on the San Francisco-Salt Lake airway.</em>
Accidental discovery: The Smiths discovered the arrows when Brian received an email: "Charlotte got really interested in it and wanted to find what it was, so started researching, looking for them on the internet," Brian tells CNN Travel. Pictured here: Arrow in Elko county, Nevada on the San Francisco-Salt Lake airway.
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<strong>Attention-grabbing</strong>: "What sparks my attraction to the arrows was that this existed and I had no clue about it, and there was no information about it," Charlotte explains. <em>Pictured here: Arrow in Lander County Nevada, on the San Francisco-Salt Lake airway</em>
Attention-grabbing: "What sparks my attraction to the arrows was that this existed and I had no clue about it, and there was no information about it," Charlotte explains. Pictured here: Arrow in Lander County Nevada, on the San Francisco-Salt Lake airway
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<strong>Tracking down locations:</strong> Genealogy researcher Charlotte used her investigative skills to track down the locations of the arrows. "When I found an arrow, I marked [the location], and started making a spreadsheet," she says. <em>Pictured here: Arrow in Sweetwater County, Wyoming on the Salt Lake City-Omaha Airway </em>
Tracking down locations: Genealogy researcher Charlotte used her investigative skills to track down the locations of the arrows. "When I found an arrow, I marked [the location], and started making a spreadsheet," she says. Pictured here: Arrow in Sweetwater County, Wyoming on the Salt Lake City-Omaha Airway
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<strong>Arrow hunting:</strong> As their interest grew, the couple decided to seek the arrows out. "As soon as we found one in person, we went to it," says Charlotte. <em>Pictured here: Arrow in Sweetwater County, Wyoming on the Salt Lake City-Omaha Airway.</em>
Arrow hunting: As their interest grew, the couple decided to seek the arrows out. "As soon as we found one in person, we went to it," says Charlotte. Pictured here: Arrow in Sweetwater County, Wyoming on the Salt Lake City-Omaha Airway.
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<strong>Hill climbing</strong>: The arrows tend to be in isolated locations -- this first one was no exception. "It was in Nevada, right by Reno," says Charlotte. "Brian ended up having to climb up the hill as I couldn't climb it at all, I've got really bad knees. We took a lot of pictures." <em>Pictured here: Arrow in Sweetwater County, Wyoming on the Salt Lake City-Omaha Airway.</em>
Hill climbing: The arrows tend to be in isolated locations -- this first one was no exception. "It was in Nevada, right by Reno," says Charlotte. "Brian ended up having to climb up the hill as I couldn't climb it at all, I've got really bad knees. We took a lot of pictures." Pictured here: Arrow in Sweetwater County, Wyoming on the Salt Lake City-Omaha Airway.
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<strong>Remote locations</strong>: Seeing the arrows in person is an incredible experience but it can be hard work. "I've hiked out to them in the middle of the desert, and some just I'll never go back to them again because they're so difficult to get to," says Brian. <em>Pictured here: Arrow in Washington County, Utah on the Los Angeles-Salt Lake airway.</em>
Remote locations: Seeing the arrows in person is an incredible experience but it can be hard work. "I've hiked out to them in the middle of the desert, and some just I'll never go back to them again because they're so difficult to get to," says Brian. Pictured here: Arrow in Washington County, Utah on the Los Angeles-Salt Lake airway.
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<strong>Photography experts</strong>: Seventy-year-old Brian and Charlotte, 67, were interested in photography prior to discovering the arrows. "When Brian retired, we took a photoshop class," says Charlotte. "We took a bunch of photos in Egypt and we just really liked taking photos, and we had a website." <em>Pictured here: Laramie County, Wyoming on the Salt Lake City-Omaha Airway </em>
Photography experts: Seventy-year-old Brian and Charlotte, 67, were interested in photography prior to discovering the arrows. "When Brian retired, we took a photoshop class," says Charlotte. "We took a bunch of photos in Egypt and we just really liked taking photos, and we had a website." Pictured here: Laramie County, Wyoming on the Salt Lake City-Omaha Airway
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<strong>Web popularity:</strong> They established the arrow section of their website shortly after discovering them. "We had over six million hits in the last 12 month period on our website," says Charlotte. <em>Pictured here: Rush county, Indiana on the Cincinnati-Chicago Airway</em>
Web popularity: They established the arrow section of their website shortly after discovering them. "We had over six million hits in the last 12 month period on our website," says Charlotte. Pictured here: Rush county, Indiana on the Cincinnati-Chicago Airway
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<strong>Fan favorites:</strong> Brian and Charlotte have become the preeminent American arrow experts and they get contacted by fans across America. "They want to know if there's any arrows in their location," explains Brian. <em>Pictured here: Airway in New Mexico, Guadalupe County on the Los Angeles-Amarillo airway</em>
Fan favorites: Brian and Charlotte have become the preeminent American arrow experts and they get contacted by fans across America. "They want to know if there's any arrows in their location," explains Brian. Pictured here: Airway in New Mexico, Guadalupe County on the Los Angeles-Amarillo airway
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<strong>Arrow community:</strong> Other arrow-hunters get in contact to let them know if they've found arrows not currently featured on the website. The couple will add their discovery to the website and give the photographer credit. <em>Pictured here: Airway in Guadalupe County, New Mexico on the Los Angeles-Amarillo airway.</em>
Arrow community: Other arrow-hunters get in contact to let them know if they've found arrows not currently featured on the website. The couple will add their discovery to the website and give the photographer credit. Pictured here: Airway in Guadalupe County, New Mexico on the Los Angeles-Amarillo airway.
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<strong>Importance of preservation: </strong>The couple are concerned to see some of the arrows have been painted. "People paint these things bright orange and it ruins them really," says Brian. <em>Pictured here: Humboldt County, Nevada on the San Francisco-Salt Lake airway</em>
Importance of preservation: The couple are concerned to see some of the arrows have been painted. "People paint these things bright orange and it ruins them really," says Brian. Pictured here: Humboldt County, Nevada on the San Francisco-Salt Lake airway
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<strong>Aerial perspective</strong>: Brian and Charlotte often take aerial shots of the arrows, using drones: "We personally like the drone photos better because we get a better idea of what the arrow actually looks like," says Charlotte. <em>Pictured here: Arrow in Washington County, Utah on the Los Angeles-Salt Lake airway</em>
Aerial perspective: Brian and Charlotte often take aerial shots of the arrows, using drones: "We personally like the drone photos better because we get a better idea of what the arrow actually looks like," says Charlotte. Pictured here: Arrow in Washington County, Utah on the Los Angeles-Salt Lake airway
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<strong>Abandoned history</strong>: The beacons were officially decommissioned in the 1970s and have remained abandoned ever since. <em>Pictured here: Arrow in Siskiyou County, California, adjacent to Montague Airport on the San Francisco-Seattle airway and San Francisco-Redding section</em>
Abandoned history: The beacons were officially decommissioned in the 1970s and have remained abandoned ever since. Pictured here: Arrow in Siskiyou County, California, adjacent to Montague Airport on the San Francisco-Seattle airway and San Francisco-Redding section
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<strong>Uncertain future:</strong> It's unclear what the future of the arrows is: "I have a feeling that they're all going to become historical monuments in the next couple of years, the ones that are left," muses Charlotte. <em>Pictured here: Airway in Elko County, Nevada on the San Francisco-Salt Lake airway.</em>
Uncertain future: It's unclear what the future of the arrows is: "I have a feeling that they're all going to become historical monuments in the next couple of years, the ones that are left," muses Charlotte. Pictured here: Airway in Elko County, Nevada on the San Francisco-Salt Lake airway.
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<strong>Favorite arrow: </strong>Brian says this arrow in Nevada is one of his favorites. "It takes a 4-wheel drive to there, as the road is dirt with loose rock and fairly steep. The view of the surrounding desert however was just beautiful." <em>Pictured here: Elko County, Nevada on the San Francisco-Salt Lake airway.</em>
Favorite arrow: Brian says this arrow in Nevada is one of his favorites. "It takes a 4-wheel drive to there, as the road is dirt with loose rock and fairly steep. The view of the surrounding desert however was just beautiful." Pictured here: Elko County, Nevada on the San Francisco-Salt Lake airway.
Courtesy DREAMSMITHPHOTOS.COM