James C. Chute (1884-1942) is believed to be the mastermind behind the “World Traveler Signpost.” James Chute was the owner of the Chute Homestead in Naples, Maine, and was on the board of directors of the Maine Publicity Bureau, an organization formed in 1922 to promote tourism and provide information for travelers.

In brainstorming an attraction to encourage tourism in the late 1930s, James Chute noticed the variety of international town names around Naples. He approached a distant cousin, Walter Chute (1891-1969), a supervisor for the Maine State Highway Department, to propose the idea of a “World Traveler Signpost”. They determined that the intersection of Routes 5 and 35 in Lynchville, Maine was the perfect site, and the “World Traveler Signpost” was born.