Professors honored for preserving vintage neon-sign drawings

Two professors from the University of New Mexico were given a state preservation award for saving hundreds of old drawings from the state's oldest neon-sign company. Many of them mock-ups of signs eventually were installed on Route 66. The New Mexico Historic Preservation Division honored Ellen Babcock and Mark Childs in the Heritage Publication division … Continue reading Professors honored for preserving vintage neon-sign drawings

Book review: “The Zeon Files”

"The Zeon Files" provides a colorful glimpse of Albuquerque's past with dozens of a company's working drawings of neon signs that once graced the Route 66 corridor decades ago. But what's most striking is the drawings are revealed as detailed and precise as any architectural rendering. The people who made these signs weren't just blue-collar guys who'd learned the trade of fire, electricity … Continue reading Book review: “The Zeon Files”

Stories sought about certain Albuquerque businesses

Two authors are seeking stories about several long-gone businesses along Route 66 in Albuquerque that used Zeon Corporation-designed signs to attract customers, according to a story in the Albuquerque Journal. University of New Mexico professors Ellen Babcock and Mark C. Childs are working on a book titled "The Zeon Files" that will be published UNM Press … Continue reading Stories sought about certain Albuquerque businesses