The long-dark neon sign for the closed Cotton Boll Motel in Canute, Oklahoma, will glow again during an event on March 21.
Dusk on that day will be approximately 8:15 p.m., though it could come earlier if cloudy skies occur.
Several people on social media reported the relighting date, and one even snapped a recent photo of workers testing the new neon tubing in the sign.
Almost a year ago, the town was awarded an Oklahoma Route 66 Revitalization Grant of nearly $700,000 to restore the Cotton Boll sign, repaint the Washita Motel sign, make cosmetic improvements to the town’s DX and Texaco gas stations and renovate the Village of Canute building into a tourism center and market for local artisans.
According to Route 66 Times, the Cotton Boll Motel was built in 1960. The motel closed in 1979, so it stands to reason the sign went dark about that time, as well.
The motel building still exists as a private residence, though the distinctive sign along Route 66 has stood sentinel for decades.
(Excerpted image by Paula McRee of workers testing neon tubing on the Cotton Boll Motel sign)