The switch was thrown for the restored neon sign at the Western Motel in Sayre, Oklahoma, during a ceremony on Saturday night.
The City of Sayre stated it was the first time the neon glowed at the Route 66 motel since the 1980s.
Here’s a short video by Noreen Patterson of the countdown of the sign being relit:
More from Jacque Sangosti Johnson, who reports that the motel has had only three owners since it opened and is relatively unchanged.
According to the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, the Western Motel at 315 Northeast Highway 66 opened on Aug. 30, 1959, under Ollie and Ruby Elliott.
The current owners received a grant from the association’s Neon Sign Grant Program that covered about half of the estimated $36,000 cost to restore the long-dark sign. A GoFundMe.com campaign was launched for the rest.