Albuquerque is considering an ordinance change that would make it easier to turn vacant and abandoned signs along old Route 66 into public art, reported the Albuquerque Journal. Ellen Babcock of the Friends of the Orphan Signs nonprofit is one of those who support the idea. The newspaper said: The art can be featured on … Continue reading Albuquerque considers turning abandoned signs into public art
Category: Signs
Skylark Motel tower glows again
The former Skylark Motel tower on old Route 66 in St. Clair, Missouri, shined with the glow of neon again after a ceremony Saturday night at the building, which now serves as the VFW Post 2482. According to a news release about the event, about 150 people attending cheered when the light switch was thrown … Continue reading Skylark Motel tower glows again
A glimpse at the future Billboard Museum
If you're a longtime traveler on Route 66 who wonders what happened to the old neon sign for the Rio Siesta Motel in Clinton, Oklahoma, we have an answer. It -- along with several dozen other signs and billboards -- are safely in a storage warehouse in the Oklahoma City area until the Billboard Museum … Continue reading A glimpse at the future Billboard Museum
Neon relighting of former Skylark Motel is Saturday
The relighting of the former Skylark Motel's neon -- including its distinctive glass-block tower -- will occur about dusk Saturday at the site in St. Clair, Missouri, according to a news release from the Neon Heritage Preservation Committee of the Route 66 Association of Missouri. The ceremony is scheduled to last about 20 minutes. According … Continue reading Neon relighting of former Skylark Motel is Saturday
Albuquerque adopts Route 66 Action Plan
The Albuquerque City Council unanimously ratified Mayor Richard Berry's Route 66 Action Plan for a 15-mile stretch of Central Avenue in the city, reported the Associated Press and other media outlets. The plan comes with infrastructure improvements, tourism additions and historical preservation, among other things. You can read a summary of the plan here, but … Continue reading Albuquerque adopts Route 66 Action Plan
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
Mobil pegasus sign taken out of mothballs in Carthage
A Mobil pegasus neon sign that had been in storage for more than 30 years has been removed from the mothballs, donated and reinstalled at a renovated Skelly Filling Station in Carthage, Missouri, reported the Carthage Press. Jerry Perry, president and CEO of Grace Energy Corporation, gave a Mobil pegasus sign to Mark Jenny and … Continue reading Mobil pegasus sign taken out of mothballs in Carthage
Joplin to install new directional signs
The city of Joplin, Missouri, will install more than 40 new wayfinder signs, including those that identify the original path of Route 66, reported the Joplin Globe. The newspaper said: Patrick Tuttle, director of the Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau, told the council that the 43 new signs, predominantly blue in color, will replace the … Continue reading Joplin to install new directional signs
Fox Theatre light returns to downtown Springfield
A replica of the Fox Theatre's neon sign in downtown Springfield, Missouri, was installed and lighted Thursday night, reported KLOR-TV. The relighting was part of History Museum on the Square's fall fundraiser. The Fox Theatre is located at 157 Park Central Square. More from the report: The Fox Theatre's iconic sign was lit at 9 … Continue reading Fox Theatre light returns to downtown Springfield
Plainfield considers new Route 66 signs
The village of Plainfield, Illinois, is considering new signage -- including ones marking Route 66 (seen above) -- as a rebranding effort for the town, reported The Herald-News. The new designs would encourage commemoration of the “legacy” of the historic Route 66, which runs along Route 59 through the village. The Route 66 signs could … Continue reading Plainfield considers new Route 66 signs