An article this week in the The State Journal-Register answers one question in the wake of the demolition of the Bel-Air Motel in Springfield, Illinois -- what will happen to the neon signs? The short answer: They've been acquired by two local residents, where they likely will be restored. Retired Springfield businessman Ron Metzger and … Continue reading Signs saved from the demolished Bel-Aire Motel
Category: Signs
The sad decline of the Sun ‘n Sand Motel
Less than three years after it served overnight customers, the historic Sun 'n Sand Motel in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, has declined into an eyesore and a magnet for homeless people, according to a detailed report this week in the print edition of the Guadalupe County Communicator. Longtime Route 66 travelers likely will recognize the … Continue reading The sad decline of the Sun ‘n Sand Motel
Artisan re-creating smaller versions of classic Route 66 neon signs
Joel Rayburn of GlassBoy Studios in the Oklahoma City area unveiled three smaller re-creations of classic Route 66 neon signs during the Rockabilly on the Route festival in Tucumcari, New Mexico, this weekend. The re-created signs are El Cajon Motel in San Bernardino, California, a Whiting Bros. Motel sign in San Fidel, New Mexico, and … Continue reading Artisan re-creating smaller versions of classic Route 66 neon signs
Bel-Aire sputnik will be restored for sign company’s museum
For those who worried about the fate of the sputnik structure atop the doomed Bel-Air Motel in Springfield, Illinois, do not worry. Ace Sign Co. of Springfield removed the sputnik over the weekend and eventually will restore it for its neon museum that coincidentally opens today, according to the State Journal-Register. The fiberglass ball of … Continue reading Bel-Aire sputnik will be restored for sign company’s museum
Tourism group may take part ownership of Tropics sign
The Lincoln Tourism Bureau of Logan County is considering an agreement with the city of Lincoln, Illinois, and original owners of the historic Tropics neon sign in an effort to finally restore it, according to the Lincoln Courier newspaper. The sign initially was donated to the city by the Johnson family, who once owned the … Continue reading Tourism group may take part ownership of Tropics sign
Former Kingman Club reopens
The former Kingman Club tavern in downtown Kingman, Arizona, has reopened as The House of Hops, with its original neon sign from 1944 restored and glowing, according to the Kingman Daily Miner newspaper. Owner Stacy Thomson reopened the tavern at 312 E. Beale St. on May 1 after spending $2,000 to refurbish the sign in … Continue reading Former Kingman Club reopens
A typical day on the Santa Monica Pier
If you hold any lingering doubts whether the "66: End of the Trail" sign on the Santa Monica Pier is an attraction, check out how many people use it as a photo op during this time-lapse video. END OF TRAIL Route 66 from A. Cooper on Vimeo. The video also uses a tilt-shift effect, where … Continue reading A typical day on the Santa Monica Pier
Pixar short film uses Route 66 motel as its setting
An upcoming short film by Pixar Animation Studios, "Sanjay's Super Team," uses a Route 66 motel as its setting. That's because the short's director, Sanjay Patel, saw his parents buy and operate Route 66's Lido Motel in San Bernardino, California, according to the Los Angeles Times. His family still owns the motel. The short film will be … Continue reading Pixar short film uses Route 66 motel as its setting
What I did on my vacation
The answer is: not much. It is supposed to be R&R time, after all. However, my ever-creative companion Emily (aka Redforkhippie) was busy at the historic Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico, painting images of extinct neon signs that once graced Route 66 in Tucumcari, plus one in nearby San Jon, in one of … Continue reading What I did on my vacation
What’s left of the Club Cafe
The teardown of the long-closed Club Cafe in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, began a few weeks ago. Acting on a tip, we found this striking scene on what was the interior of the restaurant, its roof removed and open to the sky and weather: Here's a brief video of what we found: https://youtu.be/gp1zlqVZ5h0 Via 66Postcards.com, … Continue reading What’s left of the Club Cafe