The Alton (Ill.) Telegraph published a story about the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Hamel, Ill., which has featured a blue neon cross atop it that Route 66 and Interstate 55 travelers have gazed upon since the 1940s. A story about the neon cross that you may not have known: The cross was dedicated in … Continue reading The old neon cross
Category: Signs
At the Donut Drive-In
I happened to be driving through St. Louis on a snowy Christmas Eve, and stopped to check out the restored neon sign and the delectable products at Donut Drive-In.
Vega Motel shows signs of new life
The Vega Motel boasts a new owner who's converted part of the historic Route 66 motel in Vega, Texas, into a business center, and wants to reopen part of the property for overnight guests again. Darren Elliott, pastor of Christ's Community Fellowship church in Vega, bought the property during a tax auction in June, remodeled a … Continue reading Vega Motel shows signs of new life
The story behind the Meadow Gold sign
The Journal Record of Oklahoma City has published a story about the saving and restoration of the historic Meadow Gold sign on Route 66 in Tulsa. The article is behind the newspaper's online pay wall. But it posted a video about the Meadow Gold sign that includes an interview with Lee Anne Ziegler of the … Continue reading The story behind the Meadow Gold sign
Prominent Lebanon business founder dies
Rea Wallace Reid, co-founder of the Shepherd Hills Factory Outlet Stores in Lebanon, Mo., that sprouted billboards along Route 66, died Monday at age 77, according to the News-Leader in Springfield, Mo. Shepherd Hills was hard to ignore. Billboards advertising Shepherd Hills' Case pocket knives, Chicago Cutlery, and pottery remain dotted along the Interstate 44 … Continue reading Prominent Lebanon business founder dies
Parties still talking about Round Barn billboard
In late October, the parties in a dispute over a billboard that was erected near the historic Round Barn of Arcadia, Okla., said they would try to negotiate a settlement in 30 days. The 30 days have come and gone, and the parties are still talking, according to the Edmond Sun. But it seems that … Continue reading Parties still talking about Round Barn billboard
Bet you didn’t know this …
I received a press release the other day about an upcoming ceremony for the latest inductees to the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in Chandler. Most of the inductees have little or no connection to Route 66. However, one police chief's contribution has impacted drivers on Route 66 -- and all drivers on all … Continue reading Bet you didn’t know this …
Savior of Chicken Boy honored by governor
A team that saved a gigantic Chicken Boy mascot that once graced a restaurant in downtown Los Angeles will be given the 2010 Governor’s Historic Preservation award, according to a report in Blogdowntown.com, a blog about downtown L.A. The 22-foot-tall fiberglass man-chicken on top of the Chicken Boy restaurant on Broadway between Fourth and Fifth streets … Continue reading Savior of Chicken Boy honored by governor
Munger Moss Motel sign refurbished
Here's what the newly reconditioned neon sign for the Munger Moss Motel in Lebanon, Mo., looks like now, after a relighting ceremony on Saturday night. The elaborate sign never actually went dark. But it was showing its age, as this photo from last year displays. Some of the neon tubes or bulbs had broken, shorted, … Continue reading Munger Moss Motel sign refurbished
Neon signs of West Hollywood
Route 66 along West Hollywood, Calif., includes a lot of neon, including art on loan from the Museum of Neon Art in Los Angeles. The narration includes longtime Route 66 advocate Jim Conkle.