One quick update on the University Hills Plaza sign in Denver, CO that was included in the last post. My personal Denver scout, Corky Scholl, drove by and saw that the letters were back up on the sign. The neon has been replaced with LED tubing The Google car just caught the image while it was being updated.

This big post covers Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Kansas. I hate to report that it’s all bad news.

This sign in Cedar Rapids, IA… :

has been replaced with new plastic panels and LED tubing:

This sign in Woodbine, IA is gone now:

This sign in Lava Hot Springs, ID is gone now:

This jewelry store in Centralia, IL closed and the sign is gone now:

The Willowbrook Ballroom in Willow Springs, IL was destroyed by fire in 2016. It was recently demolished and the sign is gone now:

This store in Mendota, IL has closed and the sign is gone:

This store in Midlothian, IL has also closed and the sign is gone:

The star on top of this sign in South Holland, IL is gone now:

The Zimmerman Ford sign in St. Charles, IL is gone now:

This sign in Chicago is gone now:

This sign in New Albany, IN was removed in 2019 when the building was being renovated:

In 2021, it looks like the work is nearly done. The small sign on the left has returned but I don’t know if the big sign will really be coming back. I can’t imagine they’re going to cover up those windows:

On to Kansas where there were lots of losses and bad makeovers. This pharmacy in Cimarron, KS moved across the street. The sign appears to be gone:

The signs at this motel in Fort Scott, KS are gone now:

This sign in Kansas City, KS is gone now:

These signs in Moundridge, KS are gone now:

This sign in Russell, KS is gone now:

This sign in Salina, KS had its neon removed and got a terrible paint job. Here’s the “before”:

and now:

This sign in Wathena, KS has also had the neon removed and been repainted. The “before”:

and now:

And lastly, this adapted sign in Wichita, KS is gone now:

I’ll be back this weekend, if not sooner, with more.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs