Back in September, I made a little trek up to San Francisco for the NeonSpeaks events. I left a couple of days early so I could get some shooting in. This will be the last blog post for a bit since I’ve officially caught up to my camera and have everything up at my website. I’ll soon be digging in for the annual marathon of checking every map link at my website to see what’s changed (stuff that’s been demolished, removed, repainted, etc.). I’ll be posting here to this blog with some highlights. But brace yourself, it’s usually mostly bad news.

I guess you could call this a sign — okay, maybe artwork but I think it’s pretty neat. On the San Joaquin Tractor building in Bakersfield:

I think this place in San Francisco opened in the 1970s. This sign has been there since at least 2008. The fishing line dangles in the air. I assume it’s supposed to be attached to the pizza:

The paint on this bar sign in San Francisco is pretty shot — but it has character that way. The neon is lit at night:

Another cocktail sign. This motel in Porterville opened in 1956 and the sign is likely from then. The motel is now known as the Palm Tree Inn but, thankfully, this sign remains:

A nice oldie, likely from 1933 when the hotel was built, in Oakland with a beaded and detailed border and stuck-on letters:

This sign is in Sonoma. There was a nice 3-D bell hanging from the wood block on the right until around 2020:

The Astro Motel in Santa Rosa was built in 1963 as part of the chain:
https://www.roadarch.com/modarch/chain.html

Around 2017, it got a thorough retro makeover and is now known as The Astro. This sign was built then:

A close-up of the opal glass letters on the Hotel Oliver sign in Santa Rosa with ripple tin panels is from the 1920s:

Another one with peeling paint in Kerman:

This sign is in Watsonville. It’s mounted flush against the building now but it’s double-sided and must have projected from the building originally:

This one is in Walnut Grove:

The Ghiradelli Chocolate Factory in San Francisco recently replaced the original letters with new aluminum versions. They moved the original “G” inside the store but you can really only see about half of it:

Another one from San Francisco. This sign’s letters were replaced with backlit plastic versions in 2016 and it seemed that was the end of it. But the new owner removed them earlier this year and had the neon restored:

Moving on to some buildings. This former Richfield gas station is in Lemon Cove:

This beautiful glazed tile is at the El Rey Theatre in Salinas:

I don’t know if all of this is vitrolite or some of it might be glazed tile. At the former Sherman Cleaners in Oakland:

Inside the Funeraria Del Angel funeral home in Delano. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright just before he died in 1959. The build completed by his son-in-law, William Wesley Peters:

The Pavilion of Flowers in Pacifica was built in 1966:

The York Towers condos in Oakland:

The All Saints Episcopal Church from 1968 in Palo Alto:

This lighthouse house (now the office for a condo complex) is in Vallejo:

These garlic geese are in Gilroy (the Garlic Capital of the World):

Andrea’s Fountain with bronze mermaids, a mer-baby, frogs, and turtles is in San Francisco:

The giant jeans in San Francisco need some paint but it’s unlikely since the jeans store on the second floor is long gone:

And lastly — this giant bellows camera is at the Big Fresno Fair:

Even though I’m done traveling for a while, the next big 5-weeker in June will be here before you know it. And I’ll have some little California trips now & then. I’ll start posting the “news” from the website map link prowl probably in a couple of weeks as I plod through it all.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

Finally! The last post from this trip. Some Kansas, some Missouri, and some shots from the long drive home.

This sign in Webb City, MO might be from the 1940s:

This sign in Baxter Springs, KS had been completely painted over by 2007.

Miraculously, around 2019, the paint was removed:

The Cassville Bowl in Cassville, MO was built in 1961. I assume this sign had neon originally:

These additions to the building are probably from the 1970s:

This former Sirloin Stockade bull is in Neosho, MO:

This fiberglass Red Robe Indian is in Calumet, OK at the Cherokee Trading Post:

This directional sign from the 1950s in Neosho, MO was restored in 2019:

Otto’s Cafe in Pittsburg, KS opened in 1945 and is still operating:

Last year, the bottom of the Jim’s Steakhouse sign in Pittsburg, KS was modified. Here it is in 2010:

and now with the larger bottom panel:

This crown sign in Shell Knob, MO is at the Kings Harbor Resort. I think the place was built in 1959 so this sign might be from then:

This vitrolite ticket booth is at the former Princess Theatre in Tucumcari, NM:

This cool concrete sign is in Amarillo, TX:

And lastly, the modern replica sign at the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, NM. This is a smaller version of the original sign:

That’s a wrap then for the Midwest photos for now. I’ll be picking back up in Missouri next June. With a completely rebuilt transmission, hopefully, there will no glitches then. There are plans for Illinois and Indiana as well.

I’ll be back soon with some California photos from last month.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

Let’s start with this one in Le Roy. This Derby gas station sign has been crudely repainted/repurposed for Luther’s Smokehouse/Jerky USA:

Capitol City Pawn Shop in Topeka has a few locations. I believe this sign is from the 1960s:

This store in Topeka is gone but the sign remains on the side of the building:

This store in Topeka was established in 1956 and the blade sign might be from then (removed around 2012 and repainted/neon removed). The plastic sign below might be from the 1960s:

This sign in Edna was built in 1958. The bank is gone but the sign and clock were restored in 2013 for the Edna Historical Society which occupies the space:

This Masonic Lodge sign is in Chanute. They are looking into replacing the glass globes which would have been backlit by those light bulbs:

This glass flame on top of this Standard Oil gas station sign in Iola is gone now:

This sign in Topeka previously advertised with neon text for Aid Animal Hospital. Last year, it was adapted for this vet clinic. I’m glad they kept the doggie:

This revolving paint can sign is in Topeka. For more giant paint cans and signs, see my website here:

https://www.roadarch.com/mim/paint.html

This former Ku-Ku restaurant in Chanute now houses Java Junction. For other former locations, see my website here:

https://www.roadarch.com/eateries/ffood5.html

This former Griff’s Burger Bar is in Topeka. For more Griff’s, see my website here:

https://www.roadarch.com/eateries/aframegriffs.html

This former Tastee-Freez is in Caney:

This still-operating Dairy Queen in Topeka from the 1960s still has its slanted sign pole. Unfortunately, in 2016, with pressure from corporate, the sign panels were replaced with the current logo:

This former Independent Oil station is in Topeka:

This former Phillips 66 gas station is in Topeka:

This round bank in Topeka has an incredible interior but they don’t allow photos. I’ve got to get one of those button cameras:

This building in Topeka from 1949 was built for Westwood Appliance. It is now used as a residence:

This glazed terra cotta facade in Topeka was created for the Hall Stationery Store in either 1905 or 1910. Half of the building was demolished in 1948 for a Woolworth store on the left:

This former laundromat in Topeka was adapted for a coffee shop last year:

This yellowjacket sculpture is installed in front of the high school in Fredonia. The yellowjacket is the school’s mascot:

This rocket is located at the Riverside Park mini golf in Independence:

This shoe house is also in Riverside Park. It is part of Kiddy Land which has fairy tale statues and structures built and maintained by the Lions Club:

Back soon with the final post from this trip.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

Let’s start with this vacuum form sign in Winfield, KS. The only other one that I know of with the same design is in Evansville, WI:

A rare and intact Co-Op gas station sign in Alma, KS:

Surely, this sign in Junction City, KS had different panels originally:

The Chef Cafe in Manhattan, KS opened in 1943 and I believe this sign is from then. When the cafe closed in 1986, the sign was stashed at the local historical society. It was reinstalled when the place reopened in 2008:

Some old Ford and Goodyear signs on the side of a building in Cottonwood Falls, KS:

This cute car sign is at Reich’s Foreign Car Service in Junction City, KS:

A classic, “left leg forward” Prewitt Fiberglass Animals horse on top of this sign in Abilene, KS:

This unusual Masonic Lodge sign is in Silver Lake, KS. I don’t think I’ve seen one with triangular panels before. The neon is protected with clear covers and wire mesh:

This mortar & pestle drug store sign is in Abilene, KS. It was originally located downtown. In 2018, when the drug store was bought out by the AuBurn Pharmacy chain and moved, this sign was installed inside:

This theatre is in Wellington, KS. The sign still bears a Claude Neon Federal tag. An unusual canopy sign since, usually, theatres used these for the readerboards with a vertical blade name sign above:

These fiberglass domes were built from a kit in the 1960s. I have shot maybe a dozen or so around the country. This one is in Walton, KS:

This building in Manhattan, KS will be demolished soon:

This Firestone in Junction City, KS has a bit of Art Deco detailing and great neon signs:

The former Dawson’s Conoco gas station in Manhattan, KS is currently being adapted for a bakery/cafe. Surviving double canopy stations are super rare:

And, lastly, the World’s Largest Belt Buckle in Abilene, KS was built last year. There are stairs behind it that lead up to a deck for photo-ops:

Be back soon with a bit more Kansas before a little Missouri and some photos from the sprint for home.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

Let’s dive right in. This combo neon/plastic sign is in Eureka, KS. I love the giant kettle:

This sign is in Arkansas City, KS. These corrugated panels with stick-on letters are getting so rare now. I don’t know if they are still produced. Whenever they get badly busted, most businesses/sign shops replace them with flat plastic panels:

A clever logo for this store in Wichita, KS:

Also used for the facade signs:

From Eureka, KS — the hotel’s website shows how bad-off the sign had gotten. It was supposedly installed in 1926 but, most likely, that was at least a few years later:

In 2011, it was “repainted” (also unlikely — looks like new panels to me). And missing now is that Claude Neon Federal tag at the bottom:

This NuWay Cafe location in Wichita opened in 1930 in a former Phillips 66 gas station. Those of you that “know” your stations, will recognize the gable in the middle of the building on the right:

The sign in the 1940s looked like this (from the restaurant’s website: I sure wish the carhop was not cutoff in the photo and that 7Up sign was still there). Note the neon above the entrance has been modified:

A close-up of the current sign from the 1970s. The panels were replaced in the 1970s to read “Crumbly Burgers” (their motto):

Jack’s North Hi Carryout in Wichita opened in 1951 across the street from North High School. Here’s what the sign and building looked like in my photo from 2010:

It opened and closed several times and, in 2021, new owners turned it into a donut shop. Jack’s still has neon but the panels were repainted and the toy jacks covered up:

One of my fave buildings in Wichita is the Knightley’s Parking Garage from 1949. My photo below from 2010:

Around 2021, a big building replaced the parking lot next to it and you can no longer get a nice shot of those curves and porthole windows:

At least the other end of the building with the sign remains visible and intact:

Here’s a fun midcentury facade in Arkansas City. I’m sure there’s brick behind this:

This former Cities Service gas station is in Wichita:

The canopy that would have covered the pumps is a bonus:

There’s a nicely restored Cities Service station with the same design in Tulsa, OK (no canopy though):

I believe this former gas station in Emporia, KS was a one-off. Here’s a photo from 2010:

In 2021, it began housing the Earthly Delights plant store and it was given this wild paint:

This theatre in Augusta, KS had a gorgeous top-half when it originally opened:

Unfortunately, the vitrolite tiles and glass details above were badly broken and I think all removed (we can pray maybe not) when this siding was installed. At least the glass tiles, Deco doors, frames, letters, and ticket booth remain:

This former Tastee-Freez in Augusta, KS has housed Miller’s Five Drive-in since 1964:

This cute windmill was built for Borst Nursery in Wichita. The business is gone but this sweet thing remains:

This big guy in Wichita was installed on the roof of Artist at Large Tattoo around 2009:

Lastly, this silo (?) in Severy, KS was transformed for the Needle in a Haystack Quilt Shop located in the building next to it:

About 4 days left from this trip to come. Then, some California stuff. Be back soon.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs