Back to the SCA pages. It looks like we’re going to be here a while. Brace yourselves for mostly bad news.

By the way, if you don’t know what I mean by “SCA pages”… I’ve been writing all of the feature articles about signs for the Society for Commercial Archaeology’s Journal since 2007. That’s 33 Journal articles and, for most of them, I have built “companion pages” at my website for more examples of the various “themes”, info, links, etc. You can order back issues of the Journal as well as become an SCA member here:

https://sca-roadside.org/sca-journal/

The SCA has been around since the 1970s and, in addition to the bi-annual Journal and quarterly newsletters, they offer in-person tours, zoom presentations, and more.

Let’s star this post with the Bowling signs section. I’m working on this article now which will be coming out in December.

It was bad enough that this neon sign in Hot Springs, AR…:

… had been “plasticized” in 2013. But earlier this year, even this unsightly sign (below) was replaced entirely with an rectangular graphic display box (not shown):

Bay Lanes in Bay City, MI has closed and the sign has been removed:

The Shelby Lanes in Shelby Township, MI sign was probably built in the late 1960s:

It has been replaced with this smaller, modern plastic sign, set further back from the road:

The Pawnee Lanes sign in Cleveland, OH…:

… was replaced with this plastic piece of crap earlier this year:

This sign in Anderson, SC was replaced earlier this year with, you guessed it, a plastic sign:

This bowling alley in Donelson, TN closed earlier this year. Apartments will be built on the site but, supposedly, this sign will stay. It’s not clear if the sign will be adapted but, if it stays, I’d think most likely so:

The Murfreesboro Strike & Spare in Murfreesboro, TN moved to a mall in 2020. It left behind this sign and it’s gone now.

The Hawk Bowl sign in Whitewater, WI might be removed soon. There are plans to demolish the bowling alley and replace it with a grocery store:

Moving on to one from the SCA Companion page for Camera Signs. This sign in Marysville, CA is gone now. The store had been closed since 2013 so I guess it was inevitable:

One from the Car Signs page. This United Motors Service sign in Bedford, IN was located at the Jenkins Motor Shop. It hung outside and was later moved inside. The business closed in 2018 and the building was demolished the following year.

Moving on to the Clock Signs section. The Wright’s Jewelry Co. sign in St. Joseph, MO has been removed. The store had been closed since 2008 so it’s no big surprise. The painted sign shown below is still there.

This one in Freeport, IL is gone now. Since the store is still open, I called to see that it wasn’t temporary or in the process of being restored. Nope. Sounds like it was sold.

I might have some good news (finally!) — this sign in Austin, TX…:

…. looks like this below in the latest StreetView from February. It appears that the neon and clock are missing. I’m hoping it’s a sign of restoration work being done. I left a voicemail and Instagram message and will let you know if I hear anything. No mention online anywhere or photos at the store’s social media of what’s going on:

This sign in Nashville, TN was missing at Google Street View so I picked up the phone. It was removed in March during demolition work after a fire. It is now in storage and there are no immediate plans to reinstall the sign:

That’s enough bad news for one sitting. Be back soon…

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

website | blog | Flickr | Instagram

If you haven’t been following this annual project in years past… The way it works is: I start with the smallest sections first and progress to the bigger ones. At this point, I’ve gone through 11 small sections and have 16 to go. It will probably take at least a couple of months more of daily plodding.

From the Bus Stations section – the Greyhound bus station in Oakland, CA closed around 2021 — from better days:

and now:

This Greyhound station from 1960 in Fort Lauderdale, FL was demolished earlier this year. It will be replaced with two 500 foot tall apartment towers:

This midcentury Greyhound station in Louisville, KY looks like it will be demolished soon. It closed in August and the signs were removed:

The former Tri-State Coach bus station in Big Stone Gap, VA has been painted black (previously white, later light green) is now housing a cannabis store:

Moving on to the Beverage Buildings section. The Coca-Cola bottling plant in Bogalusa, LA has been restored as The Coke Plant event venue. It was looking pretty rough in 2019:

and now all cleaned up inside & out:

The Pespi-Cola bottling plant in Portland, OR from 1962…:

was sold in 2017 and is destined to become “Pop Blocks” with housing, retail, and office space. The kept the domed structure but it’s a travesty that the barrel canopy building is gone:

Nothing but bad news for the Drive-in Theatres section. The Hill-Top Drive-in in Joliet, IL was badly damaged in 2021. By 2022, the screentower was demolished. The ticket booth remains:

The Paoli Drive-in in Paoli, IN had been closed since at least 2001. The screentower deteriorated over the years and now is officially a pile of rubble on the ground:

The Skyvue Twin Drive-in in Winchester, KY closed around 2015. Earlier this year, winds took out at least one of the screentowers and damaged the sign:

The Melody Drive-in in Springfield, OH closed in 2016. The screentower was demolished earlier this year. The sign was supposedly saved and put in storage but there are no plans for it. The apartment complex being built on the site will be known as the “Melody Parks”:

This sign from the site of the former 104th St. Drive-in in Portland, OR was removed earlier this year. I don’t know if a collector got it or if it was demolished. The drive-in closed in 1989:

The Reynolds Drive-in in Transfer, PA closed in 2014. But miracles happen once in a while. Although this screentower is gone…:

… a brand new screen and sign have been installed. It looks like the old ticket booth is still there. :

The next post will include news from the SCA Journal companion pages. So, there will be signs coming up (but hopefully not too many tragedies).

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

website | blog | Flickr | Instagram

Here we go. I’m starting on the annual website map check to see what’s happened to things with the most recent StreetView uploads. No news to report from the Paul Bunyans, Tiki Buildings, and Collections sections but here are some things from the TeePee Buildings section.

The teepee on the roof of the TeePee Drive-in in Grand Coulee, WA is gone now but there’s a new text panel and the bulb arrow has been restored. Here’s a before photo from 2016:

This teepee and Indian statue at Parson’s Indian Trading Post in Wisconsin Dells, WI are gone now:

From the Giant Containers section, I’m happy to see that the giant milk carton in Sylacauga, AL got some love earlier this year. My photo from 2020:

and now:

The giant urn in Washburn, WI is gone now:

The giant cauldron of burgoo in Owensboro, KY is missing in the 2023 Street View. I called them and was told that it was flipped over in April during a huge storm. It’s currently being restored:

This building in Las Vegas, NV was built around 2002 as an ice cream stand and originally had a spoon protruding from the roof. It has housed countless businesses since 2007. Just last year, I reshot it housing YUMLAB:

Google Street View shows it about to open this year as a Happyfastdelicious:

Moving on to the Giant Food section. The giant burger in Olympia, WA on the roof of Norma’s Burgers…:

…. was painted black when it became Smokehouse BBQ — but now the building and burger are gone:

This hot dog at Moo’s Soft Serve in Indiatlantic, FL which I shot in 2020…

was restored last year:

Super Twist in Mason, MI has closed and this ice cream is gone:

The Barbara Fritchie Restaurant in Frederick, MD closed in 2018. Fortunately, the candy cane is still there despite the building now housing a used car dealership:

If you haven’t heard the giant peanut in Ashburn, GA is back. It was installed in 1975 — here’s a postcard image:

And here’s a photo that I took before Hurricane Michael took it down in 2018:

The peanut was recreated with sheet metal and installed earlier this year. It looks great!

Two giant oranges in Florida are gone now. Both of these were designed a mobile juice stands with hinged “lids. Hopefully, they have been moved elsewhere. This one in Miami, FL was installed in front of Gramps bar (and was last painted as a beach ball):

This one in Fort Pierce, FL was installed in front of Boudrias Groves gift shop:

The South Shore Sweet Spot in Clear Lake, IA with the Twistee Treat top and recreated concrete bottom has been painted brown and white for a chocolate and vanilla look. It was previously just white:

That’s enough for the moment. I’m only through 119 pages (of more than 3,000) so there will be many more posts to come. Next up are Fairy Tale Parks, Bus Stations, Beverage Bottling Plants… and so much more.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

website | blog | Flickr | Instagram | book

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

I’ve got a nice big post for you. Let’s start with this sign in Atchison, KS. It must have been a stunner at one time with neon and better paint. The store is now a pawn shop and vape store. The storefront below suggest jewelry store but I find no evidence of that online — other than that Rudolph’s was renting musical instruments in the 1950s and selling handguns in the 1970s:

This motel/restaurant in Kansas City, KS has been abandoned for decades. I couldn’t stir up any vintage color photos but there’s this tiny/fuzzy image from the 1960s:

The Crest Motel in Kansas City, KS was built in 1951 and this sign is presumably from then. The remaining bits of neon were removed around 2012:

This shopping center in Kansas City, KS was built in 1961 and the sign must be from then:

This former Safeway in Kansas City, KS has housed a church since at least 2007. I believe there are only two other Safeway spear signs like this left (Independence, MO and Vancouver, BC):

This sign in Kansas City, Kansas appears to be from the 1930s. The “1928” date refers to the business’ downtown location. There was another huge horizontal sign which was removed late last year or earlier this year:

Moving on to Johnny’s Tavern in Lawrence, KS. This cute beer mug sign is likely from the 1960s:

These crude, changeable letters at the Liberty Hall in Lawrence are intriguing. I can’t tell if they are metal or ceramic. Obviously, they have/had backlit glass. The bottom letters appear to have plastic inside. I can confirm from recent photos that the letters are all still lit at night:

This sign at the Ag Hall of Fame in Bonner Springs, KS hasn’t changed much since it opened around 1964:

This sign is at the former Tastee-Freez in Olathe, KS. It’s still there despite several other name changes and even though the building with the sawtooth roof is vacant now:

This Crown Drugs projecting sign in Kansas City, KS is now in storage at the Midwest Sign Company in Kansas City, KS. Now that the sign is down, you can see where the “D” and “S” would have been. I suspect that the fascia letters had the “D” and “s” originally and were just moved closer together when the rug business moved in. My photo from 2010:

Midwest Sign has about about two dozen other vintage signs in storage — including this nice Eagles Lodge sign:

The White Haven Motor Lodge in Overland Park, KS was built in 1957 and this sign is from then. It closed in 2010 and the restored sign is now displayed inside the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center in Overland Park:

A very rare McDonald’s sign in Kansas City, KS:

There’s also a beveled letter plastic sign on the building. I’ve never seen such a huge mansard McDonald’s before:

Moving on to some buildings. This one in Leavenworth, KS originally housed the Perry L. Black Oldsmobile Cadillac dealership when it was built in 1940. It now houses a vape store. The original neon sign is supposedly underneath the Herken’s sign.

This former gas station in Fairway, KS was built around 1961, possibly as a Sinclair. The building housed a pizza place recently but is now an ice cream/coffee shop:

Homer’s Drive Inn in Leavenworth, KS started out as a root beer shack with car hops in 1931. It moved to this building in 1938 which was remodeled in 1962:

The Rio Theatre in Overland Park was built in 1946. It closed in 2020 and is now being restored:

Mad Jack’s Fresh Fish in Kansas City, KS is a two-fer with a castle-style building and a fiberglass catfish chef:

This bear statue in Stilwell, KS waves to cars on Highway 69. It was built in 1979 for a realtor and was painted brown originally. It has been in this backyard since at least 2009 and is often dressed in Kansas City Chiefs or Royals jerseys:

This termite and ants are located at this exterminator office in Shawnee, KS:

This former Sirloin Stockade bull was installed in a strip mall in Olathe KS last year. It came from Wichita. More examples of these bulls at my website here:

https://www.roadarch.com/critters/bulls2.html

This midcentury modern bank is in Lawrence, KS:

This house in Lenexa, KS was built in 1986 and consists of two giant cubes. The locals call it the “Dice House:”

Lastly, this former gas station in Atchison, KS with this iceberg-like facade was built in 1930. Around 2021, it was painted this horrible gray (previously white):

Even more Kansas soon.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

It’s been a few weeks, I know. I was sidetracked with a trip up to San Francisco for the NeonSpeaks live presentations and then the virtually watching/presenting myself last weekend. If you love signs, you are definitely missing out if you haven’t been part of it. It’s been going on since 2018, so chances are, they will be doing it again next year. Flag your calendar for mid-September.

www.neonspeaks.org

On the way up to SF, I took a couple of days off from work to shoot things in Central California & the Bay Area. Once I catch up with this summer’s trip, I’ll add those photos to my website and post some other shots here.

Now, back to Kansas. Let’s start off with some Salina, KS signs. This pair of directional signs point the way to two motels in town:

Let’s have a look at the two motel pole signs that they direct you to. The Starlite Motel on the left was quite lovely when I shot it in 2010:

But around 2021, the neon was removed and it was repainted — here’s a Google image (couldn’t bear to shoot it myself on this trip):

By the way, this top of the sign in Minneapolis has the same design and lettering. I don’t know if it built by the same sign shop (unlikely) or one of the sign’s was inspired by the other. Note that the Salina sign was not built with the “Swiss cheese” holes below but has a readerboard instead:

The Airliner Motel is still hanging on:

This ghost sign is also in Salina. It’s an odd place for one but at least its protected from the sun now:

This faded beauty is in Belleville, KS:

This bookshelf mural is on the side of the library in Clay Center, KS:

This sign in Sabetha, KS is pretty bland looking at this point with its missing neon, hand-painted letters, and Christmas tree bulbs. The shade from the surrounding trees made the sign look even drearier. The letters originally read “Koch’s.” I can’t find any vintage photos but I assume that was also a pointing arrow at the top:

This rusting temperature clock in Holton, KS hangs on the side of what appears to be a former garage:

The Cedar Court Motel sign in Clay Center, KS is half-covered now:

From a vintage postcard – note that, at some point, the neon on the nicely-painted tree was removed and text panel was replaced with a corrugated plastic panel:

But these two signs on the motel’s restaurant building remain intact:

I believe this towering palm tree sign in Salina was built in 2004. The restaurant has closed so I don’t know what will become of this sign:

This sign is in Clay Center. I can’t find any vintage images or postcards to show whether the “MOTEL” panel was ever neon:

This sign is in Hiawatha. The little “TV PHONE” panel originally had an “AAA” endorsement:

This sign in Mankato is probably from the 1960s:

There was another sign there in the 1950s – I can only find a tiny image of it:

The Post Rock Motel in Lincoln, KS was still quite nice when I shot it in 2010:

Last year the neon was removed and replaced with plastic letters and the middle panel with a graphic display box:

The Porter Hotel in Beloit, KS was built in 1939. By the 1950s, it had an L-shaped sign above, an Art Deco looking canopy sign, and a neon Coffee Shop sign on the side of the building:

In 1989, the building began housing the Porter Apartments. In 2004, the name was changed to the Porter House Apartments. These signs were apparently either built in 1989 and adapted — or built in 2004 when the name changed:

The Ute Theatre in Mankato, KS dates back to 1905. I don’t know what the original sign and marquee looked like but these were there by 1982 when John Margolies took this photo:

By 2009, those had been replaced with the current signs. The older version had a much nicer, painted face. This looks like laser-generated vinyl:

This bowling sign in Belleville, KS was built in 2021:

Let’s wrap up this post with a few buildings. This Art Deco Courthouse is in Mankato, KS:

Some details from another Art Deco stunner: The United Building in Salina, KS:

The Fox Watson Theatre in Salina, KS opened in 1931. It’s now known as the Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts. The top two levels of this tower and the spire were damaged by lightning in 1954 and recreated in 2020:

And a couple of former gas stations. This sweet former cottage station in Brookville, KS has rocks and/or petrified wood details — long vacant:

This big canopy station in Marysville, KS must be from the 1920s. It is now used by the Pepsi distribution center across the street:

Be back soon with more Kansas.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs