Let’s dive right in with some buildings. This former Prince Castle in Dixon now houses B.B.Y. Chicken & Carry Out:

What’s a Prince Castle, you may ask? They were a 1950s era Illinois ice cream shop chain with at least 20 of these castle style buildings. I think there are only about five of these buildings left (and none of the ice cream shops anymore) here’s a vintage image from Oak Lawn (building & sign gone):

This former Dog n Suds is in Oregon:

This theatre is in Sterling:

The glass on the tower is lit in different colors for holidays & special events. An example from their Facebook page:

This little windmill building in Moline was built in 1934 as a gas station. It had been abandoned for years and the blades of the windmill were long gone. Just a couple weeks after I took this photo, the tree behind it fell over in a tornado and destroyed the building. Shoot ’em while you can folks:

This former gas station is in Rock Island:

This statue in DeKalb was part of the Huskies on Parade civic art project — yes, Huskies is how NIU (Northern Illinois University) spells it:

This frightening shark is installed in front of the closed Cajun Jack’s Bar & Grill in Elizabeth:

This waving pig chef and meat market steer are installed on the roof Lena Maid Meats in Lena. There are a bunch of these waving pigs (and dozens of these steers) around the country. The pigs at my website are here:
https://www.roadarch.com/critters/pigs.html

This chicken car is located in Freeport. The head and tail were previously installed on an old Cadillac at Larz Chicken Shack (gone now). More chicken cars can be found at my site here: https://www.roadarch.com/critters/birdscars.html

This sculpture in Sycamore pays tribute to this local legend and founder of the Pumpkin Festival:

This buff Ronald Reagan on horseback sculpture is in Dixon:

Speaking of Dixon, let’s segue to the signs portion of this post. There has been a welcome arch here in various forms since 1919. More welcome signs here: https://www.roadarch.com/sca/welcome.html

This former neon sign (tubing holes patched since forever) is in Rock Falls. The store is still operating:

This sign is at a former antiques store in Galena. Kohler’s was in Lombard:

This sign is in Freeport (naturally):

This Masonic Lodge sign with backlit glass globes is in Rochelle:

This Fraternal Order of Eagles sign with metal letters and neon is in Moline:

This sign is in Rochelle:

This sign in Polo is displayed inside the American Legion Post’s front window. It was evidently a hanging, double-sided sign:

This sign in Moline was restored at some point and covered with plexi panels to protect the neon tubing:

This wooden sign in Freeport at the incredible Union Dairy was installed in 2014 as part of the celebrations of the ice cream shop’s 100th year anniversary. This sign is currently being repainted:

This Rock Island Railroad sign was built around 2021 for a private collector in Davenport, IA. It was sold and now hangs on the side of the Rayz’s Barber building in Rock Island. The inspiration was this long-gone sign from Minneapolis:

This sign was built by “Mid-Century Sign Company” which has done some incredible recreations: https://www.facebook.com/MidCenturySign/photos_by

Last photo for this post — from Galena:

There are two more full days of Illinois left on this trip before I started the trek home. So, another 3-ish posts to come.

Happy Trails,
dj & the dogs

website | blog | Flickr | Instagram

Lots of rain and grey plagued me in early July and I had to sit the shooting out for a bit. So, I’m doubling up these less productive two days for this post.

I hopped across the border briefly to shoot some things in nearby Burlington, IA like these giant chairs at Furniture Row:

This giant cone, draped with ugly LED rope, stands outside the Arrow Cafe (recently the Twist & Shout) in Oquawka:

This Mighty Mouse riding an elephant in Malta was previously installed at a car wash Round Lake Beach. Before that, it’s unknown. There was one in Benson, NH built for Mighty Mouse Playworld. That one was later moved to Magic Forest in Lake George, NY before it was sold to a private collector. This statue was built from the same mold, supposedly FAST in Sparta, WI. So, there were definitely two of these and possibly others will turn up:

These meerkats are in Annawan at Paxton’s Corner Coop where there are lots of other statues:

This astronaut is from the same place. There are little steps behind it so that you can stick your face inside the helmet for those photo-ops:

This Mr. Spock/Star Trek Vulcan inspired chainsaw-carved hand salute is in front of a house in Peru:

This Wild Bill Hickock sculpture is installed in Troy Grove on the street where he was born:

This sad former Phillips 66 gas station is in Little York has looked like this since at least 2008. The chimney was starting to crumble so at least they put siding on it:

A detail from the elaborate Washington Theatre in Quincy:

Also in Quincy — St. Boniface Church, just another midcentury modern John Benya masterpiece:

While this dome homein Somonauk appears to be midcentury, it was built in 2002:

This Tastee-Freez from 1950 is in Spring Valley:

The former Anguish & Wolfenbarger Ford dealership has these painted ghost signs on both sides of the building in Dallas City:

Here are a couple of other great ghost signs that thankfully have NOT been repainted (call me a purist, but I hate that!) –from Galesburg:

and from Buda:

This metal sign with the embossed Sherwin-Williams globe is in Monmouth. The vines have either died or been cut back because this one was half-covered just a few years ago:

A modern neon sign from Peru:

The former Paramount Club in La Salle. Note that the name on the sign is misspelled on both sides at the top but they got it right on the later plastic panel below. Those green porcelain panels on the right with the musical notes that form the very abstracted arrow and cover the other sign pole used to extend all the way down to the ground:

This one is from Quincy. The hotel is apartments now but The Patio restaurant has reopened and looks pretty fancy. I’m glad they didn’t ditch this sign:

These stainless steel letters in Quincy are installed on the corner and over all the entrances. This former Durst Brothers Sunshine Dairy is now a Prairie Farms Dairy but the letters and glass block remain:

This sign was originally installed in Kewanee where it advertised for a cleaners. My photo from 2009:

The cleaners closed around 2016 and the sign was moved to Langley where it has been adapted:

Strangely enough, this sign’s design seems to be a near-match for this one in Columbus, OH:

This sign is in Hinckley. Unfortunately, someone repainted the letters on the top panel which created the streaks over the porcelain enamel. From the miracles I’ve seen in the past, this could be fixed with some buffing:

This place in Bureau burned down in 2020 and it seems very unlikely that it will be rebuilt. The sign is now being taken over by vegetation. You can barely see the white arrowhead at the bottom:

This sign in Mendota has been missing its neon for decades but it looks like the restaurant is still bustling:

A farmer’s cooperative sign in Earlville. There are only a handful of these signs left in the country and, of those, most have metal instead of plastic faces. This one has one of the company’s unique sign poles as well:

This sign is in La Salle. In my notes now as a “reshoot” for better weather someday:

This one which is also in La Salle is a real mystery. Despite my internet prowling, I have no idea what type of business this was. I’ve emailed some historical groups and people in town and hope to get an answer but have not heard anything back:

The last item for this point is from DeKalb. The pink neon and the skeleton sign in the window are still maintained. But I don’t think the bulbs are lit:

There are five more days to go on this trip. I’ll be back soon with another Illinois batch.

Happy Trails,
dj & the dogs

website | blog | Flickr | Instagram

What better way to spend the holidays than working on my website? I’ve got another day’s batch all uploaded to my website. So, here’s another post before the New Year.

Yes, that’s Abraham Lincoln reading a book while on horseback. This one is in Petersburg. There’s another one of these in Midland, MI:

This chainsaw-carved woodpecker is installed waaaaay up on the water tower in Peoria Heights:

This brand new sign in Beardstown with a giant soccer ball:

This stainless steel tree sculpture in Morton was funded by local donors (their names are on the leaves):

This vitrolite storefront is in Rushville. The “Bakers” sign was obviously added later. I’ve dug like crazy and can’t find the original jewelry store name:

This former Phillips 66 gas station in in Beardstown. The building to the right out of frame is a freestanding service bay building — also for the Phillips 66:

The streamline moderne Earnest Chatten House in Quincy:

This former Standard Oil gas station in Macomb now houses a gun shop:

The barrel canopied Clayberg Nursing Center in Cuba:

The Quincy Regional Airport was one of the most amazing stops on this entire five-week trip. If you’re even half as crazy about midcentury modern buildings as I am — and you have plans to visit Quincy — I recommend this great little guide: https://seequincy.com/guides/mid-mod-quincy/

This overhead photo from the Herald-Whig newspaper gives you a clue of the complete building design. The orange circle over on the left is a nice little rooftop, hangout spot with tables. And those blue shapes are the skylights shown in my photo below:

This theatre is in Chillicothe:

This former A&W “pilgrim hat” is in Pekin:

This terrazzo apron is in Quincy:

I believe this is the only surviving Ford Hopkins Drugs sign even though there were about 300 locations in the Midwest. It’s in Macomb although the store itself is long gone:

They were pretty classy inside — each one had a “tea room” with an extensive menu:

This one in South Bend, IN:

This sign is at the still-operating location in Quincy — part of a Midwest chain but this sign was either unique or the only one left:

Speaking of chains… this “skinny M” McDonald’s sign in Quincy has an updated panel with a horrific graphic display panel:

This sign in Macomb is a replica sign — built around 2014. The business was founded in 1908 and is still chugging along:

This sign is above the marquee at the former Illinois Theatre in Macomb:

This sign is installed in Petersburg. The sign came from another Rexall store and the name on top was changed to Potter:

This is one of those glass half-full/empty stories. One of the best Federal Electric sectional, bulb signs out there is/was in Quincy. The rectangular letters have odd-shaped spacer porcelain enamel mini panels so that this sign could be built on a curve. Here’s a photo I took in 2009:

Granted, there were chips and rust… to be expected for a 110-year old sign… (built 1911 or 1912). But in 2022, I was saddened to the core to see that the sign had been painted over! That’s no way to treat porcelain enamel and a sign as important as this one. Each of the letters had the little patent letters at the bottom and the detailed borders – now GONE! Here’s an example of what I mean from this nicely-preserved sign in Idaho Springs, ID (TG — indoors!):

Welp. Here’s what the sign looks like now. White borders, no longer navy blue. I guess it could be worse… or gone. For more about these signs, see my website here: https://www.roadarch.com/sca/federal.html

On to happier things. Like this Masonic Lodge sign in Macomb:

This rooftop sign is in Virginia at the My Little Mexico (formerly Depot Diner). I think this sign was there before the Depot Diner but all of my internet prowling came up dry:

And lastly — this cutie in West Peoria was installed around 2017. There was a boring plastic text sign there before that. The truckbed originally moved up and down – wasn’t moving though when I was there in July:

That’s a wrap for now. Back in the New Year with more. About six more posts to come.

Happy Trails,
dj & the dogs

website | blog | Flickr | Instagram

Another mostly sunny, productive day. So, another big post.

Let’s start with “Wee Willy the Wolf” in Aroma Park who’s been installed in front of the fire department since at least 2008. They’ve given him his own helmet and boots:

This lion sculpture is on top of the monument sign at the Municipal Bank in Momence. There is another one in Bourbonnais which I’ll have to shoot this coming summer:

This bulldog is installed next to the Animal Wellness Center in Monee:

This giant pumpkin is in Minooka:

These giant burgers are at Joey’s Red Hots in Orland Park:

This neon draped cone is at the Dixie Delite in St. Anne:

This giant potted plant in Kankakee is installed at a community garden. Rainwater is collected by the leaves which can be accessed by the spigots below:

This former Dog n Suds drive-in is in Crest Hill:

The Mar Theatre is in Wilmington:

This former train station in Peoria now houses city offices:

This long-vacant building in Lockport has an opal glass letter sign. More about these signs at my website here: https://www.roadarch.com/sca/opal.html

Although some letters are missing, you can get a clear idea of how these letters were illuminated: square glass plates of each raised letter were placed behind the metal panels. Then a wire with bulbs was lit behind the panels:

The Pontiac Daily Leader newspaper building in Pontiac has several of these mosaic murals which depict the history of printing.

Moving on to a big batch of signs. This one is in Dwight:

This business in Kankakee is long gone but the sign is still hanging:

This rooftop sign is in Marseilles is for the former Thompson Hotel:

This sign is at the Rescue Mission in Peoria:

This sign is installed above the plastic box sign for Southwest Auto Salvage in Lockport:

This sign is in Kankakee:

Boz Hot Dogs was a small Chicago area chain. There are still about six locations left but only a few old signs. This one is in Morris:

An example of the mass-produced General Electric 3-panel signs with arrows in Bradley. The bulbs are still chasing:

This still-operating restaurant is in Joliet:

This sign is in Washington:

And lastly — this still-operating restaurant is in Crest Hill:

A close-up of the bubbling champagne glass:

I’ll be back in the new year with more.

Happy Holidays & Happy Trails,
dj & the dogs

website | blog | Flickr | Instagram

This was one of the most productive days of the trip. I’ve got a nice big batch of highlights.

Just a couple of fiberglass statues at the American Giants Museum in Atlanta. This “professional” had a motorized waving arm which rotated at the elbow:

A restored Mortimer Snerd — more about these guys at my website here: https://www.roadarch.com/giants/ifsnerds.html

A giant fiberglass bass in Decatur. It was a fishing tackle shop but now a bar occupies the building and the fish remains:

This seal was originally installed in a fountain at the Bel-Aire Motel in Springfield. The motel was demolished but this guy escaped the wrecking ball and is now displayed at the Route 66 Motorheads Bar & Grill:

About 10 fiberglass animals displayed at the Nord Animal Hospital in Bloomington:

Pinky the Elephant has moved around in Springfield since he arrived in 1980. More about these DWO Elephants at my website here:
https://www.roadarch.com/critters/eledwo.html

A restored Texaco station in Decatur:

Sprague’s Service Station in Normal has also been restored and now houses a Route 66 info center & gift shop:

This restrooms building from 1964 is at the Rail Splitter Rest Area off I-55 in Springfield:

A midcentury, spiral parking garage ramp in Springfield:

This former Kresge department store building is also in Springfield:

On to the signs. This one is either a restoration or replica in Springfield:

This former Stuckey’s billboard sign is displayed at the Route 66 Motorheads Bar & Grill in Springfield:

This modern sign is displayed inside Motorheads. There were several Ned Kelly’s in Illinois and I think they are all gone:

This business in Springfield is gone now but the sign remains:

This sign in Springfield has been repainted countless times. You can see the patched neon tubing holes from long ago:

Mr. John’s Dry Cleaners in Streator closed in 2021 but this sign remains:

This scaffold sign is in Springfield:

This Woody’s Steak House sign in Ottawa surely revolved originally:

This Krekel’s sign with a neon chicken is probably from 1993 when this Springfield location opened:

This Bear Manufacturing sign is at Autocraft Body Shop in Springfield. More about these “happy bear” signs at my website here:
https://www.roadarch.com/signs/bear.html

Let’s close with this fantastic replica sign in Lincoln:

Back soon with even more stuff from Illinois.

Happy Trails,
dj & the dogs

website | blog | Flickr | Instagram

Let’s start off with this famed football linebacker, Dick Butkus, in Champaign:

“The Quintessential Engineer” tribute to women engineers is at the University of Illinois in Urbana:

Aphrodite’s head – a former prop at the McPherson Theater in Bloomington now displayed on top of a barrel canopy over the entrance:

This scrap metal elephant is in Lexington:

This stack of books of Aesop’s Fables with a tortoise and a hare is at the Urbana Free Library (in Urbana):

This pumpkin is at Spezia’s Cheese Shop in Danville:

This sculpture is at Tom Kirk’s art display under the bridge in Bloomington:

Bruce Goff’s Garvey House in Urbana:

The Iroquois Federal Bank in Danville:

A castle-like church in Danville from 1903 – now a theatre:

A former Coca-Cola bottling plant in Bloomington:

This theatre is in Hoopeston:

Moving on to some signs. This one is in Lexington:

I’m sure this sign in Danville had neon originally — and probably a different business nam:

Another sign in Danville:

This one is in Paxton:

This sign in in Danville:

These two are both at the Little Nugget in Danville:

This rooftop wind sculpture sign is at Keller’s Iron Skillet restaurant in Bloomington:

This Dairy Queen is in Cissna Park. These “lips” style signs are getting pretty rare:

The Majestic Theatre in Paxton burned down in 2007 but this early bulb sign (1910s or 1920s?) must have been in storage somewhere (it wasn’t on the building) and marks the former site in a park now:

And last but not least, this sign is in Urbana. I can’t think of any other signs with a series of wavy tubing like this:

About 8 more posts from Illinois to come.

Happy Trails,
dj & the dogs

website | blog | Flickr | Instagram

Let’s start with some statues. This Abraham Lincoln in Ashmore is about 72 feet tall. It was built in 1968 and has fallen on hard times:

This Lincoln is in Charleston — carved from a tree stump:

This marble John F. Kennedy sculpture is installed at a cemetery in Taylorville:

This fiberglass statue was installed in front of Chillbilly’s (now a Krekel’s) in Macon in 2011. This is a Mark Cline copy of an International Fiberglass statue. More about these statues at my website here: https://www.roadarch.com/giants/if14men.html

I believe this hand with globe in Pana was originally installed at Skate World in Kankakee. Three pages of giant hands at my website here: https://www.roadarch.com/mim/hands.html

This giant rose was installed at a gas station in Pana (the “City of Roses”) last year:

This chicken car is one of two that are installed at the Krekel’s Custard in Mount Zion. More chicken cars at my site here:

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

Overlook Adventure Park in Decatur has a zoo-themed mini golf — lots of great statues:

This building is in Taylorville:

The Roseland Theatre is in Pana:

A detail from the Macon County Courthouse in Decatur:

The Mueller Co. building from 1961 in Decatur:

A mosaic at the Mueller entrance featuring their products and earlier locations:

The only still-operating location – in Arcola:

This Krekel’s Kustard walk-up stand in Decatur is from the 1950s. The sign originally had neon:

This building, currently vacant, in Decatur originally housed a Spudnuts. It housed several other donut shops after that:

A former Phillips 66 gas station in Decatur:

This liquor store sign is in Charleston:

The Silverfross Drive-in in Decatur became Elam’s Drive-in in 1954. The building was demolished in 1989 but this sign is located inside a local antiques store:

The bowling alley in Decatur is long-closed and the signs are sadly neglected:

This Lewis Cut Rate Drug Store sign is in Taylorville:

And lastly — a former Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket sign in Decatur:

Back soon with more Illinois.

Happy Trails,
dj & the dogs

website | blog | Flickr | Instagram

Day 20 was interrupted by much rain and then heavy gray-ness. So, I did laundry, cleaning and organizing inside the van, and napping. I’m combining some of the limited shooting from that day with some shots from the following day.

Casey is a fun stop if you are into giant things which are scattered all over downtown (“Big Things in a Small Town”). Here are just three examples. The bird cage where you can go inside and sit on the swinging perch:

A giant mail box that you can climb the stairs and stand inside — plus, mail a letter and the red flag on the side goes up:

A giant truck key:

This giant beer can is at a bar in Altamont:

Olney is famous for its white squirrels — hence this little tribute statue:

A few stops just over the border in Indiana — this Uncle Sam (at an All-American Car Wash) is in Vincennes. For more about these statues, see my website: https://www.roadarch.com/giants/uncles.html

This 14-foot-tall Giant Man is at the Pink Elephant Antique Mall in Livingston. For more about these statues, see my website here: https://www.roadarch.com/giants/if14men.html

Also at the Pink Elephant in Livingston, this Futuro awaits restoration. I liked the previous green paintjob better. More about these fiberglass buildings at my website here: https://www.roadarch.com/modarch/futuro.html

A detail from the Pantheon Theatre in Vincennes, IN:

Moving on to some signs. Walton’s Hardware & Furniture in Jacksonville:

The downfall of this sign in Pittsfield is so sad — but not unrecoverable damage for you sign optimists out there (what a different some paint and, more unlikely, neon would make):

Also in Pittsfield – this sign was repainted around 2012 but 12 years later could use some touching-up.

This GE sign is in Highland:

This sign in Vincennes, IN is at the Cutter’s Way bar:

This Odd Fellows sign is in Winchester:

This one is in Pocahontas:

This Elks sign is in Jacksonville:

Also in Jacksonville:

This sign is in Olney:

This sign is in Effingham. Around 2020, the sign fell to the ground. Installing a sign pole in a frequently-water garden planter is a bad idea. Eventually, the pole rusts enough that it gives way and many a sign disaster has resulted. Anyhow, this time a small but mighty miracle resulted. Instead of replacing the sign with a boring backlit plastic box which is usually what happens, Double D Signs replicated the original sign with aluminum panels and new neon later that year:

The old sign being hoisted off the ground — photo from the bar’s website:

The new sign is back in the flower planter though, so, this scenario might be relived another 50 years from now:

Be back soon with more Illinois. 12 more days of photos to go from this trip.

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Trails,
dj & the dogs

website | blog | Flickr | Instagram

Starting off with some statues: this pair of crazed, muscled-up marble lions is installed in Alton:

These Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln sculptures are installed in Alton at the site of their last debate:

This 27-foot-tall Statue of Liberty was built around 1902 and originally installed on top of a building in New York City. In 2003, it was moved to the Brooklyn Museum of Art parking lot. Last year, the statue was donated to the National Building Arts Center in Sauget where is will eventually be displayed. It’s going to cost about $50,000 to restore:

The world’s tallest man, Robert Wadlow, was born and raised in Alton — and this life-sized statue and a replica of his chair are installed in a park there:

The Bon Air opened as a bar in Alton in 1921. It has expanded considerably since 1981 when it became Fast Eddie’s Bon Air:

This theatre in Alton has been vacant since 1977:

A couple of midcentury buildings — this one in Collinsville:

And this one in Granite City:

This vacant, former Henry’s Hamburgers location in East St. Louis would have looked like this originally:

This Hen House in Mitchell has been vacant since at least 2013:

This former Tastee-Freez is in Venice:

This Oddfellows Lodge sign is in Jerseyville:

This sign in Pittsfield was repainted and the neon restored around 2021:

This sign is in Roxana:

This one is in Madison:

This sign is in Alton:

The Jacoby Furniture sign in Alton was adapted for the Jacoby Art Center in 2006:

The neon on this sign in Granite City was restored in 2020:

This hardware sign in Edwardsville:

was adapted in 2012:

This recreated local sign is installed at the It’s Electric Neon Sign Park in Granite City with two other recreated signs:

The last Mister Donut location still operating in the U.S. — in Godfrey:

Back with more Illinois soon — about 12 days & posts left for this trip.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

website | blog | Flickr | Instagram

Let’s start with a few statues. This lovely chicken and giant Coke bottle are among the many statues at the former Crainville Landing in Carterville. This place started out as a backyard shed business and statue seller. It evolved into a mini golf and frozen custard stand. The place has been abandoned since the owner passed away in 2019:

This panther is installed inside the high school gym in O’Fallon. The schools sports teams are the Panthers:

This Abraham Lincoln statue in Mount Vernon stands in front of a courthouse where he presented a case:

This restored Big John statue is in Eldorado. More about these statues at my website here:
https://www.roadarch.com/giants/il3.html

This former midcentury Bank of Illinois and Trust is in Mount Vernon:

Another midcentury bank: the former First National Bank in Wayne City – now the city’s Village Hall and Library:

This Art Deco building is at Sandoval Community High School in Sandoval:

This terrazzo apron is at a former Libson women’s clothing store in Belleville:

This Chuck Wagon in Fairview Heights was part of a Southern Illinois chain with about 15 locations. This is the only decently-preserved sign left (although the neon is gone). The one at the original Collinsville location has been badly adapted for a coffee place:

This ice cream stand and restaurant is in Belleville:

This clock in Belleville is at a closed used car lot along with several other nice neon signs:

This sign is in Fairfield:

Keil’s in Belleville was originally a hardware store. The hardware panel was covered over much later with this “since 1858” panel. The space now houses Blanquart’s Rusty Gem Vintage Market:

This sign is in Salem:

This sign in Belleville was knocked over in high winds in 2011 and badly bent. It was miraculously restored:

This sign is in Fairview Heights:

This vacuum form plastic soda sign in Breese is at the Excel Bottling Co.:

And lastly, the wonderful drive-in theatre sign in Belleville:

Back soon with more Illinois.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

website | blog | Flickr | Instagram