Gatorland, Orlando’s oldest attraction, to host 75th anniversary
Gatorland (Gatorland)
From clickorlando.com: ORLANDO, Fla. – Gatorland turning 75, and next month the “Alligator Capital of the World” is hosting a big Diamond Jubilee Celebration.
On May 18 and 19, Gatorland will host its fifth annual Gatorpalooza event. Included with park admission, the event will feature live music, specialty food and craft vendors, artisans, family fun, games, appearances by the Gatorland Vlog team, and, of course, all the alligators and other animals.
What happened to one of Vancouver’s most iconic neon signs?
The Only Sea Foods sign lit up in 2009 in downtown Vancouver. Mike W./Flickr
From Vancouver Is Awesome: Vancouver used to be one of the great neon cities, and one of the icons of that era still exists, even if it’s not sitting above a cafe in East Vancouver.
The Only Seafood Cafe seahorse was one of the most popular signs that survived from the city’s neon-era in the 1950s. For a time, Vancouver had 19,000 different signs.
Located above the cafe at 20 E Hastings St., the red seahorse hung above the street for decades and became an icon of the city’s vibrant history.
How did New Orleans get its iconic blue and white street tiles? The story starts in 1884.
The intersection of New Orleans and N. Galvez Streets includes several original street tiles that were apparently carefully removed and replaced when wheelchair ramps were installed sometime in the past. But among the original encaustic-style cement tiles was this replacement — possibly homemade — ceramic tile, made with painted slip lettering. “How cool is that?” declared Michael Styborski, when he discovered the counterfeit. (Photo by Doug MacCash NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)
From NOLA.com: Everyone loves the antique blue and white tiles that mark the street corners in the older sections of New Orleans. But did you ever wonder how the unique horizontal street sign system came about? If so, read on.
It all seems to have started in 1884, when a young Belgian named Prosper Lamal was dispatched to New Orleans to manage his country’s booth at the World Cotton Centennial in what’s now Audubon Park.
The Burger Pit in San Jose closes for good after 70 years in business
From KTVU: SAN JOSE, Calif. – A San Jose-based restaurant chain is shutting down its last restaurant after more than 70 years in business.
The Burger Pit was started in the 1950s and on Monday hundreds of people stood in line to say goodbye.
People told stories of coming to The Burger Pit as kids, and when they learned that it was closing for good, they just had to get one last meal from the eatery.
A New Augmented Reality Project Restores the Third Ward’s Historic ‘Ghost’ Signs
Photo courtesy of Hoffman York
From Milwaukee Magazine: In the late 19th Century, Milwaukee’s Third Ward was a manufacturing powerhouse, a bustling hub of activity and industry.
Today, it has transformed into a vibrant arts, entertainment and retail district. Yet, amid this modern evolution, the fading signs from a bygone age that adorn many buildings remain— a silent and slowly vanishing testament to the area’s rich industrial heritage.
Milwaukee marketing agency Hoffman York has introduced Augmented History, which restores the lost art inherent in these historic “ghost” signs.
The augmented reality project is a unique blend of history and technology that gives the public the opportunity to view the Third Ward’s storied past through a present-day lens, with the faded advertisements offering a glimpse into the past.