Panel floats idea of museum to chronicle history of Las Vegas
The City of Las Vegas’ $6.5 million downtown gateway sign, with 13,016 lights on the arches, is illuminated on Las Vegas Boulevard near The Strat Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. The 80-foot-tall project was designed by Selbert Perkins Design and fabricated and installed by YESCO. STEVE MARCUS
From the Las Vegas Sun: Photos of United States presidents line the back wall of the Las Vegas City Hall chambers. But noticeably missing are pictures of historic city leaders.
One solution floated Thursday during a Centennial Commission meeting: Creating a new city museum. They discussed a vision of the proposed museum, if the community wants or needs it, location and funding.
Route 66 ‘refuge’ for Black travelers now listed among ‘most endangered’ historic places
The historic Threatt Filling Station on Route 66 at Pottawatomie Road in Luther was recently named to the 2021 list of America’s “Most Endangered Historic Places” by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Oklahoman Archives
From The Oklahoman: LUTHER — Situated near a “sundown town,” a historic fueling station on U.S. Route 66 offered Black travelers a safe place for overnight stay, and fuel and food purchases during the Jim Crow era.
That safe haven in Luther, the Threatt Filling Station and Family Farm, was recently named to the 2021 list of America’s Most Endangered Historic Places. The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded nonprofit, compiles the list annually and the Threatt establishment was one of 11 sites chosen this year.
Iconic Quaker Oats sign, damaged by last year’s derecho, again lights up Cedar Rapids skyline
The new Quaker Oats sign is seen atop the factory and reflected in the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, June 8, 2021. The sign was damaged in the Aug. 10, 2020, derecho, and Nesper Sign of Cedar Rapids replaced it last week with one that uses more energy-efficient LEDs. Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette Via AP
From the Des Moines Register: The bright red Quaker Oats sign that had long lit up the Cedar Rapids skyline before a rare wind storm damaged it last August is back atop the Quaker Oats plant near downtown.
The new sign installed June 1 is a near-exact replica of the old sign, but sports all LED lights and took hundreds of hours of labor over six months to reconstruct, the Gazette reported.
The previous neon sign first lit up in 1947 and was the largest electric sign in Cedar Rapids at the time. Nesper Sign Advertising of Cedar Rapids created the new version, and Nesper president Phil Garland said it uses about one-sixth the power of the old sign.
See the tiny replica of beloved Donuts Delite neon sign
From the Democrat & Chronicle: Rochester native and ‘Simpsons’ staffer builds tiny replicas of beloved neon signs. Here’s a look at the one he did of the Donuts Delite sign.
Get up and glow: Route 66 travelers treated to new and improved neon signs in Tulsa
Story by Jimmie Tramel and Photos by John Clanton, Tulsa World Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios on 11th Street is among Tulsa businesses on the Route 66 path that took advantage of a grant program for new or restored neon signs. John Clanton, Tulsa World
From the Tulsa World: Back to the future?
Tulsa is going there by embracing the neon glow of its Route 66 past.
Neon is a big part of Route 66, explained Rhys Martin, president of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association and former chair of the Tulsa Route 66 Commission.
“When you think about Route 66, most people think of neon signs, tailfin Cadillacs, milkshakes — that kind of 1950s, 1960s era,” Martin said.
“And, at that time, neon was the No. 1 way to advertise your business on the road. It was vibrant. It had bright colors. It lit up very clear at night. Like anything else, you need to find a way to separate yourself from the competition.”