Tujague’s Restaurant Installs New, Old Sign
David Mora
From Myneworleans.com: This week, the second oldest restaurant in New Orleans unveiled its new, yet old, sign at its current address of 429 Decature St. Tujague’s Restaurant was established in New Orleans in 1856 by Guillaume and Marie Tujague at 811 Decatur St., where it stayed for most of its existence.
When the restaurant sadly moved locations in the past few years, the original and iconic Tujague’s sign did not make the trip. After working for that entire time to recreate the sign and bring it home to its new location, owner Mark Latter finally got his wish on Monday, Nov. 21, in time for the holiday season.
Lucy the Elephant gets a shower from Margate firefighters to check for leaks in $2 million new skin
Lucy the Elephant, the six-story historic landmark, in Margate, N.J., gets a shower from the Margate City Fire Department, to check for leaks on the exterior of the attraction that is undergoing a restoration. VERNON OGRODNEK
From The Philadelphia Inquirer: MARGATE, N.J. — It was a bit on the cold side for a pre-reveal cleanse, but Lucy the Elephant has endured worse. And maybe an icy dousing from Margate Fire Department hoses was just the spa treatment the old pachyderm starlet with a brand new $2 million metal skin needed.
The purpose was to find any leaks in Lucy’s expensive new skin.
As firefighters aimed their hose at Lucy, whose plastic wrapping had finally been removed after 14 months, John Green Jr. of A.C. Gentry architectural sheet metal company climbed around the remaining scaffolding and inside the six-story elephant checking for leaks.
New book documents Utah history — one vintage sign at a time
A photo of the original Walker Bank sign taken in 1981. The tower was taken down in the 1980s before it was refurbished and returned in 2008. The building’s current owners recently converted the sign from neon to LED. (Photo: Utah State History)
From KSL: SALT LAKE CITY — Lisa Michele Church admits she never really intended on documenting history. Yet her fascination with the past coupled with the skills she’s learned through her career and other hobbies have helped mold her into one of Utah’s more well-known community historians.
“I wasn’t formally trained but I’m a lawyer, so I love research and I’m a photographer, so I love documenting,” she explains.
Her passion for history helped her amass an impressive following under the handle “Relentless History” on Instagram, where she posts photos with brief stories about various pieces of history hidden in plain sight like the motels thousands pass by on a regular basis to the signs outside of businesses.
What Is…Googie? These Devoted Fans Will Tell You
From Dwell: Chances are, if you’ve taken a spin around Southern California, you’ve seen Googie architecture, even if you’re not familiar with the term for it. The futurist aesthetic originated in the area in the ’30s and is typified by curvilinear, geometric shapes, swooping space-age parabolas and boomerangs, and plenty of glass, steel, and neon. Taking its name from the (now-demolished) John Lautner–designed Googie’s coffee shop in Hollywood, the trend peaked in the mid-20th century but petered out in the early ’70s, and has since become increasingly hard to spot as more and more period motels, cafés, and gas stations disappear from the ever-evolving Los Angeles landscape.
Neon Museum of St. Louis lights up with vintage ads, new art pieces
Neon Museum of St. Louis. Photo by Jim Winnerman
From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: The new Neon Museum of St. Louis is located in the perfect space. The walls of the former garage at 3537 Chouteau Street reflect the glowing art on display inside, and the huge glass doors showcase the vivid colors to passersby outside.
Additionally, the museum is situated along historic Route 66, which owner and curator Deborah Katon says was also known as the “neon highway.”
The Neon Museum of St. Louis has been open just over a month. On display are vintage neon signs from St. Louis-area businesses, as well as sculptures created by several artists who create pieces that feature neon.
Stepping out? You can now stay the night in the Haines Shoe House, a shoe-shaped Pa. landmark
The historic Haines Shoe House is under new ownership and is now ready to be booked as a short term vacation rental. Open.Tours/The Haines Shoe House
From USA Today: YORK, Pa. – The Haines Shoe House is now ready to be booked as a short-term vacation rental.
Over the years, the unusual house at central Pennsylvania in Hellam Township, Penn., has been a honeymoon suite, a vacation spot for elderly couples, an ice cream shop and a tourist attraction. It was built in 1948 to promote Mahlon Haines’ chain of shoe stores.
The iconic house visible from Route 30 east of York was sold to new owners in July. The news of its reopening was shared on the Shoe House’s Facebook page.