Vanishing Roadside of America

VANISHING ROADSIDE typography of vintage neon signs

of

AMERICA

VANISHING ROADSIDE

of

AMERICA

A look at the history of neon signs and their current position in the American roadside.

Content, design and photography by Claire Pedersen

neon signage A Ubiquitous Part of Everyday Life Driving down the highway, a person’s picture plane is flooded with clever window displays, figurative wonders on porcelain-enamel, and masterpieces of animated spectacular, all a part of the folk art that makes up Vintage Neon Signs.

These signs were produced in the golden age of neon signs from the 1930’s through the 1950’s, which makes most of the signs we see today over 50 years old. In the 1930’s these signs symbolized popular hopes for a new era of technological achievement and commercial abundance.

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The Glass Menagerie The 1950’s saw a huge demand for neon signs and consequently a demand for workers to produce these flashy signs. Artists responsible for manufacturing these elaborate designs in neon were called Glass Benders. These artists worked long hours and needed several years of training.

The physical act of making these signs was very labor extensive. That did not drive up the cost of these glowing works of art, however, as neon signs were fairly inexpensive.

The process of making a neon sign begins when sections of a 4 to 5 foot piece of straight, hollow glass are heated until they are malleable and then bent into a shape and aligned to a pattern. Phosphorescent powder coats the inside of the sealed glass tube and then a high voltage electrical charge excites the gas, glass and powder thereby producing a glow. This medium was popular not only for its beautiful glowing aura, but the sustainablility of the product. Neon signs last generations and don’t use up much energy.

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I L L U M I N A T E D

L E I S U R E

Neon signs calling drivers to restaurants and entertainment venues.

Design Conception

Call for Attention

T h e s e a rt i s t s h a d a v o r a c i o u s appetite for neon.

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Illuminated

Leisure Design Conception

The f ig u r a l t r adi t i o n o f ne o n s igns

Emerged between the 1930’s and 1950’s. During this period, locals owned a large percentage of businesses in every town as there were very little franchises. Owners often lived above or close to their businesses and were considered to be extensions of their neighborhood. This made the design of their business even more important.

Shopkeepers often produced the designs for their neon signs themselves thereby incorporating the common man’s touch. These designs often possessed some underlying humor, which made for some outrageous designs. These iconic signs are now considered to be a kind of folk art.

steak Burger Independence, MO

This beautiful, old, eroded neon sign was made in the 1950’s. The current owner, Jose Rubio, is working on getting the sign fully functional.

Today this sign is only visible at night and partially syncronized. It appears as though the big arrow has three seperate elements, but currently only the first two flash together while the third remains unlit.

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La casa Pizza Omaha, NE

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Joe Pantane, created the image of the strolling guitar player named “Peppi”.

Peppi’s hand is animated as it plucks the strings of the mandolin. This design was meant to capture the authentic Southern European Fare of the restaurant.

True vernacular creations conceived by cleaver business owners and imaginative artisans.

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The conception of these designs was one thing, but the manufacturing of these detailed signs was another. Neon was cheap because there was so much competition during the 1950’s that glass benders often made very little wages per hour. The artist spent all day creating the designs using huge amounts of glass tubing. The designs of these signs were carefully planned so they could last generations. This eye for design extended beyond the neon sign. Outside their restaurants or other small businesses, owners used expensive details like tile, stainless steel, and porcelain enamel. Hardwood cabinets and tin ceilings adorned the insides. A high quality of design is typical for this time period and lots of iconic signs were created during this period.

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ca l l fo r At t e n tio n

Neon signs always accompanied the entertainment industry. In the 1930’s through the 1950’s movie palace marquees beamed with geometric neon designs often using thousands of feet of neon.

I -70 Drive In Independence, MO

Rio drive Theater Leawood, KS

This small art-deco inspired theater is situated in downtown Overland Park.

Its electric blue neon lights contrast nicely with the vivid red lighht shining through its glass block walls.

Cinema center Omaha, NE

“ T h e n e o n c r e a t e d a n a u r a o f f a n ta s y a n d grandeur even before the theatergoer laid eyes on the big screen.�

(Davidson 143)

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02 s i g n s

f o r

s e r v i c e

Burning through an evening of darkness, guiding ones way.

Guiding Light

Kaleidoscope of Color

Illusion of Motion

“ N e o n ’ s e l e c t r i c h u e s c a n s i m i l a r l y t r a n s p o rt the viewer to a magical place where darkness opens into radiant shape and color.�

(Davidson 87)

Signs for

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service Guiding Light

N e o n s i g n s w e r e c r e at e d t o att r act s p e e d i n g m o t o r i s t s With animation, cleaver graphics and piercing color.

Their use extended beyond just marking the physical location of a service building. The structure of these signs are based on elementary rectangles, intermediate shapes and sometimes complex silhouettes. They can be fantastic forms made from a homemade apparatus. Sheet metal mechanics often worked with glass benders to create ornate signs. These structures are called “cans.� The can is the canvas that the neon was built on. It housed the transformers that powered the light. These cans were painted or porcelainized to mimic neon signs. Colors of the painted material mimicked the colors glowing from the neon tubes, which helped make the signs legible during the daylight.

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Uptown tehater Kansas City, MO

On the corner of Broadway and Valentine sits Uptown Theater. This theater was created in1928 and was the first of its kind in Kansas City.

The theater was renovated in 1994 to restore its originial details. Its soft lit box office now lights up the Kansas City skyline 365 days a year.

Kaleidoscope of Color

Neon light contains over 40 shades including a kaleidoscope palette. Night blue, ruby red and noviol gold were the most common colors used in neon signs. Older signs typically take on a richer tone. There are places where you can see the neon signs from over 25 feet away. These signs used to paint the American landscape.

The Illusion of Motion

The pinnacle of the medium came with the invention of animated signs. Owners of animated signs were considered to be in the “Neon Big Leagues�. These signs often give off a comic depiction of the action, like spinning tires and even a swinging lasso.

Charlie graham Omaha, NE

Charlie Graham Body and Service opened in 1969 with its sign shinning bright since opening day. This sign is an animated sign because it alternates back and forth between a crunched car and a fixed one.

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Ross Miller Cleaners was established in 1928 and is in Kansas City, MO. This animated sign is from the 1950’s and depicts a man operating a commercial pressing machine. The lid of the press moves up and down when lit.

Ross miller Cleaners Kansas City, MO

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B y p a s s e d

M o t e l s

Neon signs in front of lodging and accommodation buildings.

Unlit Phantoms

A Fading History

“Bypassed highways serpentine through dying towns, motel rooms lit by the g l o w o f n e o n o o z i n g t h r o u g h c u rta i n s that don’t quite close.”

(Davidson 70)

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bypassed

Motels Unlit Phantoms

Today, abandoned and closed motels litter

America’s landscape. These once hustling and bustling travel destinations now lay vacant. Their neon signs, easily legible from far distances, often informed the traveler of the availability of rooms, the price and extra bonus features such as TVs in every room. Sometimes motels would even outline the exterior room windows with neon, turning the whole motel into a sign.

“ N e o n i s l i n k e d t o t h e h e a rt : t o a t i m e i n o n e ’ s l i f e , a d e e p l y f e lt e m o t i o n a l s ta t e , a journey as often internal as external.”

(Davidson 68)

West-Haven motel Kansas City, KS

Off of Route 24 is this once charming motor lodge, West-Haven.

Now it is left to be come another vacant lot. This sign’s can is colored a beautiful fire truck red, which contrast nicely against the deep blues in the sky. The only part of this neon sign that seems to be affected by time is the small amount of rust that is slowly consuming the white lettering.

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A Fading History

Neon signs were eclipsed by plastic symbols in the 1970’s.

On the edge of the energy crisis many people began producing plastic signs, fearful of the long-term effects and cost of neon signs. During this time, many of the very skilled glass benders were retiring and not passing on the craft to future generations.

satellite motel Omaha, NE

“Zealous civic beautifiers tried to wipe out all neon signs.”

(Postrel 1)

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mayfair cleaners Kansas City, MO

Styles of neon signs began to change in the 1970’s.

The eye catching, pulsating and animated signs made prior to 1970 were torn down were torn down in attempt to tidy up of corporatism. Cities even began to create ordinances and laws against their use, which resulted in the destruction of beautiful neon signs all over the country. Many civic leaders believed that neon signs created a “carnival atmosphere” and “visual clutter” in cities.

For a while neon type seemed doomed to be hidden inside plastic-faced, channel letters.

a n ew t h r ea t

In the 1990’s, plastic signs became more costly and there was a small revival of neon type. However, there now appeared a new threat--LED lights which use less power and have a sharper glow. The glowing gasses of neon will forever attract true keepers of the flame. These neon signs contain memory, identity and hope. These signs extend beyond just vernacular type. They contain fond memories of America’s vanishing roadsides.

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When will the neon arrow strike your heart?

Ty p o g ra p h y II Fa l l 2 0 1 2 Pa t r i c k D o o l e y Un i v e r s i t y o f K a n s a s C O P Y s e t i n Hu x l e y a n d A d o b e Ga ra m o n d P HOTOS t a k e n b y C l a i re Pe d e r s e n u s i n g a C a n o n D i g i t a l R e b e l X SI a n d C a n o n D i g i t a l R e b e l ESO 4 0 D .

P RIN T E D o n a n E p s o n St y l u s Pr o 4 0 0 0 B I B LIO G R PA HY D a v i d s o n , L e n . V i n t a g e Ne o n . A t g l e n , PA : S c h i f f e r Pu b . , 1 9 9 9 . Pr i n t . A S c h i f f e r R e f e r e n c e B o o k .

G u s t a i t i s , Jo s e p h . “ Ne o n : A L i g h t H i s t o r y. ” A m e r i c a n H i s t o r y 3 5 . 2 ( 2 0 0 0 ) : 2 8 - 3 2 . A c a d e m i c O n e F i l e . We b .

Po s t r e l , V. ( 2 0 0 6 , S i g n s o f o u r t i m e s . T h e A t l a n t i c Monthly, 298, 137-138,140.