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Photographs of McDonald's sign, 3755 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas (Nev.), 2002

Information

Creator

Date

2002

Description

Daytime and evening views of a McDonald's sign on the Strip at 3755 S Las Vegas Blvd. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site address: 3755 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign details: The McDonald's pylon sits in the parking lot just to the north of the Fatburger establishment and the Walgreen's structures. It faces north/south in the parking lot of the Cable Center Shops. It sits across a property length parking lot, near Las Vegas Blvd It is also serves as advertising for the rest of the shops in the shopping center, but the main cabinet is dedicated to the McDonald's logo cabinet. The shops behind the sign are covered in the same stucco as seen on the surface of the pylon.
Sign condition: Structure 5 Surface 4.5 Lighting 5 Notes: It is noted that the structural integrity is intact. Certain elements of lighting are out or not working, but present still. The surface appears to be slightly deteriorating at this point.
Sign form: Pylon
Sign-specific description: The pylon sign for the McDonald's and the Cable Center Shops is essentially a double sided pole sign comprised of a two sided main logo cabinet and an internally lit rectangular cabinet. The internally lit cabinet located in the middle of the pole finished it's exterior the same as the rest of the actual pole. The post is covered in an off white stucco finish, with a green channel running up the center of each face. The channel T's off as well following the supporting stretch at the top of the rise, below the main cabinet. Three gold neon bars run up the center of the green channel. The internally lit cabinets face is adorned with graphics advertising for all of the shops located within the strip mall. Its luminescence is strong for an internally lit cabinet. A blue section at the top of the plastic face is designated blue with white script reading "Cable Center" shops. The rest of the text below that reads like two-sided menu. The McDonald's cabinet at the very top of the pole is constructed of red painted steel, as well as yellow painted steel for the golden arch crown designated as the top portion of the cabinet. The face of the cabinet is encrusted with red incandescent bulbs as well as being striped horizontally across its width edge with bars of red neon. The underside of the golden arches is also encrusted with yellow incandescent bulbs, while the faces of each arch is striped horizontally with neon bars as well bordered on the edges of the ace of the arch as well. The text McDonald's is spelled in white channel letters and lined on the interiors with white neon.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent; Backlit
Sign - media: Steel; Plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: Paint
Sign animation: Oscillating, flashing
Notes: The incandescent bulbs located on the underside of the arches, as well as on the face of the sign oscillate rapidly, while the neon bars on the width of the sign and underneath chase each other from top to bottom. The neon bars, which comprise the face of the arches, chase each other also. The rest of the arch is dark as they start at the bottom of the middle point of the "M" shape. They chase each other until the surface of the sign is covered, and at this time they all flash off, then on, then off again before the entire sequence starts over.
Sign environment: It is an interesting section of the strip between the Showcase Pylon sign and the edge of the Cable Center shops. First, it is noticeably an interesting cross section of the Strip, because vicinity has three establishments which fit a specific genre of sign. The Fatburger, Walgreen's and McDonalds are properties which function in everyday America, but are suited up to be part of the neon charged appearance of this specific location. Not only are the establishments linked by nature to everyday America, but the face that a strip mall is added to the scenery, just adds to the point. The environment is a heavily pedestrian-accessed area, bombarded by the combination of all of the signage.
Sign manufacturer: YESCO
Sign - thematic influences: The theme of the McDonald's establishment is in the realm of the well-established McDonalds corporation. The golden arches, and solid red hue, have become synonymous with the name " McDonald's," and is an image, which has been communicated to the masses of people for half a century. It is an icon, which is associated with America all over the world. McDonalds has created it's own realm and thematic influence over the years from all of it's extensive advertisements and marketing. Therefore, the theme of the establishment's signs draws from itself and the world that the name has created. Being one of the most commonly seen images in America, this sign is tailored to fit into the illustrious, illuminative properties held on the Las Vegas Strip. It fits into the category of everyday images and businesses dressed up for Las Vegas, which include, Arby's, Arco AM/PM, Walgreen's, and Fatburger.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Oscillating; Flashing; Pylon; Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; Steel; Plastic; Paint

Digital ID

neo000047
    Details

    Citation

    neo000047. Southern Nevada Neon Survey Records, 2002-2018. PH-00401. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada. http://n2t.net/ark:/62930/d1x921r9q

    Rights

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    Standardized Rights Statement

    Digital Provenance

    Original archival records created digitally: Digital materials archived from websites

    Language

    English

    Publisher

    University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Libraries

    Format

    image/jpeg
    application/pdf