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Photographs of Las Vegas Library sign, Las Vegas (Nev.), March 3, 2017

Date

2017-03-03
2017-08-04

Description

The Las Vegas Library sign sits at 833 North Las Vegas Boulevard. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site address: 833 N Las Vegas Blvd
Sign owner: City of Las Vegas is the owner of the property since 2015, but it is an Independent government agency ran by a board of trustees chosen by the city and county
Sign details: Opened since 1990. Used to be paired with the Lied Children's Discovery Museum but has been solely the library since the Children's Discovery museum moved to its new location in 2013. The Library property was sold to the city of Las Vegas October 2015.
Sign condition: 4-Lights up very brightly at night and the graphics are still relatively visible during the day, but the Lexan covering makes it a little cloudy looking during the day.
Sign form: Small rectangular roadside sign
Sign-specific description: Rectangular sign about 4ft by 3.5 feet but raised off the ground by nearly 7-8 feet. Double sided slate of concrete with painted font stating "Las Vegas Library". The letter light up red (neon) at night and the border of the sign is blue (argon)
Sign - type of display: Neon
Sign - media: Concrete
Sign - non-neon treatments: Lexan to cover the Neon tubing
Sign environment: Across the street from Cashman Field. Located in the Cultural Corridor about a mile north of Fremont St. near the beginning of North Las Vegas.
Sign manufacturer: Fluresco Lighting and Sign
Sign - date of installation: 43143
Sign - date of redesign/move: Pre 2012- there was a roadside sign for the children's museum and library but no neon features on that sign.
Sign - thematic influences: Basic skeletal neon, but great use of Neon and Argon. Also the use of concrete as the background is very interesting and not seen as commonly as steel or wood backings for signs.
Sign - artistic significance: This sign shows that any type of company or property here in Las Vegas can have a Neon sign, thus perpetuating the culture of Las Vegas and how Neon defines the town.
Survey - research locations: Las Vegas Sun Article https://lasvegassun.com/guides/about/public_libraries/ , Clark County Library website http://www.lvccld.org/about/branch_info.cfm?id=4 , Discovery Children's museum website https://www.discoverykidslv.org/ , contact with Stephen Rice the Library's General Services Director
Survey - research notes: The building is defined by the tall cylinder tower that used to be an observatory for the Children's museum.
Surveyor: Emily Fellmer
Survey - date completed: 2017-08-04
Sign keywords: Neon; Concrete; Roadside

Mixed Content

Photographs of The Ambassador Motel sign, Las Vegas (Nev.), April 28, 2016

Date

2016-04-28 to 2017-08-14

Description

The Ambassador sign, restored by Downtown Project sits at a parking lot near the intersection of 9th Street and East Fremont Street. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survery Data Sheet.
Site address: 9th St and Fremont St
Sign owner: Jackie Gaughan(ca.1952)
Sign details: Opened ca. 1940 by Joseph Mikulich but was called Ambassador Auto Court, Jackie Gaughan renamed it in 1952 as "Jackie Gaughan's Ambassador East". This location closed down in 1996 and was demolished 2007. Currently this location holds a parking lot, but the sign was restored in 2013 and put back in its original location.
Sign condition: 5- Was recently restored and is in great condition.
Sign form: Pylon
Sign-specific description: The building has been demolished, the sign has been restored and put on Fremont street. It is large red signage with a googie style "A" on top that looks like an arch. Vertically are the letters " MOTEL" in red neon. In a ribbon fashion around the letters are chasing incandescent light bulbs. In smaller white letters used to say "Ambassador Motel East" but now it states "Llamas stay for free" in a cursive white neon font. Beneath the letters is a reader board.
Sign - type of display: Neon, Incandescents and backlit reader board.
Sign - media: Steel and plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: Reader board and Incandescents.
Sign animation: Chasing
Notes: incandescent light bulbs.
Sign environment: This is located East side of Fremont Street across the street from Atomic Liquors.
Sign - date of installation: Circa 1950
Sign - date of redesign/move: 2013 Restoration
Sign - thematic influences: This sign has been a part of the recent trend to restore old signs on Fremont Street to keep the downtown neon culture alive.
Sign - artistic significance: This sign has a retro 50's/ 60's motel sign trend to it.
Survey - research locations: Las Vegas Sun Article -https://lasvegassun.com/news/2013/jun/21/joe-downtown-motel-long-gone-ambassador-sign-being/ Classic Vegas website -http://classiclasvegas.squarespace.com/classic-las-vegas-blog/2007/12/19/the-ambassador-east.html Vintage Las Vegas Website -http://vintagelasvegas.com/search/Ambassador+Motel+
Surveyor: Wyatt Currie-Diamond
Survey - date completed: 2017-09-17
Sign keywords: Pylon; Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; Chasing; Steel; Plastic; Reader board; Back to back

Mixed Content

Photographs of Desert Oasis sign, Las Vegas (Nev.), 2002

Date

2002

Description

Daytime views of the Desert Oasis motel sign. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site address: 4445 Diamond Head Dr
Sign owner: Volunteers of America/HUD
Sign details: The Desert Oasis Apartments is on the south end of the strip, south of the Pit Stop. The low rise tan stone structure of the apartments sits just east of the strip separated by a small parking lot.
Sign condition: Structure 4 Surface 3 Lighting 3
Sign form: Pylon
Sign-specific description: The Desert Oasis Apartments is on the south end of the strip, south of the Pit Stop. The low rise tan stone structure of the apartments sits just east of the strip separated by a small parking lot. Just outside the main entrance, extremely close to the building, facing north south, two brown, sculpted, steel legs, support an internally lit message center. The two legs look to be representative giant Tiki heads. In the space between the legs, and on the bottom edge of the message cabinet, a clear plastic box hold neon sculpted into the words "Vacancy" underneath the word "No." The cabinet is painted a rusted color and the face is fluted plastic with vinyl lettering. Two square posts rise out of the top of the cabinet, a short distance, before they support a larger double backed internally lit cabinet. A center pole resides between the two legs, rising into the center of the cabinet as well. The cabinet is crafted out of a polished gold metal. The face of the sign is a graphically treated surface. Desert Oasis is written in red cursive script across the top of the sign. A small graphically painted green palm tree, sits just to the right of the text. The middle of the board is occupied by large all capital text reading "Motel," in black text. Two black horizontal scrolls flank the text. A band of red runs horizontally across the bottom of the sign, with white painted text reading "Apartments."
Sign - type of display: Backlit
Sign - media: Steel; Plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: Graphics
Sign animation: none
Sign environment: The Desert Oasis is located between the Laughing Jackalope to the south and the Motel 8 establishment to the north. It stands very inconspicuous among the environment of the southern end of the strip, easily passed by the motorist or wandering pedestrian.
Sign - thematic influences: Even though the establishment fits into the genre of a roadside motel, the sign itself doesn't quite fit in to the motif. The building itself is reminiscent of standard architecture of the era and location, the sign itself has elements of a Polynesian flavor. The legs of the sign appear to be Tiki like figures, but the details are quite vague.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Pylon; Backlit; Steel; Plastic; Graphics

Mixed Content

Photographs of Smashed Pig sign, Las Vegas (Nev.), June 28, 2017

Date

2017-06-28
2017-08-22

Description

The sign for The Smashed Pig sits at 509 Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Sheet.
Site address: 509 Fremont St
Sign owner: Martin Swift
Sign details: The original construction year of this building dates to 1952. Previous to the Smashed Pig opening in this location it was a tattoo parlor. This English Gastropub opened in 2015.
Sign condition: 4.5- but some neon may be needing a repair on the sign but still is in good quality.
Sign form: Entrance sign
Sign-specific description: Right above their entrance they have a rectangular steel backing with "The Smashed Pig" in white cursive letters, there is skeletal neon making these words illuminate pink at night time. Underneath this states "GASTROPUB" in print skeletal neon that whites up white. Above this rectangular sign is a plastic back lit sign pig which depicts alcohol laying on top of it.
Sign - type of display: Neon and backlit plastic sign
Sign - media: Plastic and steel
Sign - non-neon treatments: Plastic back lit sign
Sign environment: Located in the East Fremont District. To the East of this property is the Griffin, and to the West is Flippin Good Burgers.
Sign manufacturer: Las Vegas Signs
Sign - date of installation: Late 2015
Sign - thematic influences: The pig sign that they have above their entrance looks smashed, the slang term for drunk especially since they depict bottles of alcohol sitting upon the pig. Though the pig looks physically smashed down. This helps relate to their theme since the image they depicts the name of their property.
Sign - artistic significance: The theme is represented in the name and the sign since it is a gastropub where you can drink and eat good food.
Survey - research locations: Smashed Pig website _https://www.thesmashedpig.com/ , Eater Las Vegas https://vegas.eater.com/2015/3/24/8281761/first-word-the-smashed-pig-gastropub-to-fremont-street, Las Vegas Weekly https://lasvegasweekly.com/dining/reviews/2016/feb/10/smashed-pig-british-pub-fremont-street-downtown/#/0 , discussion with owner
Survey - research notes: On the Smashed Pig website they state that the definition of their gastropub is a pub that specializes in serving high quality food.
Survey - other remarks: Martin Swift and his late wife Linda Rodriguez opened this location in 2015 after being trained by renowned chef Nobu Matsuhisa as well as opening the Hachi restaurant at the Red Rock.
Surveyor: Emily Fellmer
Survey - date completed: 2017-08-22
Sign keywords: Neon; Plastic; Backlit; Steel; Fascia; Building-front design

Mixed Content

The Sahara Hotel and Casino, don the Beachcomber Restaurant, and the marquee: photographic film

Date

1960 (year approximate) to 1986 (year approximate)

Description

An external view of the Sahara Hotel and Casino, don the Beachcomber Restaurant, and the marquee. The marquee advertises "Congo Room" "Stan Irvin Presents Jane Powell Dave Barry Maury Wills and singers" "B. [Buddy] Hackett & B [Buddy] Grecko" "Ceasar Theatre Music made famous by Glenn Miller" "Tex Beneke" "Ray Eberle" "The Modernaires with Paula Kelly" "Freddie Bell" and "Roberta Lynn". Taxi cabs are lined up waiting for fares. The Sahara Hotel and Casino (currently the SLS Hotel & Casino Las Vegas) was in operation for 59 years from 1952 to 2011. The hotel had 1,720 guestrooms and suites with a casino covering more than 85,000 square feet (7,900 m2). The first casino built on the site was Club Bingo, which opened in 1947. Owner Milton Prell replaced the casino with a new casino hotel in 1952 called the Sahara Hotel. Located just outside the City of Las Vegas, it was the sixth resort to open on the Strip. In 1961, the hotel was purchased by Del Webb. In 1962, a Don the Beachcomber restaurant opened in the hotel. The 24-story Alexandria Tower was added in 1963, which made the hotel the tallest building in Las Vegas. By 1978, the 27-story Tangiers Tower was added to the property. In 1999, further renovations added a roller coaster and a restaurant. The roller coaster, named "Speed - The Ride", shot riders from the hotel outside along the Las Vegas Strip, where it looped through the grandiose Sahara sign in front of the hotel, went straight up a tower, stopped and then took a return trip backwards. The Sahara shut down on May 16, 2011. The "Speed - The Ride", which was located in front of the casino, was sold and removed. It will be relocated across the Mandalay Bay in the new Akita Plaza. On February 14, 2013, Nazarian announced the groundbreaking for the $415 million conversion of the hotel into the SLS Las Vegas. The hotel opened on August 23, 2014. It contains 1,600 rooms, a casino, four nightclubs, the clothing store Fred Segal and various restaurants. The name "SLS" was chosen by Nazarian to denote style, luxury and service. The property is located at 2535 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, Nevada 89109.

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Fishers Inn Motel Neon Survey document, September 16, 2017

Date

2017-09-17

Description

Information about the Fishers Inn Motel sign that sits at 3565 Boulder Hwy.
Site address: 3565 Boulder Hwy
Sign owner: Maiya LLC
Sign details: The construction of the motel was in 1963. This location was previously the Comet Motel but the Fisher's bought it in 1987 and changed the name to Fisher's Inn Motel.
Sign condition: 5 - received new paint in 2017
Sign form: Raised roadside sign
Sign-specific description: This sign has a thin white steel beam base with plastic backlit sign that currently advertises ESPN, HBO, Over 150 channels and Free Wifi. Above the reader board is a rectangular (but has a curved portion to the top of it) blue sign that states "FI" on top in a cursive font, underneath in a block white font states "A Fisher's Inn". Underneath "A Fisher's Inn" there is are big yellow "MOTEL" block font letters with a simple "No Vacancy" skeletal neon beneath it. At night the "FI" illuminates yellow, "A Fisher's Inn" green, " MOTEL" red, "NO VACANCY" is blue, but on the top portion of the sign there is white skeletal neon in the shape of possibly a Fisherman's hat.
Sign - type of display: Neon and backlit plastic sign
Sign - media: Steel and plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: Backlit plastic sign
Sign environment: This motel is on Boulder Highway, close to the 515 and is near other motels and car sales lots.
Sign - date of installation: c. 1987
Sign - date of redesign/move: 2017 painted blue when it used to be green
Sign - artistic significance: There's a good use of multiple colors on this sign. As well as repurposing older signs from previous property has been a major trend for signs in Vegas. Good example of skeletal neon.
Survey - research locations: Assessor's website
Survey - research notes: Bookings website gives hotel info https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/a-fishers- inn-motel.html
Surveyor: Emily Fellmer
Survey - date completed: 2017-09-16
Sign keywords: Neon; Backlit; Plastic; Steel; Roadside

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McDonald's Neon Survey document, September 17, 2017

Date

2017-09-17

Description

Information about the McDonald's sign that sits at 3475 S Las Vegas Blvd.
Site address: 3475 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign owner: Mcdonalds Restaurant of NV 04873 Mcdonalds USA, LLC and Harrah's Las Vegas LLC
Sign details: Part of Harrahs property
Sign condition: 5 - great condition, fully functional seems well kept up
Sign form: Back to Back architectural sign
Sign-specific description: Large arch that rests on the side of the building playing off the name "golden arches" for Mcdonald's, a small cabinet sits on the middle of the sign with the full name of Mcdonalds and a small M on the edge of the cabinet. The arch is yellow covered in yellow neon tubing, the cabinet is red with white lettering for the name, the name in white, small M is yellow. The Neon tubing is animated in the sense it will flash on and off and then chase up the arch towards the building, the words and the M stay lit at all times. The sign is on even during the day as shown in many youtube videos. It also has a red base on the sidewalk where guests walk by with another small M in yellow. It looks like the lettering for Mcdonald's and the M are made of plastic and are internally lit.
Sign - type of display: Neon, incandescent bulbs
Sign - media: Steel, fiberglass/plastic
Sign animation: Yes, neon flashes on and off then chases up the archway to meet in the middle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQcsd2-GdfY&t=2922s (21 minutes in)
Sign environment: Casino Resorts
Sign - thematic influences: No particular theme except for a play on the name "Golden Arches", probably made to look like the rest of the large neon signs on the strip, their take on "Las Vegas Signage".
Sign - artistic significance: Typical large and bright las vegas signage
Survey - research locations: Museum
Survey - other remarks: Almost no information on this location
Surveyor: Danny Jacobs
Survey - date completed: 2017-09-17
Sign keywords: Architectural; Neon; Incandescent; Steel; Fiberglass; Plastic; Flashing; Chasing; Back to back

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Valley Motel Neon Survey document, October 1, 2017

Date

2017-10-01

Description

Information about the Valley Motel sign that sits at 1313 E Fremont St.
Site address: 1313 E Fremont St
Sign details: This location was around in 1957 with a Vegas Vic Sign (picture found on Vintage Vegas). Their original sign was still up in the 1980's. Currently the motel is gated up and has been shut down for a while and most of their sign is gone.
Sign condition: 1- most of it is gone
Sign form: Roadside sign
Sign-specific description: This sign in current years before it was totally stripped had the "VALLEY MOTEL" on a blue plastic sign that stated Vegas Motel. Though now all that is left is the reader board portion. The original sign that was up in the 50's had Vegas Vic on it.
Sign - type of display: Reader Board and Plastic backlit sign
Sign - media: Steel and plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: Reader board and plastic
Sign environment: This location is down on the east side of Fremont Street near Maryland Pkwy. This location has many other older motels down close to it.
Sign - date of redesign/move: Sign must have changed from the older one to the reader board one in 90's or early 2000's, and in 2016 was when the lettering on the sign was taken down.
Sign - thematic influences: The old sign had Vegas Vic was staying true to the downtown 1950's Vegas neon design and theme.
Survey - research locations: Vintage Las Vegas website http://vintagelasvegas.com/search/Valley+Motel , Google maps satellite and roadside view. Could not find information on the assessor's page.
Survey - research notes: Vintage Las Vegas had pictures of the original sign with the address which helped since I could not find the Valley Motel on the Assessor's page. Then google maps roadside view helped with seeing the change in the condition of the sign. Now the only part of the sign left is the reader board portion of the sign.
Surveyor: Emily Fellmer
Survey - date completed: 2017-10-01
Sign keywords: Plastic; Backlit; Steel; Reader board; Roadside

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Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Theta Theta Omega Chapter "Tea Rose Talk" newsletters

Date

2001-01-24

Description

From the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Theta Theta Omega Chapter Records (MS-01014) -- Chapter records file.

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Transcript of interview with Carol Forsythe by Sam Copeland, March 2, 1977

Date

1977-03-02

Description

On March 2, 1977, Sam Copeland interviewed Carol Forsythe about her experience living in Las Vegas, Nevada. Carol first describes the details with which she was familiar about her husband’s career as a firefighter, specifically facts about the growth of the Clark County Fire Department. Forsythe later talks about the development of the town when she first arrived in Las Vegas, and she later describes the different residences at which she and her family lived. She also describes the different changes in building and development over time in Las Vegas, and she mentions the early use of swamp coolers before air conditioning. The narration concludes with Forsythe’s description of the Helldorado tradition and its changes as well as her family’s Episcopalian faith and the churches they attended.

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