Search Results
Photographs of Walgreens signs, Las Vegas (Nev.), 2002
Date
2002
Archival Collection
Description
Daytime views of the Walgreens signs on the Strip. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site address: 3765 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign condition: Structure 5 Surface 3 Lighting 5
Sign form: Fascia
Sign-specific description: The Walgreens lot is shared with the Fat Burger establishment, and a strip mall of assorted shops. The lot is located on the east side of the strip, just north of the Showcase Mall. On the west elevation of the building the Walgreen's cursive, logo script spells out the word "Walgreen's". The same sign design is repeated on the north face of the building also. The two signs are crafted out of channel letter, with blue and red neon in the interior of the channel. In small black channel letters, a bit further below the logos, there are three separate sets of much smaller channel letters. These spell the phrases "Pharmacy," "24HRS," and "1 Hour Photo." These are also lined on the interior with red and blue neon. Above the entrance to the building, a wall sign crafted of neon in the shape of the "mortar and pestle" is perched above the customers head as they enter the building from the NW. The entire structure of the image of the Walgreen's mortar and pestle, as well as the outline of the exterior stars, is constructed of one giant pan channel. The body of the pestle is made of a series of blue neon tubing which starts in the center of the pan in a square shape and creates a concentric pattern, filling the pan. Small white neon stars float to the top of the sign and into the body of the sign. Below that image, on the same elevated plane, the Walgreen's script logo is written in channel letters with white neon. Below that script is written independently in neon reading "The Pharmacy that America Trusts." Facing north /south, the street-side, pylon sign for the Walgreen's establishment is a multi-use pylon. The sign boasts advertisements for several other businesses, however the Walgreen's advertisement is the most visible and dominant on the face. The architecture of the sign is mostly a giant, stucco covered vertical rectangle with a simple crown cornice molding on the top edge of the structure. The other establishments mentioned on the sign are as read from the top of the sign to the bottom: Alan Albert's Lobster House, Club Utopia, Fatburger, and a small back-lit plastic sign for ice cream and t-shirts. At the bottom of the sign, channel letters spell the phrase parking in rear, with an arrow of the same concept pointing east toward the rear of the property. The pylon is two sided, with almost the entire top of the sign belonging to Walgreen's, and sculpted almost completely out of neon. Red, horizontal neon tubes form a field of light for the neon mortar and pestle, as seen above the entrance. The red field is also home to the cursive, Walgreen's logo script, and the phrase "Open 24 hours." The mortar and pestle are a pan channel including the stars floating out of the top incorporated into its design. Crafted in blue, with white neon for the stars, the mortar handle portion sticking out of the top of the pestle animates to appear as if it is stirring, while the stars turn on and off, representing the concoction being stirred in the body of the image. The Walgreen's script is made of channel letters filled with white neon. The bottom line of the sign that reads "Open 24 Hours," is in all caps, and channel letters with white neon on the interior. They animate in sequence one word at a time from left to right. Along the vertical edge width of the sign, the words "The Plaza" are spelled in red neon.
Sign - type of display: Neon
Sign - media: Steel
Sign - non-neon treatments: Paint
Sign animation: Chasing, flashing, oscillating
Notes: The text, which resides on the southern wall and reads "Casino," is filled with incandescent bulbs that all illuminate at the same time, and oscillate. They then shut off at the same time, and then repeat. The raceways of incandescent bulbs chase each other while the neon, which surrounds the back lit, plastic, screens on this wall flash on then off. The bottom two raceways sandwiching the reflective panel chase from left to right, while the remainder of the raceways surrounding the signs, run right to left. The incandescent bulbs on the pylon chase each other gracefully up the length of the pylon. The animation is patterned so as to appear as if a section of several bulbs are pulsing its way up the towers, hugging the edge of the bulbous tops. The raceways continue around the east face of the building. The umbrellas in the plaza behind the pylon, also are animated with incandescent bulbs chasing each other downward along the raceways.
Sign manufacturer: Mikhon lighting and sign
Sign - date of installation: 1997
Sign - thematic influences: The thematic influence of the Walgreens pylon is based on the logo for the establishment, incorporated into the architectural design of a modern commercial signage. The objects represented in the logo's are based on historical peripheral tools used in the pharmaceutical trade. The mortar and pestle were instruments used by chemists and doctors to grind and pulverize chemical to me mixed together. Since Walgreen's is a pharmacy and purveyor of commonly used goods, the mortar and pestle are appropriate symbols of the property's function.
Sign - artistic significance: Walgreen's fits into a niche of locations on the Las Vegas Strip that are establishments that can be found anywhere in the United States.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Flashing; Fascia; Neon; Steel; Paint
Site address: 3765 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign condition: Structure 5 Surface 3 Lighting 5
Sign form: Fascia
Sign-specific description: The Walgreens lot is shared with the Fat Burger establishment, and a strip mall of assorted shops. The lot is located on the east side of the strip, just north of the Showcase Mall. On the west elevation of the building the Walgreen's cursive, logo script spells out the word "Walgreen's". The same sign design is repeated on the north face of the building also. The two signs are crafted out of channel letter, with blue and red neon in the interior of the channel. In small black channel letters, a bit further below the logos, there are three separate sets of much smaller channel letters. These spell the phrases "Pharmacy," "24HRS," and "1 Hour Photo." These are also lined on the interior with red and blue neon. Above the entrance to the building, a wall sign crafted of neon in the shape of the "mortar and pestle" is perched above the customers head as they enter the building from the NW. The entire structure of the image of the Walgreen's mortar and pestle, as well as the outline of the exterior stars, is constructed of one giant pan channel. The body of the pestle is made of a series of blue neon tubing which starts in the center of the pan in a square shape and creates a concentric pattern, filling the pan. Small white neon stars float to the top of the sign and into the body of the sign. Below that image, on the same elevated plane, the Walgreen's script logo is written in channel letters with white neon. Below that script is written independently in neon reading "The Pharmacy that America Trusts." Facing north /south, the street-side, pylon sign for the Walgreen's establishment is a multi-use pylon. The sign boasts advertisements for several other businesses, however the Walgreen's advertisement is the most visible and dominant on the face. The architecture of the sign is mostly a giant, stucco covered vertical rectangle with a simple crown cornice molding on the top edge of the structure. The other establishments mentioned on the sign are as read from the top of the sign to the bottom: Alan Albert's Lobster House, Club Utopia, Fatburger, and a small back-lit plastic sign for ice cream and t-shirts. At the bottom of the sign, channel letters spell the phrase parking in rear, with an arrow of the same concept pointing east toward the rear of the property. The pylon is two sided, with almost the entire top of the sign belonging to Walgreen's, and sculpted almost completely out of neon. Red, horizontal neon tubes form a field of light for the neon mortar and pestle, as seen above the entrance. The red field is also home to the cursive, Walgreen's logo script, and the phrase "Open 24 hours." The mortar and pestle are a pan channel including the stars floating out of the top incorporated into its design. Crafted in blue, with white neon for the stars, the mortar handle portion sticking out of the top of the pestle animates to appear as if it is stirring, while the stars turn on and off, representing the concoction being stirred in the body of the image. The Walgreen's script is made of channel letters filled with white neon. The bottom line of the sign that reads "Open 24 Hours," is in all caps, and channel letters with white neon on the interior. They animate in sequence one word at a time from left to right. Along the vertical edge width of the sign, the words "The Plaza" are spelled in red neon.
Sign - type of display: Neon
Sign - media: Steel
Sign - non-neon treatments: Paint
Sign animation: Chasing, flashing, oscillating
Notes: The text, which resides on the southern wall and reads "Casino," is filled with incandescent bulbs that all illuminate at the same time, and oscillate. They then shut off at the same time, and then repeat. The raceways of incandescent bulbs chase each other while the neon, which surrounds the back lit, plastic, screens on this wall flash on then off. The bottom two raceways sandwiching the reflective panel chase from left to right, while the remainder of the raceways surrounding the signs, run right to left. The incandescent bulbs on the pylon chase each other gracefully up the length of the pylon. The animation is patterned so as to appear as if a section of several bulbs are pulsing its way up the towers, hugging the edge of the bulbous tops. The raceways continue around the east face of the building. The umbrellas in the plaza behind the pylon, also are animated with incandescent bulbs chasing each other downward along the raceways.
Sign manufacturer: Mikhon lighting and sign
Sign - date of installation: 1997
Sign - thematic influences: The thematic influence of the Walgreens pylon is based on the logo for the establishment, incorporated into the architectural design of a modern commercial signage. The objects represented in the logo's are based on historical peripheral tools used in the pharmaceutical trade. The mortar and pestle were instruments used by chemists and doctors to grind and pulverize chemical to me mixed together. Since Walgreen's is a pharmacy and purveyor of commonly used goods, the mortar and pestle are appropriate symbols of the property's function.
Sign - artistic significance: Walgreen's fits into a niche of locations on the Las Vegas Strip that are establishments that can be found anywhere in the United States.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Flashing; Fascia; Neon; Steel; Paint
Mixed Content
Photographs of Safari Motel sign, Las Vegas (Nev.), April 18, 2017
Date
2017-04-18
2017-09-01
Archival Collection
Description
The Safari Motel sits at 2001 Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site address: 2001 Fremont St
Sign owner: Harold and Wendy Property Trust, Yeh Wendy Linh, Trs.
Sign details: The current building was constructed in 1956 (Assessor; RoadsideArch, n.d.), although several commentators state that the motel opened in 1954 (Glionna, 2017; VintageVegas, 2017). In its early years the motel was registered with the Automobile Club of America, which vouched for its quality (Glionna).
Sign condition: The condition is 3, fair. The reader board and cabinets are intact. The plastic panels on the east side of the reader board are buckling. The paint on the reader board is fading. The paint on the "MOTEL" letters is peeling slightly. The paint on the "SAFARI" letters and background is peeling moderately. Ten to fifteen percent of the light bulbs on the "MOTEL" cabinet are missing. Almost all of the light bulbs on the reader board cabinet are gone. The neon tubes on the lower third of the sign have shifted position. The neon tubes on the upper two thirds of the sign appear to be in good condition. The neon which spells out "MOTEL" appears to be intact, except for the broken letter "L" on the east side of the sign. Between the reader board and the letter" L" of "MOTEL" is an oblong metal cabinet which is missing all of its former neon.
Sign form: Pylon sign
Sign-specific description: The lower metal pylon is painted black. It supports a black metal framed reader board which is cantilevered toward the street. A rectangular blue metal pole aligned with the center of the pylon rises out of the reader board. To the street side of the pole is a vertical arrangement of three open panels of yellow skeleton neon, the tubes set in a diamond pattern. On the street side of the neon panels is a blue metal cabinet. "MOTEL" runs vertically down the cabinet in white cartoon style sans serif letters which are outlined in white skeleton neon. A row of yellow incandescent light bulbs runs down the street side of the cabinet. Between the reader board and the letter "L" of "MOTEL" is an oblong blue metal cabinet. The top of the blue metal cabinet intersects an irregular oblong shaped black metal cabinet. The black cabinet tops the neon panels and the rectangular pole. Rustic African safari style letters spell out "SAFARI" horizontally across the black cabinet in blue paint and white skeleton neon
Sign - type of display: Neon, LED and Incandescent
Sign - media: Steel and Plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: LED screen
Sign environment: This location is on East Fremont neighboring many other motels though many of them are currently closed.
Sign - date of installation: Possibly 1960's (Garofalo, 2011; VintageVegas, 2017)
Sign - date of redesign/move: The current sign shows only minor variations from the version displayed on a 1969 postcard (Garofalo, 2011). The pylon previously featured "VACANCY" spelled out in red or pink skeleton neon. AAA and what appears to be another automobile club badge are painted below "VACANCY". The pole and "MOTEL" cabinet were painted red. The oblong cabinet between the reader board and the "MOTEL" cabinet was painted navy blue with "AAA" letters painted in white. A postcard which might come from a slightly later date (the auto club badges on the pylon have been replaced with a sign that states, "AMERICAN EXPRESS CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED HERE" shows the full neon and incandescent display at night (David, 2010). A photograph from 2011 shows the sign looking almost exactly as it is today (Garofalo, 2011).
Sign - thematic influences: The sign conveys African Safari adventure themes. Also the older advertisements on the sign are remnant of the motor courts and automobile clubs.
Survey - research locations: Clark County Assessor, Parcel No. 139-35-802-002. Retrieved from http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/assessor/Pages/PropertyRecords.aspx?H=redrock&P=assrrealprop/pcl.aspx David, Heather. (2010 September 5). Safari Motel Las Vegas. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/14696209@N02/4962785104/ Garofalo, M. (2011 November 1). Still standing-Safari Motel. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/vintageroadtrip/6305057788/in/photostream/ Glionna, J. M. (2017 April 23). Motel, once a haven, now a crime-ridden jungle in downtown Las Vegas. Las Vegas Review Journal. Retrieved from https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/local-las-vegas/downtown/motel-once-a-haven-now-a-crime-ridden-jungle-in-downtown-las-vegas/ RoadsideArchitecture. (n.d.). Safari Motel. Retrieved from http://www.roadarch.com/sca/extension3.html Rodgers, L. T. (2016 December 14). No vacancy: The last motels on Fremont Street. Retrieved from http://dtlv.com/2016/12/14/no-vacancy-last-motels-fremont-street/ VintageVegas. (2017 April 23). Safari Motel. Retrieved from http://vintagelasvegas.com/post/159911346449/safari-motel-2001-fremont-st-opened-1954
Surveyor: Mitchell Cohen
Survey - date completed: 2017-09-01
Sign keywords: Neon; Incandescent; Steel; Plastic; Pole sign; Reader board
Site address: 2001 Fremont St
Sign owner: Harold and Wendy Property Trust, Yeh Wendy Linh, Trs.
Sign details: The current building was constructed in 1956 (Assessor; RoadsideArch, n.d.), although several commentators state that the motel opened in 1954 (Glionna, 2017; VintageVegas, 2017). In its early years the motel was registered with the Automobile Club of America, which vouched for its quality (Glionna).
Sign condition: The condition is 3, fair. The reader board and cabinets are intact. The plastic panels on the east side of the reader board are buckling. The paint on the reader board is fading. The paint on the "MOTEL" letters is peeling slightly. The paint on the "SAFARI" letters and background is peeling moderately. Ten to fifteen percent of the light bulbs on the "MOTEL" cabinet are missing. Almost all of the light bulbs on the reader board cabinet are gone. The neon tubes on the lower third of the sign have shifted position. The neon tubes on the upper two thirds of the sign appear to be in good condition. The neon which spells out "MOTEL" appears to be intact, except for the broken letter "L" on the east side of the sign. Between the reader board and the letter" L" of "MOTEL" is an oblong metal cabinet which is missing all of its former neon.
Sign form: Pylon sign
Sign-specific description: The lower metal pylon is painted black. It supports a black metal framed reader board which is cantilevered toward the street. A rectangular blue metal pole aligned with the center of the pylon rises out of the reader board. To the street side of the pole is a vertical arrangement of three open panels of yellow skeleton neon, the tubes set in a diamond pattern. On the street side of the neon panels is a blue metal cabinet. "MOTEL" runs vertically down the cabinet in white cartoon style sans serif letters which are outlined in white skeleton neon. A row of yellow incandescent light bulbs runs down the street side of the cabinet. Between the reader board and the letter "L" of "MOTEL" is an oblong blue metal cabinet. The top of the blue metal cabinet intersects an irregular oblong shaped black metal cabinet. The black cabinet tops the neon panels and the rectangular pole. Rustic African safari style letters spell out "SAFARI" horizontally across the black cabinet in blue paint and white skeleton neon
Sign - type of display: Neon, LED and Incandescent
Sign - media: Steel and Plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: LED screen
Sign environment: This location is on East Fremont neighboring many other motels though many of them are currently closed.
Sign - date of installation: Possibly 1960's (Garofalo, 2011; VintageVegas, 2017)
Sign - date of redesign/move: The current sign shows only minor variations from the version displayed on a 1969 postcard (Garofalo, 2011). The pylon previously featured "VACANCY" spelled out in red or pink skeleton neon. AAA and what appears to be another automobile club badge are painted below "VACANCY". The pole and "MOTEL" cabinet were painted red. The oblong cabinet between the reader board and the "MOTEL" cabinet was painted navy blue with "AAA" letters painted in white. A postcard which might come from a slightly later date (the auto club badges on the pylon have been replaced with a sign that states, "AMERICAN EXPRESS CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED HERE" shows the full neon and incandescent display at night (David, 2010). A photograph from 2011 shows the sign looking almost exactly as it is today (Garofalo, 2011).
Sign - thematic influences: The sign conveys African Safari adventure themes. Also the older advertisements on the sign are remnant of the motor courts and automobile clubs.
Survey - research locations: Clark County Assessor, Parcel No. 139-35-802-002. Retrieved from http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/assessor/Pages/PropertyRecords.aspx?H=redrock&P=assrrealprop/pcl.aspx David, Heather. (2010 September 5). Safari Motel Las Vegas. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/14696209@N02/4962785104/ Garofalo, M. (2011 November 1). Still standing-Safari Motel. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/vintageroadtrip/6305057788/in/photostream/ Glionna, J. M. (2017 April 23). Motel, once a haven, now a crime-ridden jungle in downtown Las Vegas. Las Vegas Review Journal. Retrieved from https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/local-las-vegas/downtown/motel-once-a-haven-now-a-crime-ridden-jungle-in-downtown-las-vegas/ RoadsideArchitecture. (n.d.). Safari Motel. Retrieved from http://www.roadarch.com/sca/extension3.html Rodgers, L. T. (2016 December 14). No vacancy: The last motels on Fremont Street. Retrieved from http://dtlv.com/2016/12/14/no-vacancy-last-motels-fremont-street/ VintageVegas. (2017 April 23). Safari Motel. Retrieved from http://vintagelasvegas.com/post/159911346449/safari-motel-2001-fremont-st-opened-1954
Surveyor: Mitchell Cohen
Survey - date completed: 2017-09-01
Sign keywords: Neon; Incandescent; Steel; Plastic; Pole sign; Reader board
Mixed Content
Transcript of interview with Sandra Peña by Lada Mead and Stefani Evans, March 27, 2017
Date
2017-03-27
Archival Collection
Description
Sandra Peña’s story begins in East Los Angeles, where she spent her first fifteen years with her parents (both from Michoacán, Mexico), and her younger sister. The father's managerial position at Master Products allowed the family to live rent-free in a company-owned house behind the main factory, because he collected the rents for the company's two other dwellings. In this interview, Peña recalls the family move to Porterville, in California's Central Valley, her return to Los Angeles at nineteen, and her work with Parson’s Dillingham, a contractor for the Metrolink rail system. She draws the link between the Los Angeles and Las Vegas construction communities by describing her husband's move to Las Vegas to find work; a chance Las Vegas encounter with a friend from Chino, California; her ability to gain employment in Las Vegas at Parson’s, a company that had joint ventured with Parson’s Dillingham, and her move from there to Richardson Construction, a local minority-owned company. As Peña says, "It's kind of all intermingled. Even if you go here and you go there, it's like everybody knows everybody." Throughout, Peña weaves her family story into the narrative as she describes her youth, the birth of her son, the illness and death of her father, and her family's participation in her current employment with Richardson. As she remembers the people, places, and events of her life, Peña speaks to the ways one woman of color built on her interstate construction connections and rose in a male-dominated industry.
Text
Jessica Hutchings oral history interview: transcript
Date
2018-03-21
Archival Collection
Description
Oral history interview with Jessica Hutchings conducted by Barbara Tabach on March 21, 2018 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Jessica Hutchings discusses her experience flying to Las Vegas, Nevada on the night of the October 1, 2017 mass shooting. She speaks of her flight's detour to Phoenix, Arizona, and her discovery of the shooting. Hutchings explains how Congregation Ner Tamid, where she is a cantor, contributed to the community healing after the tragedy, including their organization of vigils, a music fundraiser called "Vegas Strong in Song," and discussing the event with teenage Hebrew School students who had questions and concerns about the shooting.
Text
Stardust Resort and Casino Records
Identifier
MS-00515
Abstract
The Stardust Resort and Casino Records (1950-2006) contain materials of the Stardust Resort and Casino, which operated in Las Vegas, Nevada from 1958 to 2006. The collection contains materials on events hosted by the Stardust, the resort and casino's corporate history, interior and exterior building design, and performers. The collection also includes photographs, negatives, and slides that document the history of the resort and casino. Newspaper and magazine clippings, advertisement and marketing materials related to the Stardust's venues, shows, entertainers, and events are also present in the collection. The collection also contains a significant amount of audiovisual material, including VHS tapes, audio cassettes, optical discs, film reels, and cassette tapes containing footage and audio recordings of Stardust show promotions, news broadcasting clips, interviews, and commercials featuring the Stardust.
Archival Collection
Robin Greenspun oral history interview: transcript
Date
2017-02-09
Archival Collection
Description
Oral history interview with Robin Greenspun conducted by Barbara Tabach on February 09, 2017 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview, Greenspun discusses her family background and growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada. She talks about her early interest in the arts, working in television productions, and becoming a film director.
Text
Audio from interview with Mike and Sallie Gordon, March 2, 1977
Date
1977-03-02
Archival Collection
Description
Full interview audio with Mike and Sallie Gordon in March 1977 in which they discuss arriving in Las Vegas and their business enterprises.
Sound
High Hat Regency Neon Survey document, September 6, 2017
Date
2017-09-06
Archival Collection
Description
Information about the High Hat Regency that sits at 1300 S Las Vegas Blvd.
Site address: 1300 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign owner: Tarighi Bahman and Farideh
Sign details: The building was constructed in 1958 (Assessor). A vintage postcard from the 1950's-- or more likely the 1960's (based upon the automobiles pictured)-- shows that the business was previously named the Chevron Motel (Las Vegas motels then and now).
Sign condition: Condition is 3-4, fair to good. The pole, cabinets and reader board are in good condition. Moderate rust is evident around the edges of the top cabinet. The paint is generally in good condition, although there white patches (from repairs?) on the chevron. The neon tubing is entirely intact. Most of the incandescent light bulbs are present, except for the underside of the lower cabinet, where they are completely absent.
Sign form: Pole Sign
Sign-specific description: A single round white metal pole supports the sign, which is cantilevered toward the street. The cabinets form a rectangular "C" which is open on the motel side. The interior of the "C" surrounds a chevron which points toward the motel. On top of the motel side of the upper cabinet is a metal top hat and cane. The sign is attached to the pole at the side of the lower cabinet, the point of the chevron and the bottom of the upper cabinet. The background color of the sign is sky blue. The bottom of the face of the lower cabinet has the word "VACANCY" painted in white sans serif letters. The letters are traced in white skeleton neon. To the left, the word "NO" is spelled out in clear skeleton neon sans serif letters. Above the neon letters is a white metal reader board which has a row of clear incandescent light bulbs running along the top, bottom and motel side edges. A single row of clear incandescent light bulbs runs the entire length of the street side of the sign. On the street side of the chevron is a blue metal cabinet with the word "MOTEL" spelled in white channel letters. The channels are outlined by white neon tubes, while the interior of the channels are filled with clear or white incandescent light bulbs. On the motel side of the "MOTEL" cabinet is a blue chevron which is covered with clear or white incandescent light bulbs. The top cabinet features the words "High Hat" spelled out in white cursive letters. Below is the word "REGENCY" painted in white sans serif letters. All wording is traced by white skeleton neon. On top of the motel side of the upper cabinet is a white top hat with a blue hat band. Running through the hat is a white cane. The hat and cane are traced by white skeleton neon. The hat is covered with white or clear incandescent light bulbs.
Sign - type of display: Neon, incandescent, reader board
Sign - media: Steel, plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: reader board
Sign animation: Light bulbs flicker
Sign environment: Las Vegas Boulevard South, north of the Las Vegas Strip near other motels and wedding chapels.
Sign - date of installation: c.1950s
Sign - thematic influences: Elegance, sophistication, high society, boomerang/chevron, 1950's, 1960's, mid-century
Survey - research locations: Assessor's website
Survey - research notes: Connolly, D. (2012 July 21). Chevron Motel. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/dennisconnolly5059yahoocom/7635650456 Hagopian, M. (2011 January 28). No vacancy in vintage Vegas. Retrieved https://hyperallergic.com/15738/no-vacancy- vintage-vegas/ Las Vegas motels then and now. (n.d.). Chevron Motel. Retrieved from http://stefanidrivesvegas.com/8.html RoadsideArchitecture. (n.d.). High Hat Regency Motel. Retrieved from http://www.roadarch.com/signs/nvvegas.html Seltzer, D. J. (2014 June 1). High Hat Regency Motel sign in Las Vegas [Video recording]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bQdw48LVrA
Survey - other remarks: A vintage postcard circa 1950's-1960's shows the Chevron Motel sign as a simple pole mounted with a reader board and two light boxes which form a "C" shape open toward the motel (Las Vegas motels then and now, n.d.). A later postcard features the same sign with a chevron in the center and a semi-circular arch which encloses a light ball above the upper cabinet (Connolly, 2012). The current sign retains the chevron, the metal frames of the light boxes and reader board (Las Vegas motels then and now, n.d.). A hat and cane have replaced the arch and light ball at the top of the sign (Las Vegas motels then and now, n.d.). The light boxes have been replaced with metal cabinets with incandescent and neon displays (Las Vegas motels then and now, n.d.). The sign is pictured in a vintage postcard circa 1950's-1960's (Las Vegas motels then and now, n.d.). At that time it advertised the Chevron Motel.
Surveyor: Mitchell Cohen
Survey - date completed: 2017-09-06
Sign keywords: Neon; Incandescent; Steel; Plastic; Reader board; Pole sign; Flickering
Site address: 1300 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign owner: Tarighi Bahman and Farideh
Sign details: The building was constructed in 1958 (Assessor). A vintage postcard from the 1950's-- or more likely the 1960's (based upon the automobiles pictured)-- shows that the business was previously named the Chevron Motel (Las Vegas motels then and now).
Sign condition: Condition is 3-4, fair to good. The pole, cabinets and reader board are in good condition. Moderate rust is evident around the edges of the top cabinet. The paint is generally in good condition, although there white patches (from repairs?) on the chevron. The neon tubing is entirely intact. Most of the incandescent light bulbs are present, except for the underside of the lower cabinet, where they are completely absent.
Sign form: Pole Sign
Sign-specific description: A single round white metal pole supports the sign, which is cantilevered toward the street. The cabinets form a rectangular "C" which is open on the motel side. The interior of the "C" surrounds a chevron which points toward the motel. On top of the motel side of the upper cabinet is a metal top hat and cane. The sign is attached to the pole at the side of the lower cabinet, the point of the chevron and the bottom of the upper cabinet. The background color of the sign is sky blue. The bottom of the face of the lower cabinet has the word "VACANCY" painted in white sans serif letters. The letters are traced in white skeleton neon. To the left, the word "NO" is spelled out in clear skeleton neon sans serif letters. Above the neon letters is a white metal reader board which has a row of clear incandescent light bulbs running along the top, bottom and motel side edges. A single row of clear incandescent light bulbs runs the entire length of the street side of the sign. On the street side of the chevron is a blue metal cabinet with the word "MOTEL" spelled in white channel letters. The channels are outlined by white neon tubes, while the interior of the channels are filled with clear or white incandescent light bulbs. On the motel side of the "MOTEL" cabinet is a blue chevron which is covered with clear or white incandescent light bulbs. The top cabinet features the words "High Hat" spelled out in white cursive letters. Below is the word "REGENCY" painted in white sans serif letters. All wording is traced by white skeleton neon. On top of the motel side of the upper cabinet is a white top hat with a blue hat band. Running through the hat is a white cane. The hat and cane are traced by white skeleton neon. The hat is covered with white or clear incandescent light bulbs.
Sign - type of display: Neon, incandescent, reader board
Sign - media: Steel, plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: reader board
Sign animation: Light bulbs flicker
Sign environment: Las Vegas Boulevard South, north of the Las Vegas Strip near other motels and wedding chapels.
Sign - date of installation: c.1950s
Sign - thematic influences: Elegance, sophistication, high society, boomerang/chevron, 1950's, 1960's, mid-century
Survey - research locations: Assessor's website
Survey - research notes: Connolly, D. (2012 July 21). Chevron Motel. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/dennisconnolly5059yahoocom/7635650456 Hagopian, M. (2011 January 28). No vacancy in vintage Vegas. Retrieved https://hyperallergic.com/15738/no-vacancy- vintage-vegas/ Las Vegas motels then and now. (n.d.). Chevron Motel. Retrieved from http://stefanidrivesvegas.com/8.html RoadsideArchitecture. (n.d.). High Hat Regency Motel. Retrieved from http://www.roadarch.com/signs/nvvegas.html Seltzer, D. J. (2014 June 1). High Hat Regency Motel sign in Las Vegas [Video recording]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bQdw48LVrA
Survey - other remarks: A vintage postcard circa 1950's-1960's shows the Chevron Motel sign as a simple pole mounted with a reader board and two light boxes which form a "C" shape open toward the motel (Las Vegas motels then and now, n.d.). A later postcard features the same sign with a chevron in the center and a semi-circular arch which encloses a light ball above the upper cabinet (Connolly, 2012). The current sign retains the chevron, the metal frames of the light boxes and reader board (Las Vegas motels then and now, n.d.). A hat and cane have replaced the arch and light ball at the top of the sign (Las Vegas motels then and now, n.d.). The light boxes have been replaced with metal cabinets with incandescent and neon displays (Las Vegas motels then and now, n.d.). The sign is pictured in a vintage postcard circa 1950's-1960's (Las Vegas motels then and now, n.d.). At that time it advertised the Chevron Motel.
Surveyor: Mitchell Cohen
Survey - date completed: 2017-09-06
Sign keywords: Neon; Incandescent; Steel; Plastic; Reader board; Pole sign; Flickering
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