From the Roosevelt Fitzgerald Professional Papers (MS-01082) -- Drafts for the Las Vegas Sentinel Voice file. The author's memories of Natchez, Mississippi Christmas decades past.
On February 18, 1951, Fred Wilson interviewed Mary Ellen Osborn Lake (born 1870 in Mercer County, Missouri) and her son, Thomas Lake (born 1889 in Missouri). Wilson first asked Mary Ellen questions about when she first arrived in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1904. Much of the relatively brief interview involved questions related to the first Methodist churches in Las Vegas and the Lakes’ involvement and recollections of the locations and members of the church community.
The Outpost Motel sign sits at 1104 North Boulder Highway. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet. Site name: Outpost Motel (Las Vegas, Nev.) Site address: 1104 N Boulder Hwy Sign owner: Vegas Outpost Motel LLC Sign details: The Outpost motel was built all the way back in 1937 and still resides out in Henderson along Boulder Highway. The current sign was installed around the 1950's. Sign condition: 5, the sign is in excellent condition. Sign form: Pole Sign-specific description: This pole sign has a zig-zag like design on the top of it. Underneath that is the word "OUTPOST" in bold white letters against a forest green background. "MOTEL" is painted under that in bold white letters as well. "VACANCY" is painted under the "OTEL." Outlined in neon is "NO," which is difficult to see if it's not lit up. Each of these words is outlined with neon as well so you can see them at night when the sign would be lit up. The lower half of the sign is a back lit reader board. On the outer edge of the sign is a large, yellow arrow that extends from the top of the sign above the "O" in "OUTPOST" and points to the reader board. This is also covered in incandescent light bulbs. Sign - type of display: Neon, incandescent, backlit reader board Sign - media: Steel and plastic Sign - non-neon treatments: Reader board Sign animation: From photos, it looks as though the sign has some sort of animation to it in the yellow arrow on the outer edge. The incandescent light bulbs look as though they twinkled, but it is difficult to tell exactly how or in what direction. Sign environment: This property sits way out in Henderson along Boulder Highway. It is down the street from Sam Boyd Stadium, Clark County Wetlands Park, and the Henderson Bird viewing Preserve. The properties that sit immediately next to the motel are a few small casinos and a random assortment of businesses. Sign - date of installation: Possibly the 1950's Sign - date of redesign/move: Photos from 2014 show that the sign was in a rough condition at one point, but in 2015 it received a fresh coat of paint. Sign - thematic influences: The design for this sign is similar to many of the small motel throughout the city from the 1950's/60's era. They usually have one major element that makes them striking when viewed from the street view, for this sign it would be the big, yellow arrow. It is also a pole sign and many of the motels from this time period use this style of sign. Survey - research locations: Roadside architecture http://www.roadarch.com/signs/nv2.html , Classic Las Vegas website ghhhttp://classiclasvegas.squarespace.com/classic-las-vegas-photo-galler/classic-las-vegas-signs/900788 , Asessor's Page http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/assessor/Pages/searchbybusinessname.aspx , Flickr website for photos https://www.flickr.com/photos/roadsidepictures/294981090 Survey - research notes: There are not many sources discussing the history of this property. Surveyor: Lauren Vaccaro Survey - date completed: 2017-08-28 Sign keywords: Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; Steel; Plastic; Reader board; Pole sign; Directional
The Star Motel sign sits at 1418 South Third Street in Downtown Las Vegas. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet. Site address: 1418 S 3rd St Sign owner: M V Star Group LLC Sign details: 0.33 acre lot, originally constructed in 1947. Sign condition: 4 - The sign is in excellent condition, but it does not light up at night. Sign form: Pole sign Sign-specific description: The sign itself is attached to a silver pole that extends out toward 3 rd St and is planted into the ground. On the top of the pole is a bright, blue star with a smaller white star in the center. The neon tubes attached to the sign are in concentric star shapes radiating out from the center. Extending out from the star to 3 rd st and curving back towards the pole that hold the sign is a trail implying that this is a shooting star. The first third of this trail is white and then the paint changes to yellow and remains yellow for the rest of the trail. The entire trail of the star is covered with yellow incandescent light bulbs. There are three very thin steel poles on the opposite side of the star from where the trail is attached. These smaller poles run parallel to the main pole of the sign and end about the same place where the tail of the star ends at the other side of the pole. Attached to these thin poles are stars ranging in size and made out of neon tubes. About at the midpoint of the main pole supporting the sign is a minimal, bright blue arrow that has "MOTEL" painted on it in bold white letters with a black outline. Neon tubes in the shape of each letter are attached to the center of the letters. Attached to the bottom of the tail end of this arrow is a smaller, minimal, black arrow that has "VACANCY" painted on it in bold white letters. Neon tubes in the shape of these letters fill this sign as well. Sign - type of display: Neon and Incandescent Sign - media: Steel Sign animation: Unknown, as it no longer lights. However according to RoadArch.com, at one time it might have flashed. Sign environment: The property is in the heart of the Arts District. It resides next to many other small motels in this neighborhood. It is only a few blocks away from Main Street and Charleston where there are many art galleries, restaurants, and vintage boutiques. Sign - date of installation: c. 1950s Sign - date of redesign/move: Based on earlier photographs from the 1950's, the sign's main star that is blue with a smaller white star in the center was originally all white. Also, the white and yellow trail it leaves behind was initially all yellow as well. It is also believed that there were more stars attached to the metal bars that extend from the blue and white star and that they would have flashed. Sign - thematic influences: A popular theme for properties during this time was the Space Age and this is sign is an example of that influential theme. Sign - artistic significance: This sign shows an influence of the Space Age that was going on during the late 50's. Many motel signs in the city evoked the theme for the property and this sign does so for the Star Motel. Survey - research locations: Assessor's website, Vintage Vegas, www.roadarch.com Surveyor: Lauren Vaccaro Survey - date completed: 2017-08-21 Sign keywords: Neon; Incandescent; Steel; Pole sign