The YESCO visual materials series (1914-1988) document a visual history of YESCO from its early beginnings, through its expansions, to its work in the 1980s. They include visuals of various YESCO plants, shops, buildings, equipment and personnel, as well as various signs created and installed by YESCO in multiple states. The series includes black-and-white and color photographs as well as Polaroids. It contains photographs, slides, negatives, and digital files of a variety of Las Vegas landmarks and hotels and casinos, including The Mint, Flamingo, Sahara, Caesar’s Palace, Fremont Street,
Archival Component
Oral history interview with Michael Young and Jeffrey Young conducted by Stefani Evans on October 05, 2017 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Michael and Jeffrey discuss their upbringing in Salt Lake City, Utah. They talk about their family business, Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO), and the various jobs they held at the company. Michael and Jeffrey describe the first signs YESCO completed for early downtown Las Vegas, Nevada properties, and the company’s growth during that time. Later, Michael and Jeffrey talk about the significance that YESCO has in Las Vegas, and becoming stewards of the company. Lastly, Michael and Jeffrey discuss the ownership model that YESCO has established.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Harold Bradford conducted by Claytee D. White, Camille Morris, Anna Frederick, and Remy Chwae on April 24, 2017 and June 10, 2017 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In the first interview, Bradford discusses his early life in New Orleans, Louisiana. He recalls going through a segregated school system, and his experience with integration. Bradford remembers moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1985, his employment for the Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO), and becoming an art director for YESCO. In the second interview, Bradford discusses his initial interest in neon signs, and his work ethic as a visual artist.
Archival Collection
Collection is comprised of a framed sketch of the neon guitar sign that was fabricated by YESCO for the Hard Rock Cafe in Las Vegas, Nevada circa 1990. It was hand-colored by the designer Shirley Ono, framed, and presented as a gift to Warwick Stone, Creative Director of the Hard Rock Cafe chain from 1982-1996, who commissioned the design.
Archival Collection
The Landscapes and Sights series (1994-2001) contains images of exterior images and sights considered for locations including Downtown Las Vegas, Las Vegas street scenes, photographs from the YESCO neon sign boneyard, and some photographs from outside of Las Vegas.
Archival Component
The Neon in Nevada Photograph Collection contains black-and-white and color photographic slides of neon signs from cities and towns in Nevada dating from 1913 to 1989. The collection includes slides from Las Vegas, Reno, Boulder City, Laughlin, Henderson, Lovelock, Winnemucca, Elko, Wells, McGill, Ely, Eureka, Austin, Hawthorne, and Carson City. The collection also includes slides from the Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO) that depict the "sign graveyard" in Las Vegas, Nevada of broken and retired neon signs.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Henry Schutte conducted by an unknown collector on an unknown date in approximately the 1980s for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Schutte discusses working on trains since childhood and explains the type of maintenance he performed. Schutte then describes his career at the Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO).
Archival Collection
View of the Red Bull restaurant during the day with show of YESCO installing the bull.
Image
Mixed Content