| Super Signage |
(hit "refresh" to get the most recent version of this page; click on photos for larger images)
| INDIANA |
| Behren's Paint Spot (gone) Anderson, IN |
Pappy's Restaurant Lafayette, IN |
Pizza King Muncie, IN |
Pizza King Muncie, IN |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Behren's Paint Spot was closed and up for sale when I visited the place in 2002. In 2005, the sign was taken down.
Pappy's Restaurant is the business attached to this sign now. Does anyone know what was here originally? Pizza King has been around since 1958 with over 40 locations now in Muncie and throughout Indiana. The signs shown here are from two different locations. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. |
| D&S Liquors Indianapolis, IN |
Wonder Bread Indianapolis, IN |
Red Key Tavern Indianapolis, IN |
 |
 |
 |
|
The D&S Liquors sign apparently had functioning neon and a clever clock cocktail stirrer. The store opened in 1962. For more, see this website.
The Wonder Bread plant features a huge neon sign and tours for those curious to see how the bread, Twinkies, and Ding Dongs are made. Wonder Bread was invented in Indianapolis in 1921. The sign has been here for many decades. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, and 4. The Red Key Tavern was established in 1933. The sign is from the early 1950s and features animated musical notes. For more, see this website. |
| Western Bowling Center Indianapolis, IN |
Woodland Bowling Center Indianapolis, IN |
Jubilee Bowl Indianapolis, IN |
Expo Bowl Indianapolis, IN |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| The Western Bowling Center, the Woodland Bowling Center, the Jubilee Bowl, the Expo Bowl and one other bowling center are owned by the same company (Royal Pin). The Western and the Woodland have 80 lanes and cosmic bowling. The Jubilee, with 36 lanes, opened in 1964. The Western opened in 1976, the Western in 1980. The Expo Bowl features a giant pin and a plastic sign - both visible from the interstate. A base remains as evidence that there was a second giant pin there at one time. For more see their website. |
| Action Duckpin/Atomic Bowl Indianapolis, IN |
Norwood Bowl Alexandria, IN |
Circus Conies & Cones Seelyville, IN |
 |
 |
 |
|
Action Duckpin is on the fourth floor of the Fountain Square Theatre Building. It opened in 1928 as Fountain Square Recreation with a bowling alley and billiard hall. They closed in 1957 and remained vacant until 1994. It was restored with 1930s bowling equipment and reopened with eight lanes of duckpin bowling - a rarity especially so far from the East Coast. The Atomic Bowl is located on the lower level of the same building. It opened in 1997 and offers seven duckpin bowling lanes and a 1950s/1960s theme and equipment.
The Norwood Bowl features an incredible 1960s-looking entrance. All that remains of Circus Conies & Cones is this old sign. |
| Burd's Cleaners Columbus, IN |
One Hour Cleaners Jeffersonville, IN |
Art's Cleaners Columbus, IN |
Wrecks Inc. Indianapolis, IN |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Burd's Cleaners is a chain with at least three locations in Columbus.
The One Hour Cleaners sign might have been part of the same chain as Burd's or else these signs were a stock item for dry cleaners. Art's Cleaners has been here since at least the early 1960s. For more, see this website. Wrecks Inc. features this neon sign which was erected in 1958. There were older cars there originally. The business is selling off this property and the sign is reportedly going to the Sign Boneyard in Las Vegas, NV. For more, see their website. |
| Clabber Girl Terre Haute, IN |
Colgate Clock Jeffersonville, IN |
 |
 |
|
This restored Clabber Girl billboard has been here since the 1930s. Clabber Girl baking powder was developed in Terre Haute. In the 1930s and 1940s, Clabber Girl billboards were installed nationwide in an advertising campaign similar to that of Mail Pouch Tobacco. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3.
The Colgate Clock is 38' in diameter with 16' and 20' hands. The clock is positioned to be visible from Louisville, KY. Originally, this clock was in Jersey City, NJ but was moved here when that location got a bigger one. The Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Company plant opened here in 1923. Previously, the building housed the Indiana Reformatory for Men. Colgate plans to move in 2008 and the plant has been added to the list of the "Ten Most Endangered" places in IN. The fate of the clock is unknown. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. |
| Gentis Dry Cleaning Muncie, IN |
Oasis Bar & Grill Muncie, IN |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
Gentis Dry Cleaning, operating most recently as Gentis-Huber Cleaners, appears to be closed now.
The Oasis Bar & Grill used to have a 20' tall chainsaw carving of a basketball player out front. But as of 2005, this sculpture has been destroyed with only his shoes remaining. The charming neon sign with monkeys could use some paint and repairs. |
| Kunkel's Drive-in Connersville, IN |
Plaza Bowling Lanes Connersville, IN |
Creole Lanes Vincennes, IN |
Westwood Lanes Fort Wayne, IN |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Kunkel's Drive-in opened in 1954 and still offers car hops and cruise nights.
Plaza Bowling Lanes features two great signs. For more, see this website. Although the name Creole Lanes might seem a little out-of-place anywhere north of Louisiana, there is actually a large French Creole population in Vincennes. The Westwood Lanes has a classic giant neon pin sign. [photo thanks Mark Comstock] |
| Stein Glass Co. New Albany, IN |
The Fair New Albany, IN |
Badger Shoe Repair New Albany, IN |
 |
 |
 |
| New Albany is chock full of great old signs such as these three. |
| Lauer Floral & Garden Tell City, IN |
American Legion Ferdinand, IN |
 |
 |
|
Lauer Floral & Garden features a big and wonderful old sign. For more, see their website.
I have not seen an American Legion sign like this before. Usually their signs just depict the shield and post number. While Ferdinand IS cattle country, the town wasn't named after Ferdinand the Bull but rather the Emporer of Austria. But perhaps the American Legion was having some fun with the name? |
| Hickory Inn Budget Motel South Bend, IN |
Factory Tile South Bend, IN |
Big Wheel Restaurant Valparaiso, IN |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
The Hickory Inn Budget Motel sign probably had a lot more neon at one time. The plastic name box may indicate that it was originally named something else.
The Factory Tile sign has a Roto-Sphere that is still lit at night. For more, see this website. The Big Wheel Restaurant opened in 1963. For more, see this website. |
| Miner-Dunn Hamburgers Highland, IN |
Hoosier Highlander Highland, IN |
Horseshoe Casino Hammond, IN |
 |
 |
 |
|
Miner-Dunn Hamburgers opened here in 1932. For more, see this website.
Hoosier Highlander sells stationery, office and art supplies. This sign is no longer lit. For more, see their website. This Horseshoe Casino is part of a chain with other locations in Tunica, MS and Bossier City, LA. This Horseshoe was originally the Empress Casino until it was sold and renamed in 2001. In 2004, the company was acquired by Harrah's Entertainment. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. |
|
More IN Signs:
Rihm's Drive-in Liquors: 1, 2 (Cambridge City) Hillcrest (Fort Wayne) Perfection Bakeries (Fort Wayne) Pine Haven Motel (Fort Wayne) McDonald's (Lebanon) [gone] various signs (Muncie) Circus Conies & Cones (Seelyville) various signs |
| Main Signs Page | Links & Books |
| [Main Roadside Page] |
all photos contained at this website are copyrighted and may be used only with consent