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email: agilitynut@hotmail.com |
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| Massachusetts Signs (page 1) |
(hit "refresh" to get the most recent version of this page; click on photos for larger images)
| Blanchard's Liquors Allston, MA |
Teddie Peanut Butter Everett, MA |
Paul Revere sign New Bedford, MA |
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The Blanchard's Liquors sign appears to be from the 1950s. It is lit at night. For more, see this website.
Teddie Peanut Butter is produced by the Leavitt Corporation in this building. This sign was erected in 1960. The neon on this sign stopped working in the 1960s. The sign is now lit with flood lights. For more, see their website. The Paul Revere sign is a 25’ x 44’ copper sign with five colors. It has 200 neon pieces that make the horse's legs gallop and over 1,000 feet of neon tubing in its 126 sections. It was previously on Route 6 on the roof of the Revere Copper Products Company (founded by Paul Revere). The sign was built in 1948 and deteriorated over the years. The neon was disconnected in the 1970s and the sign was taken down in 1994. The sign was saved by WHALE (Waterfront Historic Area League) who started fundraising for renovation in 1997. It cost between $50,000 and $100,000 to restore. In 1998, the sign was put up along I-195 and relit with a 50' electronic message board below. The Revere Copper Co. had a similar, possibly identical sign at their factory in Rome, NY. The sign was lit with red neon and the horse's legs on that sign were animated in the same way as the one in New Bedford. That sign is gone now. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. |
| South Pacific Chinese Restaurant Newton, MA |
Mark You Restaurant [removed] Fall River, MA |
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The South Pacific Chinese Restaurant has been around since at least the 1970s. For more, see this website.
The Mark You Restaurant featured a huge, neon dragon sign and a glass block façade. The restaurant closed in 2007 and reopened in 2010. The sign is now in a private collection. [middle photo thanks DinerFan] |
| Chico's Sunoco Cambridge, MA |
Sozio Cambridge, MA |
Colonial Drug Cambridge, MA |
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Chico's Sunoco has a nothing-special modern looking station and canopy but a nice old huge vertical sign which looks 1960s to me. It has a similar style to the Mobil sign in Biddeford, ME.
Sozio sells dining furniture for "fabulous fifties casual dining". They are also known as "Sozio's Major Appliances & TV." They have three other locations and have been in business since 1959. It appears that Sozio is the original occupant of this great, glass-fronted showroom. The signage suggests so and locals refer to the traffic circle as the "Sozio Rotary". For more, see their website. Colonial Drug was established in 1947. This sign is lit at night. For more, see this website. |
| Dana Hill Liquor Mart Cambridge, MA |
Coolidge Cleansers Cambridge, MA |
Shell sign Cambridge, MA |
CITGO sign Boston, MA |
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The Dana Hill Liquor Mart sign is probably from the 1950s. It was repainted around 2006 and is lit at night. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
Coolidge Cleansers is now known as "Coolidge Looking Good". This Shell sign was constructed in 1933. It was moved to this location in 1948. It is 68 feet tall and featured animated neon. It is still located at an operating Shell gas station. In 2011 just weeks after these photos were taken, a replica sign using LED lighting was installed. It cost more than $200,000 to produce it. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. This CITGO sign replaced a Cities Service sign from 1940. When the company changed its name to CITGO in 1965, this sign was built. It is the largest sign in New England measuring 60 feet by 60 feet. It features animated red, white and blue neon. When CITGO decided to dismantle the deteriorating sign in 1983, Boston residents expressed their dismay. The sign was restored and declared a landmark. In 2005, the neon was replaced with LED lighting. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. |
| Cantina Italiana Boston, MA |
Modern Pastry Boston, MA |
Bakey's Boston, MA |
Green Cross Pharmacy Boston, MA |
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The Cantina Italiana opened here in 1931 and is the oldest restaurant in Boston's North End. I believe this sign was the model for Buca di Beppo restaurants. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
Modern Pastry has been here since the 1930s. The shop is best known for its cannolis, torrone, and other Italian pastries. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. Bakey's features an interesting modern sign. The restaurant owner's father once fell asleep on his wife's ironing board after having a few beers. There is a speaker on the wall which produces snoring sounds. For more, see this website. I don't know if this Green Cross Pharmacy mortar and pestle sign is old or new. |
| M. Steinert & Sons Boston, MA |
The Tam Boston, MA |
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M. Steinert & Sons was established in 1860. The company has been at this location since 1896. This sign is probably from the 1950s or 1960s.
This pair of signs at The Tam is probably from the 1940s or earlier. While these Budweiser signs are fairly common, especially in St. Louis, I have never seen a Michelob sign of this design. |
| Safety Shoes Charlestown, MA |
Safety Shoes Charlestown, MA |
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| These Safety Shoes signs are located near the Charlestown Navy Yard. Does anyone know the story behind them? |
| Galley Restaurant [removed] West Springfield, MA |
Crystal Springs Dairy Bar Ware, MA |
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This Galley Restaurant opened in 1975 and closed in 2008. This sign was adapted from a previous business. It is now in storage at Red's Towing & Repair Service which is next door to the former restaurant. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
The Crystal Springs Dairy Bar features this billboard style sign on the roof. These cow heads were mass-produced and several others of slightly different styles appear at this page. |
| Center Cleaners Chicopee, MA |
Russell's Family Restaurant [gone] Springfield, MA |
Koffee Kup Bake Shop Springfield, MA |
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As the sign says, Center Cleaners has been here since 1965. I hope they will keep this sign despite a few missing letters.
As of 2005, Russell's Family Restaurant was vacant. By 2010, this sign was gone. [photo thanks DinerFan] The Koffee Kup Bake Shop is located in the Springfield Plaza shopping center. |
| Logan Express Braintree, MA |
Bongi's Turkey Roost Duxbury, MA |
Varky's Cleaners Whitinsville, MA |
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The Logan Express sign is a reworked sign from the former South Shore Plaza Twin Drive-in. The first photo is from 2004, the second photo from 2011. This sign was built in the the 1950s or 1960s. The drive-in closed in 1986. The Logan Express is a shuttle bus service to Boston's Logan International Airport.
Bongi's Turkey Roost was established in 1947. This sign has been here since at least 1957. It is lit at night. The business sells locally raised turkeys, turkey pies, fried chicken, salads, and fruit pies. Varky's Cleaners has been here since at least the 1960s. This sign is lit at night. For more, see this website. |
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