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email: agilitynut@hotmail.com |
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| Missouri Signs (page 1) |
(hit "refresh" to get the most recent version of this page; click on photos for larger images)
| Old Dutch Hotel Washington, MO |
Bank of Washington Washington, MO |
Western Auto Associate Store Washington, MO |
Parmentier Auto Body Washington, MO |
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The Old Dutch Hotel was established in the early 1930s and operated until the late 1970s. After opening and closing several times with different owners, the Old Dutch closed for good in the early 1990s. After completely renovating the building in 2010, new owners have revived both the hotel, tavern, and sign. Nearly $5,000 was spent on the restoration of the sign which is believed to be the original. At first, the six foot tall sign read "Old Dutch Tavern". The lettering was later changed to "Old Dutch Hotel", possibly when a third floor was added to the building. The sign is lit in the original red, white and blue color scheme. The blades of the windmill are lit sequentially to create a spinning effect. This photo is from 2010, before the restoration. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
This Bank of Washington sign was originally attached to a building. When a new bank building was constructed, this sign was saved. Around 2009, it was restored and installed in the parking lot nearby. For more, see this website. These Western Auto Associate Store signs were mass-produced and there are still a number of them around the country. Many of these stores, like this one, are still in business. Western Auto, an auto parts company, was established in Kansas City, MO in 1909. The company opened its first store in 1921. Western Auto grew to more than 1,200 company-owned stores and 4,000 associate stores. For more, see this website. Parmentier Auto Body was established in 1939. This neon car on top of their plastic box sign was built around 2003. It is lit at night and the wheels appear to spin. |
| Buse's Flowers St. Charles, MO |
Clark Auto St. Charles, MO |
Neon Time St. Charles, MO |
Beacon Motel Pacific, MO |
Belmont Furniture House St. Clair, MO |
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Buse's Flowers has been here since the late 1800s. This sign is probably from the 1950s or earlier. The original FTD logo was covered with a Teleflora logo in 2005. For more, see this website.
This used cars sign at Clark Auto was mass-produced and apparently installed nationwide. There is an identical sign in Troy, NY and another in St. Joseph, MO that is missing its streamers. I don't know if there was a make of car associated with these signs like Chevrolet's "OK" used car signs. Neon Time manufactures new signs and restores old ones. Several old signs are on display in the company's storefront including the Big Boy's restaurant sign and a bakery sign from 1947. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. The Beacon Motel was built in 1946 as the Beacon Court. It closed in the early 1980s. This sign was saved, restored and installed at a car wash. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. The Belmont Furniture House sign is probably from the 1930s or so. |
| A. Waldbart & Sons Nursery Florissant, MO |
Spencer's Grill Kirkwood, MO |
Lionel Electric Trains Kirkwood, MO |
Crestwood Bowl Crestwood, MO |
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The Alex Waldbart & Sons Nursery was established in 1872. This sign is probably from the 1950s or so. It is lit at night.For more, see this website.
Spencer's Grill opened in 1941. The restaurant moved to this location in 1947 and this sign was built in 1948. The clock works and the neon is lit at night. For more, see this website. This Lionel Electric Trains sign is installed in the window of Hobby Station. It is lit at night. For more, see this website. The Crestwood Bowl opened in 1958 and this sign is from then. In 2009, the neon was removed. The sign is now lit with a spotlight. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. |
| Melody Lane Inn Branson, MO |
Dryer's Shoe Store Columbia, MO |
Arrow Head Motel Columbia, MO |
Eastwood Motel Columbia, MO |
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The Melody Lane Inn sign was recently repainted. The note was previously blue. For more, see this website.
Dryer's Shoe Store opened in 1956 and is still in business. I don't believe this sign is lit anymore. The Weather-Bird Shoes company goes back to at least the late 1940s. Like Red Goose Shoes, I'm sure this logo appeared on other neon shoe store signs. However, this is the only sign that I know of that's still on display. The Arrow Head Motel was built in the 1950s. It has been closed for years and a U-Haul distributor operates on the property. The sign remains. It features an Indian blowing smoke rings over a fire. The smoke rings might have been animated originally. The Eastwood Motel signs are probably from the 1950s. |
| 63 Diner Columbia, MO |
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| The 63 Diner opened in 1989. The restaurant has a collection of restored and new signs displayed in the parking lot. I believe they are all lit at night. The pig and vertical EAT signs are oldies. I think the atomic sign is a new one. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. |
| State Fair Shopping Center Sedalia, MO |
State Fair Floral Sedalia, MO |
Sunset Motel [gone] Sedalia, MO |
Hotel Bothwell Sedalia, MO |
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The State Fair Shopping Center is just across the street from the Missouri State Fairgrounds. Does anyone know when this shopping center first opened?
State Fair Floral was established in 1912. This sign is probably from the 1950s. It is lit at night. The Sunset Motel sign was replaced with a plastic box sign in 2007. Some parts of the sign were saved and are now in a private collection. For more, see this website. The Hotel Bothwell was built in 1927. The vertical sign is probably from then. The sign under the canopy is most likely newer. The neon around the canopy appears to be modern. The signs are lit at night. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. |
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More Sedalia Signs:
Sho-Me Kort: 1, 2 [gone] |
| Stein House Cafe [gone] Boonville, MO |
Morgan's Furniture Dexter, MO |
Southeast Missouri Builder's Supply Cape Girardeau, MO |
Sunset Motel Villa Ridge, MO |
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The Stein House Cafe opened in the 1930s. It was destroyed by a fire in 2011. The sign was saved and put in storage. This photo is from 2010. For more, see this website.
Morgan's Furniture was established in 1933. Apparently, the neon rocking chair was animated originally. The neon appeared broken when this photo was taken in 2010. Southeast Missouri Builder's Supply was established around 1900. This plastic sign is probably from the 1950s or 1960s. It reads "Lumber" and "Prompt Service". The bottom sign might have been neon at one time. The Villa Ridge Sunset Motel was built in the 1940s. The sign is probably from then. The neon was restored in 2009. It had not been lit since the 1970s. The motel rooms are used for apartments now. For more, see this website. |
| Gardenway Motel Villa Ridge, MO |
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| Diamond Inn Motel, Diamonds Restaurant & Gardenway Motel Villa Ridge, MO |
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The Gardenway Motel opened in 1945. The rooftop and freestanding signs are both lit at night. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3.
The Diamonds Restaurant was built in 1927. It was built in the shape of a baseball diamond. The restaurant was rebuilt in 1948 after a fire. It moved to a new location in 1967 and eventually closed in the mid-1990s. The Diamond Inn Motel became a Travelodge. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. Although only the Gardenway Motel survives, two signs still advertise for the Gardenway, the Diamonds Restaurant and the Diamond Inn Motel. The smaller sign on the left shown above is still lit at night. For more, see this website. |
| Randles Court Eldon, MO |
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| Randles Court opened in the 1940s and these signs are from then. The complex started out in the 1930s as Boots Cottage Court. |
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