Posts From The Road: Casa Grande Neon Sign Park

Neon Sign Park: Shown is a view of several of the neon signs in the Casa Grande Neon Sign Park. All signs in the park are from local businesses except for the Dairy Queen sign, which was rescued from Holbrook, Ariz. on Route 66. The neon sign park contains 14 saved and restored signs. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com


Horse Shoe Motel: This sign and the waving bellman seen beside the sign originally attracted visitors to the motel beginning in the 1940s. The sign has been restored to its original state but the bellman is a reproduction of the bellman that stood at the motel in Casa Grande. This was the first sign rescued and the beginning of what would be the Casa Grande Neon Sign Park and is a prominent display at the park. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

By GARY WARREN
Photographer
Formerly of Los Alamos

Traveling this magnificent country during retirement has kept my camera shutter busier than ever. We love the varied landscapes, outdoor parks, cities, museums and about any other roadside stop of interest you can imagine. One of my favorite photo subjects is “Americana”, which includes many aspects of daily life and culture in times present and past.

One item of Americana, neon signs, are always a favorite target for the camera. Neon signs were first used in1923 in Los Angeles but really became popular after World War II when Americans began to take family road trips. Neon signs were used to attract travelers to motels, restaurants, businesses and other local attractions along the roadways.

Many businesses became creative and had custom designed neon signs made which reflected their business or attraction. The soft, flickering colors of these signs were truly works of art and were very effective at grabbing the attention of travelers as well as locals.

Casa Grande, Ariz., between Phoenix and Tucson, was located near the cross roads of two highways, which made it a great place to stop for a meal or for the night while traveling through the area. Neon signs were used to draw attention to local restaurants and motels as well as local businesses.

Over time, the Interstate Highways replaced the two lane roads that passed through the towns and many of the small, local restaurants, motels, and even some businesses began to fade away. With the loss of the brick and mortar structures went other features such as the neon signs.

The Casa Grande Historic Preservation Commission saw the historic value in these signs and began to salvage and collect some of the old neons. Most were in poor condition and needed extensive and expensive restoration but the collection began to grow over the years.

With the use of grants, city and other funding, the signs were sent one by one to Phoenix or Tucson for restoration. The property for the neon sign park was acquired and sits among the historic downtown shopping area and the art district which includes the Museum of Casa Grande, the Casa Grande Art Museum, and a theater.

In 2019 the Casa Grande Neon Sign Park was officially opened with three restored signs glowing in their original colors. Today, 14 vintage signs have been restored to their original beauty and create a beautiful glow of neon color in downtown Casa Grande. All but one of the signs are from local businesses. The red Dairy Queen sign was salvaged from Holbrook, Ariz. to the north on Route 66. Bronze plaques are posted with each sign which includes the history of each sign.

When visiting the park, the nostalgia of the past cannot be ignored as one views the colorful neon lights and the stories each one represents. These signs have now outlived the businesses which they once lit up for local patrons and travelers just visiting the area. Benches made with old pick-up tailgates are around the park for visitors to sit a enjoy the signs.

Visitors can visit the Neon Sign Park during the day or in the evening but the effect and color are much more dramatic during the evening. The signs begin to flicker on at dusk every day and remain on until 11 p.m. These neon signs are truly works of art and are a sign language from the past.

The Casa Grande Neon Sign Park is open daily and is free to all visitors. The park is in downtown Casa Grande at 408 N. Sacaton St. The neon park is maintained by Casa Grande Main Street.

Editor’s note: Longtime Los Alamos photographer Gary Warren and his wife Marilyn are traveling around the country, and he shares his photographs, which appear in the “Posts from the Road” series published in the Sunday edition of the Los Alamos Daily Post.

Ralph’s Cafe: A truck stop and cafe opened in Casa Grande in 1952 and was owned by local resident Ralph Honeycutt. This bright neon sign was installed to attract patrons to the cafe in 1956. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Photo Shop: The Casa Grande Photo Shop sign lit up the local photo store for decades beginning in 1950. After the photo shop owners death in 1990, the sign was purchased and moved to Phoenix. It was displayed in a business there before returning to Casa Grande in 2016 for the neon sign park. The sign is uniquely designed to look like a camera of the 1950s era. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Goddard Shoes: Goddard Shoe Store was located in downtown Casa Grande beginning in 1945. After the shoe store closed the sign was painted grey and was later given to the Casa Grande Main Street in 2006. The sign was eventually restored to its neon glory and now lights the neon sign park. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Coxon’s: This sign originally stood in front of O’Malley’s Lumber Co. but the company was sold to Coxon’s Building Materials. The name on the sign was changed. The Coxon store is a multi-generational business, which still operates in Casa Grande. The sign was donated to the neon sign park in 2016. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Casa Grande Neon Sign Park: Multiple neon signs are displayed on the facade of this building including the Casa Grande Neon Sign Park sign. Valley National Bank operated in Casa Grande and the sign was displayed outside of the bank and later moved indoors at the bank when it merged with Bank One in 1992. It was later given to the neon sign park for display. The Arizona Edison sign stood in front of the utility company and was given to the city and later restored for display at the neon sign park. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

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