The North Star Blankets signs were installed on the North Star Woolen Mill tower in 1930. One sign is installed on a steel structure on top the tower. The other is installed on the side of the tower, facing the opposite direction. The signs are about 25 feet wide. The North Star Woolen Mill Company was established in 1864 and, by 1925, it was the largest producer of wool blankets in the country. In 1949, the company relocated to Lima, Ohio. The building remained vacant until 1999 when it was converted into the North Star Lofts. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The signs' sheet metal letters and stars were built by the Federal Electric Company. The neon tubing was missing for decades. During the condo conversion, the signs were repainted and lit with spotlights. Then, in 2012, the signs became a safety concern when pieces began falling from them. This prompted the approximate $350,000 restoration project in 2015. 70% of the money is coming from The State of Minnesota through the Minnesota Historical Society's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. The remainder will be paid for by the North Star Lofts Homeowner's Association.

The scaffold support structure will be completely rebuilt. After the letters and stars are refurbished, they will be relit with LED tubing. The colors will replicate those used originally. The stars will be yellow and white while the letters will be red. The project should be completed by the end of 2015. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. [map]

The Grain Belt Beer sign is 50 feet wide and 40 feet tall. It has approximately 1,400 light bulbs and about 900 feet of neon tubing. It was built in 1941 and installed on the roof of the Marigold Ballroom. In 1950, when the ballroom was about to be demolished, the sign was moved to its current location on Nicollet Island next to the Hennepin Avenue Bridge. The letters flashed in sequence until the brewery closed in 1970. The sign was restored and relit in 1988 but it had been dark since around 1994. In 2014, the sign was purchased by the August Schell Brewing Co. which planned to restore it. The sign was relit in 2017. The neon was replaced with LED tubing. The incandescent bulbs were replaced with LED bulbs. The restoration cost about $500,000. In the 1940s, there were at least two other similar Grain Belt Beer signs in town but they have been gone for decades. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

The First National Bank sign is installed on top of the First National Bank Building. The three-sided sign is 50 feet tall. It is referred to as the "Big Red One" by locals. The building was completed in 1930 and the sign was installed at that time. The sign's red neon flashed at night. This photo is from 2011. In 2016, the sign's neon was replaced with LED tubing. It still flashes. For more, see this website. [map]