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email: roadarch@outlook.com |
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| Illinois Signs (page 11) |
(hit "refresh" to get the most recent version of this page; click on photos for larger images)
| Brunner Auto Supply [gone] Pana, IL |
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| The neon was removed from the Brunner Auto Supply sign by the time this 2010 photo was taken. The sign is probably from the 1940s or 1950s. The store is now part of the Napa Auto Parts chain and moved across the street. The sign is gone now. |
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Paris:
Brown's Service Center [gone] Park City:
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| Majestic Theatre Paxton, IL |
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| The Majestic Theatre was built in 1913 and this projecting sign is believed to be from then. The theatre was later known as the Paxtonian Theatre and then the Paxton Theatre. The theatre was destroyed by a fire in 2007. This original bulb sign must have been in storage somewhere. By 2013, it was installed in Majestic Park which was built at the former site. The panels are covered with plexiglass for protection. For more, see this website. [map] |
| Maurie's Candies [gone] Pekin, IL |
Siegle-Hunt Lumber [gone] Peoria, IL |
Masonic Temple Peru, IL |
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Maurie's Candies was a newsstand, candy shop, and convenience store with two old signs. The business was established in 1941. This photo is from 2006. The sign's neon was restored around 2010. The sign was removed in 2012 for a more thorough restoration. The Karmelkorn-News sign was also taken down and donated to the local history museum. The Maurie's sign was then displayed inside the shop next to the window. In 2019, the business was sold and moved to Eureka, IL. The Maurie's sign is currently in storage but may be restored and displayed at the shop at some point. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
Siegle-Hunt Lumber featured a wood, log-shaped sign. The sign was gone by 2017. The glass globes on this Masonic Temple sign are in great shape. [map] |
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More Pekin:
Andy's Diner [gone] More Peoria:
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| Lowry Farm Pittsfield, IL |
Green Acres Motel Pittsfield, IL |
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Lowry Farm was owned by Mariam and Ed Lowry who operated a horse and pony farm at this site. The sign might be from the 1950s or 1960s. The neon horse's legs were apparently animated. The sign was repainted and the neon restored around 2021. [map]
The Green Acres Motel was built in 1956. This sign must have been installed then. The current sign shown above is probably from the 1960s. The star on top was apparently inspired by the Holiday Inn sign which was developed in 1952. The sign was repainted around 2012. For more, see this website. [map] |
| Cardinal Inn Cafe Pittsfield, IL |
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| The Cardinal Inn Cafe was established in 1931. These signs are probably from the 1950s or 1960s. The pole sign was refurbished sometime between 1998 and 2004. The Cafe's smaller sign is installed above the restaurant's entrance. The cafe moved in 1997 and then again in 2014 to its current location. Both times, the signs were moved to the new locations. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, and 4. [map] |
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Pontiac:
Palamar Motel Schlitz [map] |
| Hotel Elkton Quincy, IL |
Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop Quincy, IL |
Roy Bennett Furniture Quincy, IL |
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The Hotel Elkton sign was probably built in 1959 which is when the Patio Restaurant opened. For more, see this website. [map]
This Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop opened in 1928. The chain was established in Iowa in 1926. This sign appears to be from the 1950s or 1960s. Another old location existed in Macomb, IL. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map] Roy Bennett Furniture has been around since 1914. [map] |
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More Quincy:
Bel Aire Motel [gone] Illinois Soldiers & Sailors Home Pepsi |
| Rantoul Motel [gone] Rantoul, IL |
Litchfield Hardware [gone] Rantoul, IL |
Furniture World Rantoul, IL |
Beacon Restaurant [gone] Rochelle, IL |
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The Rantoul Motel sign was probably from the 1950s. The motel and the sign were gone by 2022.
Litchfield Hardware opened in 1955 and this sign appears to be from then. The store closed in 1996. It housed Craft Woodworking after that. The sign was removed in 2019 and is now in a private collection. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. Furniture World opened in 1959 and this sign was probably installed then. [map] The Beacon Restaurant featured this lighthouse-shaped sign. The neon was removed at some point. By 2010, the building housed the New China Buffet restaurant. The sign was replaced with a plastic box sign. |
| Sawicki Motors [gone] Rochelle, IL |
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| Sawicki Motors featured vintage Chevrolet OK Used Car signs. These photos are from 2008. By 2015, these signs were gone and there was a new showroom. |
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More Rochelle:
Quinn's Jewelry [map] Rock Falls:
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| Royal Liquor Mart Rockford, IL |
Der Rathskeller [gone] Rockford, IL |
North Main Tavern [gone] Rockford, IL |
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The Royal Liquor Mart opened in 1960. This sign appears to be from then. [map]
The Der Rathskeller restaurant and sausage shop opened in 1931. This sign was probably from the 1950s or 1960s. The restaurant closed in 2019. In 2020, the business reopened as Rathskeller Rockford and the sign was moved to the garden. That business closed in 2021. In 2023, the sign was sold to a private collector. For more, see this website. The North Main Tavern opened in 1934. This sign might be from then. This photo is from 2012. In 2013, the bar announced that it was moving since the building was being demolished to make room for a two-lane roundabout. As of 2015, it doesn't sound like the bar has reopened. The building and sign are gone. I don't know if this sign was saved. |
| Wayne's Feed Store Rockford, IL |
Parthenios Luncheonette [gone] Rockford, IL |
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The Wayne's Feed Store freestanding sign cleverly features a leaking bucket that spells out what's for sale inside. This sign has been stripped of its original neon and painted many times over the years. I've been told that that neon "spillage" was originally animated. The sign was repainted around 2017. [map]
The Parthenios Luncheonette opened in 1969 and closed in 2010. The signs were still there when these photos were taken in 2012. The signs were adapted from the previous tenant, the Hobson Drug Co. They appear to be from the 1940s or earlier. The neon letters on the vertical sign alternated between "Food" and "Drugs". In 2017, the signs were removed. They were sold at auction and are now in a private collection. |
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More Rockford:
Adams Letter Service Central Park Tap Don Carter Lanes Drive-in Liquor Store [gone?] I. Spinello Locksmiths M. Spinello Locksmiths [gone] Palace Shoe Service [gone] Tenstopet Tavern [gone] |
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| Main Signs Page |
| RoadsideArchitecture.com |
Copyright. All photos at this website are copyrighted and may only be used with my consent. This includes posting them at Facebook, Pinterest, blogs, other websites, personal use, etc. Tips & Updates. If you have suggestions about places that I haven't covered, historical info, or updates about places/things that have been remodeled or removed, I'd love to hear from you: roadarch@outlook.com. |