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Illinois Signs (page 14)

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Hill's Electric Motor Services
Rock Falls, IL		 Central Park Tap
Rockford, IL		 I. Spinello & Sons
Locksmiths [gone]
Rockford, IL
Hill's Electric Motor Services was established in 1919 in Memphis, TN. The business moved to Rock Falls in 1925. It moved to its current location in 1933. This sign might be from the 1940s or 1950s. The neon tubing holes have been patched. [map]

The Central Park Tap opened in 1950 and this sign is probably from then. [map]

The I. Spinello & Sons Locksmiths sign might have been from the 1950s or 1960s. In 2025, the store was moving to a new location and the sign was removed. It will be put in storage since it cannot be displayed at the new place.

Royal Liquor Mart
Rockford, IL		 Der Rathskeller [gone]
Rockford, IL		 North Main Tavern [gone]
Rockford, IL
The Royal Liquor Mart opened in 1960 and 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
2006: 2024:
Wayne's Feed Store opened at this location in 1964. The owner's brother-in-law made the "farmer sign" then. The leaking bucket that spells out what's for sale inside. I'm told that the sign originally had neon and the spilling words were originally animated. However, I'm skeptical since these are wooden panels. The sign was repainted around 2017. [map]

Parthenios Luncheonette [gone]
Rockford, IL
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.

More Rockford:
Adams Letter Service [gone]
Don Carter Lanes
Drive-in Liquor Store [gone]
M. Spinello Locksmiths [gone]
Palace Shoe Service [gone]
Tenstopet Tavern [gone]

Chief
Black Hawk [gone]
Rock Island, IL		 Harris Pizza
Rock Island, IL		 Route of the Rockets
Rock Island, IL
This Chief Black Hawk sign stood in front of the Watch Tower Plaza shopping center which was built in the 1960s. This sign was originally part of a larger one and was outlined with neon. This photo is from 2009. In 2015, it seemed likely that a Walmart would be built at the site. In 2021, the lot was still vacant but the sign was still there. In 2023, the sign fell over during a storm. It is now in City storage and it is not yet known what will be done with it. For more, see this website.

This Harris Pizza is the company's original location. It opened in 1960 and this sign is from then. For more, see this website. The company's third location in Davenport, IA also had a neon and bulb sign. [map]

This Route of the Rockets sign was created around 2021 for a private collector in Davenport, IA. It was produced by the Mid-Century Sign Company. This sign was based on a long-gone Rock Island Railroad sign which was installed at the Rock Island Fruit & Produce Terminal in Minneapolis, MN. This custom sign is now installed on the side of the Ray'z Barber building. [map]

Mulkey's Restaurant
Rock Island, IL
Mulkey's Restaurant opened in 1955. This sign is probably from then or a few years later. The embossed plastic, middle part of the sign might have revolved originally or it may have replaced another panel. Evidently, the restaurant had a franchise deal with the Henny Penny Corporation. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Roxana Auto Sales
Roxana, IL		 Knapp Jewelers
Rushville, IL
The Roxana Auto Sales sign is probably from the 1950s or 1960s. The neon has been missing since at least 2002. The business is still operating. [map]

Knapp Jewelers was established in 1898. This vitrolite storefront and neon letters are probably from the 1940s. [map]

Odd Fellows Temple
Salem, IL		 Continental Motel
Salem, IL		 Lakewood Motel
Salem, IL		 Restwell Motel [gone]
Salem, IL
This Odd Fellows Temple sign is very similar to the one in Flora, IL. Both are probably from the 1950s. I don't know of any others like this. Between 2012 and 2015, this sign had been removed. It was apparently restored during that time. [map]

The Continental Motel, Lakewood Motel, and Restwell Motel signs all appear to be from the 1950s. The Restwell sign and the motel itself were gone by 2018. [Continental map], [Lakewood map]

Larimer Abstract
Salem, IL
Larimer Abstract was established in 1879. It moved to this location in 1935. The business closed in 2023 but this sign remains. It is probably from the 1950s. [map]

Radke Hotel [gone]
Savanna, IL		 Col. Wes Chapman Auctioneer Service [gone]
Seneca, IL
The Radke Hotel was built in the late 1800s. This sign is probably from the 1940s or 1950s. This photo is from 2009. By 2015, the sign was gone.

The Col. Wes Chapman Auctioneer Service business was long gone but the sign remained for decades. By 2018, the building and sign were gone. The sign is now in a private collection. This sign's panels were covering up another sign for the Plimmer Electric Shop.

More Savanna:
Filling Station [gone]

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