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Kansas Signs (page 4)

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The Chef Cafe
Manhattan, KS		 Vista Drive-in
Manhattan, KS		 Dreamliner Motel
Mankato, KS
The Chef Cafe opened in 1943. It closed in 1986 and was revived in 2008. The original neon sign was provided by the Riley County Historical Society. For more, see this website. [map]

The Vista Drive-in opened in 1964. The restaurant has been remodeled but the sign is original. [map]

This Dreamliner Motel sign is probably from the late 1950s or 1960s. There was a different, shorter sign there originally. For more, see this website. [map]

More Manhattan:
Zuckey's Bowl

Marysville:
A-1 Used Cars [gone]

McPherson:
Renberger Jewelers [gone]
Starlite Lanes

Minneola Pharmacy
Minneola, KS		 Waltner Electric [gone]
Moundridge, KS
The Minneola Pharmacy has been here since the early 1960s when it was affiliated with Rexall. There was an identical sign in Cimarron, KS. [map]

Waltner Electric displayed a plastic GE sign and a neon Maytag sign. Both of these signs were mass-produced and there are a handful of examples of each of them around the country. I assume that the chicken wire on top of the Maytag sign was to discourage pigeons from roosting. Waltner Electric opened in 1949 and the Maytag sign was probably from then. These signs were gone by 2021.

Medicine Lodge:
Forsyth's Furniture [map]

Neodesha:
Porter Drug Store

Oakley:
Annie Oakley Motel [map]

Frontier
Motel [gone]
Oberlin, KS		 American Legion
Oberlin, KS		 Frigidaire
Osborne, KS
I believe the Frontier Motel was built in 1951. This sign was still there in 2018. However, by 2020, the panels had been replaced with a plastic box panel.

This American Legion post was established in 1949. This sign is probably from then. [map]

This Frigidaire sign hangs above Simmons Furniture & Appliance. The business name has faded from the bottom of the panel. These signs were mass-produced but very few remain on public display. The vacuum-form plastic panels indicate that this sign is probably from the 1960s. The bottom sign is a very faded Maytag sign. [map]

White Haven Motor Lodge
Overland Park, KS
2005: 2023:
The White Haven Motor Lodge was built in 1957. The 35-foot-tall sign was built for $4,000 when the motel opened. The owners picked out the design from photos at the sign shop. The original paint scheme is intact. The motel closed in 2010. The sign is now displayed inside the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.

Mission Shopping Center
Overland Park, KS		 Mission Hill
Cleaners [gone]
Overland Park, KS		 Dragon Inn
Overland Park, KS
These Mission letters are displayed inside the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center. They were originally part of the Mission Shopping Center sign. I don't know what happened to the rest of the sign when the museum moved to this location. The shopping center opened in 1956 in Mission, KS. In 1989, it was rebuilt as the Mission Center Mall. It closed and was demolished in 2006. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.

Sometime after 2001, the Mission Hill Cleaners sign was repainted and the neon was removed. The sign is probably from the 1950s. This photo is from 2010. The sign was removed around 2018 and is now storage at the Midwest Sign Company. For more, see this website.

The Dragon Inn opened in 1975. This sign looks older than that and was probably adapted with a new backlit plastic panel then. By 1964 and through the early 1970s, the IL Pizza Restaurant was located at this address. There was another Dragon Inn location in Prairie Village which closed in 2011. [map]

Park City:
Hotel Pacific [gone]

Otto's Cafe
Pittsburg, KS		 Little's Inc. [gone]
Pittsburg, KS
Otto's Cafe opened in 1945 and is still operating. This sign may have been installed then. For more, see this website. [map]

Little's Inc. was a women's clothing store. It opened at this location in 1955. This photo is from 2010. The shop closed in 2013. The sign was gone by 2014 and the building was housing a law office.

Jim's Steak House
Pittsburg, KS
2010: 2023:
Jim's Steak House opened in 1938. This sign is probably from the 1950s. Around 2022, the bottom of the sign was modified. The bottom text panel was replaced with a larger one to fit the words "and Chop House." The design bears a strong resemblance to the Alesi's Pizza House sign in Lafayette, LA. For more, see this website. [map]

More Pittsburg:
Harry's Cafe

Ayres-Calbeck Mortuary
Pratt, KS		 Prime 8 Inn [gone]
Russell, KS		 Sunflower Motel
Russell, KS
The Ayres-Calbeck Mortuary was established in 1892. This sign is probably from the 1950s or earlier. It is lit at night. For more, see this website. [map]

I believe the Prime 8 Inn sign advertised for the Kent Motel originally. This sign was gone by 2021.

The plastic panel part of the Sunflower Motel sign looks like it might have revolved. It is probably from the late 1950s or early 1960s. The motel has been gone since at least 2008 and there's a storage facility on the lot. The sign remains. [map]

More Pratt:
Donald's Serva-teria

Russell:
Don Dawson Pharmacy [gone]

Sabetha:
Koch's Motel [map]

Veterans of Foreign Wars
Salina, KS		 BEL Tree Farm
Salina, KS		 Gutierrez Mexican Food
Salina, KS
This Veterans of Foreign Wars sign is probably from the 1950s. The top is very similar to the one in Hutchinson, KS. [map]

The BEL Tree Farm, a Christmas tree farm, was established in 1965. The BEL name came from the founders' last names: Birch, Eck, and Lewis. The company moved to this location in 1975 and this sign is from around then. [map]

Gutierrez Mexican Food opened in 1976 at a different location. The restaurant moved next to the interstate in 2004 and this palm tree sign is probably from then. The restaurant closed in 2018 but this sign remains. [map]

Wood Fashion Plaza
Salina, KS
The Wood Fashion Plaza sign originally read "Wood Fashion Cleaners." The business opened in 1947 and closed in 2005. The business moved to this location in 1959 and this sign is probably from then. The sign was adapted sometime after 2006. The building is from around 1919 and probably housed a garage and had gas pumps originally. It now houses an ice cream shop and the Salina Code Academy. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Budget King Motel
Salina, KS
2010: 2023:
The Budget King Motel sign is probably from the late 1950s. It originally advertised for the Canary Motel and had a bird panel on top. There was another pole sign there before that. By 2018, the sign had been repainted and the neon removed. For more, see this website. [map]

Starlite Motel
Salina, KS		 directional signs
Salina, KS		 Airliner Motel
Salina, KS
The Starlite Motel sign appears to be from the 1950s. Around 2021, the neon was removed and the sign was painted dark blue. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. This Starlite Motel sign in Minneapolis, MN has an identical top. [map]

The directional signs point the way to both the Starlite and the Airliner Motels. Both signs are probably from the 1950s. [map]

The Airliner Motel sign is also most likely from the late 1950s. It has obviously been updated and altered a bit but the neon appears intact. There was a different sign here previously with a star on top, similar to its directional sign [map]

Salina Supply
Company
Salina, KS		 Edgington
Music Co.
Salina, KS		 Vernon Jewelers
Salina, KS		 Hedges Neon Sales
Salina, KS
The Salina Supply Company was established in 1919. This sign is probably from the 1950s. [map]

The Edgington Music Co. store had opened by 1953. The store is now known as Midwest Music but this sign remains. The sign is probably from the late 1950s or 1960s. I don't know if the neon clarinet is lit anymore. [map]

Vernon Jewelers opened here in 1884. The sign is probably from the late 1950s or 1960s. The star on top of the Vernon panel was gone in 2023. [right photo thanks Glenda Campbell] [map]

Hedges Neon Sales was established by 1938. This sign appears to be from the 1950s. The business has closed but I believe this sign is still there. [map]

More Salina:
Brittendall Motor Co. [gone]
Cozy Inn
Flamingo Aptel: 1, 2 [gone]

Kansas
(page 1)		 Kansas
(page 2)		 Kansas
(page 3)		 Kansas
(page 5)		 Kansas City Wichita
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