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New Orleans Signs (page 1)

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London Lodge Motel
New Orleans, LA		 Carpenters Local Union 1846
New Orleans, LA (now Metairie, LA)
2006: 2019: 2010: 2019:
The London Lodge Motel had a different sign originally. The current sign is probably from the 1950s or 1960s. It was damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The missing vertical "Motel" letters were replaced by 2011. The neon has been removed. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

The Carpenters Local Union 1846 was built in 1950. This sign is probably from then. The neon on the sign was protected behind plexiglass. The sign was removed in 2010. It was restored and installed in 2015 inside the lobby of the union's new location in Metairie. I don't know of any other Carpenters Union neon signs.

Crystal Preserves
New Orleans, LA
2006: 2010:

The original Crystal Preserves billboard style sign was built around 1942. In 2005, it was severely damaged in Hurricane Katrina. Shortly thereafter, Baumer Foods which manufactured Crystal Preserves jams and sauces in the building below the sign moved to Metairie, LA. In addition to the hurricane damage, the sign was riddled with holes. In 2007, the plant was replaced with a new apartment building and it seemed this bit of NOLA history was gone for good. However, the developer of the new building, named "The Preserve", was committed to replacing the sign. The company worked closely with the City and the sign shop for more than a year to produce a faithful reproduction (photo at right). It cost about $100,000 to build the 56-foot-long sign and about another $100,000 to install it in January. The new aluminum sign is designed to withstand 140 mile per hour winds. The chef was hand painted and the red and green neon was matched from old tubing. The original chef was never lit with neon or a spotlight so that portion of the new sign is not visible at night. The old sign featured steam rising from the chef's pot. This gimmick was created by using steam already produced by the plant’s boilers. A hole has been built into the new sign so that dry ice might be used to create the same effect for special occasions. [map]

Half Moon Bar & Restaurant
New Orleans, LA

2006:
2020:
The Half Moon Bar & Restaurant projecting sign is probably from the 1940s or 1950s. The neon on the wall is probably contemporary. By 2011, the wall had been repainted. The painted moon and lettering have been gone since then. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Orleans
Steel Products Co.
New Orleans, LA		 Renaissance Pere
Marquette Hotel
New Orleans, LA		 Doerr Furniture
New Orleans, LA		 Standard Life
Insurance Co.
New Orleans, LA		 Dave Gerber
Loans [gone]
New Orleans, LA
The Orleans Steel Products Co. sign is probably from the 1940s or 1950s. [map]

The Renaissance Pere Marquette Hotel sign is lit 24 hours per day. The arrows on the side of the sign flash sequentially. For more, see this website. [map]

The Doerr Furniture store opened in 1938. The sign is probably from then or by the early 1940s. It was built by the Pelican Sign Company. The sign had been dark since the early 1950s. In 2017, the neon was restored and relit. There is another porcelain enamel sign that was installed at another Doerr location which blew off the building during Hurricane Katrina. That sign has been found and will now be displayed inside this store. [map]

I don't believe the Standard Life Insurance Co. is located in this building anymore. The sign remains. [map]

Dave Gerber Loans sign appears to be from the 1940s or 1950s. The business had been closed for decades but this sign remained until 2022.

Sandpiper Lounge
New Orleans, LA		 City Wholesale Liquor Co.
New Orleans, LA		 Marquer Drugs
New Orleans, LA
The Sandpiper Lounge sign is probably from the 1950s. For more, see this website. [map]

The City Wholesale Liquor Co. opened in 1950 and this sign appears to be from then. [map]

Marquer Drugs is long gone but this sign remains. The sign may be from the 1950s. It was in bad shape and laying on the roof in 2007. It was probably a victim of Hurricane Katrina. It was restored by 2011. [map]

Majestic Mortuary
New Orleans, LA		 First Evangelist Baptist Church [gone]
New Orleans, LA
2010: 2019: 2010: 2019:
I assume the Majestic Mortuary sign was originally installed on a pole or building. I believe the company was founded in the late 1940s. [map]

The First Evangelist Baptist Church sign was probably from the 1940s. By 2022, the sign was gone.

Crescent
Palms Motel
New Orleans, LA		 Mason's Motel
New Orleans, LA		 Brocato's
New Orleans, LA		 Venezia Restaurant
New Orleans, LA
The Crescent Palms Motel and Mason's Motel were owned by the same family and originally had identical signs. The Crescent Palms Motel was the original location, built in 1962. By the 1980s, it had become Brandy's Motel. It closed in 2005 after damage from Hurricane Katrina. In 2008, the motel was completely renovated and reopened as the Crescent Palms. By 2021, it was known as the Hotel Hope. The name had been changed at the bottom and the graphic at the top is now a heart. [map]

The second Mason's Motel on Claiborne, still using the same name, was built by the mid-1960s. [map]

Brocato's was established in 1905 and has moved several times. It has been at its current location since the early 1980s. The business was flooded and the sign was knocked to the ground during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. That sign was probably from the 1950s. The panels were rebuilt after Katrina. The photo above is from 2019. For more, see this website. [map]

The Venezia Restaurant opened in 1957 and this sign appears to be from then. For more, see this website. [map]

New Orleans
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page 3		 Shreveport Louisiana Main Signs Page