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Springfield Signs

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Glo Dry Cleaning
S. National Ave.
Springfield, MO		 Glo Dry Cleaning
N. Benton Ave.
Springfield, MO
I believe the Glo Dry Cleaning chain was established in Texas in the 1940s. There are some other Glo Cleaners in Dallas with this wedding cake style sign. I don't know when these Springfield locations were built but I suspect these signs are probably from the 1950s or 1960s. There are about six locations in Springfield but I believe only these two locations have the wedding cake signs. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [S. National map]; [N. Benton map]

Nathan Clothing Co.
Springfield, MO
2010: 2024:
This sign was originally built in 1913 for the Nathan Clothing Co.. The store closed after a fire later that year. In the 1930s, the sign was adapted for Barth's Clothing. The original torches were either spared or replicated for Barth's. In 2005, long after Barth's had closed, letters spelling out "DRINK" were installed. At that point, the space below housed a nightclub known as the Club Drink. Those letters were later removed. The building now houses the History Museum for Springfield-Greene County. In 2013, the sign was restored with the new letters for "History Museum" and the detail at the top of the sign which was missing by 2007 was recreated. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, and 4. [map]

Mexican Villa
Springfield, MO
This Mexican Villa sign is from the late 1950s. It originally read "Italian Villa". When the Mexican Villa opened here, the name and sign were changed. The signs in the second and third rows above were installed on the sides of the building by the 1970s. The blue signs originally read "Tacos to Go." For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Moseley's Discount Office Products
Springfield, MO		 Hiland Dairy
Springfield, MO		 Danny's Service Center
Springfield, MO		 Parakeet
Apartments [gone]
Springfield, MO
Moseley's Discount Office Products was established in 1941. This sign might be from the 1950s or 1960s. The loops on top might indicate that this was originally a hanging sign. [map]

The Hiland Dairy was established in Springfield in 1938. The company moved to this location in 1948. This sign revolves. For more, see this website. [map]

Danny's Service Center was built in 1954. This sign is probably from then. It has unusual external neon border details. [map]

The Parakeet Apartments was originally known as the Parakeet Motel. The ghost lettering of "Motel Parakeet" was still visible when this photo was taken in 2010. By 2016, the entire sign had been painted black. by 2019, the sign was gone. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.

Graystone Heights Modern Cabins
Springfield, MO		 Safe House-Pawn [gone]
Springfield, MO
The Graystone Heights Modern Cabins were built in 1935. By 1939, more cabins were built as well as a Conoco gas station and a cafe. This sign was restored in 2014 through the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. It is probably a replica of the 1930s sign. [map]

The Safe House-Pawn shop was closed in 2010. In 2012, the lot was surrounded with chain link fencing. By 2014, the sign was gone.

Hoover Music Company
Springfield, MO
2010: 2024:
The Hoover Music Company was established in 1912. This sign was probably built in 1967 when the business moved to this location. The circular panel with the portrait of the founder, Herbert Lee Hoover, must have revolved originally. In the late 1980s, this panel had an image of a piano instead of the portrait. In 2020, Hoover Music closed. The company's original sign was installed on the side of the building. It was stolen after the store closed. The arrow was painted black around 2022 and the plastic panel was swapped out for another business soon after that. [map]

Glenstone Cottage Court
Springfield, MO		 Teamsters Union
Springfield, MO		 Rockwood
Motor Court
Springfield, MO		 Anton's
Coffee Shop [gone]
Springfield, MO
The Glenstone Cottage Court opened in 1947 as the Greystone Cottage Court. This sign is probably from the 1950s or 1960s. [map]

This Teamsters Union sign is probably from the 1950s. [map]

The Rockwood Motor Court was built in 1929 as the Rockwood Court. It was later known as the Rockwood Motel. Restoration of the property began in 2019. This sign was created by by Payne Sign Co. and installed in 2022. Although it is supposedly a replica of the original sign, it is not. It is somewhat similar to but smaller than the Rockwood Motel sign which was probably from the 1950s. [map]

Anton's Coffee Shop had been at this location since 1974. The place opened in 1959 as Vaughn's Dairy Sweet. There was an ice cream cone on the sign where the coffee cup is now. It operated as Yum Burger Drive-in in the 1960s and McCormick's Drive-in after that. Anton's closed in 2020 and the sign was gone by 2022.

Best Western
Springfield, MO
This Best Western was built in 1937 as the Rail Haven Motor Court. It later became the Rail Haven Motel and, at some point, it became part of the Best Western chain. It is now known as the Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven. The sign on the left above was installed in 1965 and replaced in 1995 with a new sign. This old crown sign is still on display on the property. The other sign, third photo above, might be from the same time. In 2015, a tribute sign of the Rail Haven Motel sign was installed. The original sign was much larger, had a dark background, had an AAA logo on top, and read "Rail Haven Motor Court." For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Rest Haven Court
Springfield, MO		 Munger Moss Motel
Lebanon, MO		 Missouri Route 66
Welcome Center
Conway, MO
The Rest Haven Court was built in 1947. The sign was built in 1953. It must have been inspired by the Holiday Inn Great Sign. The sign's arrow contains around 900 light bulbs. At some point after 1992, the owner must have gotten tired of replacing the bulbs and installed neon over the holes. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

The Munger Moss Motel opened in 1946. The owners of the Munger Moss were so impressed with the Rest Haven Court sign that they copied it, with the Rest Haven's owners permission, when they updated this sign in 1955. In 2010, just after this night photo was taken, this sign was completely restored. The other two photos are from 2024. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, and 4. [map]

The Missouri Route 66 Welcome Center sign was based on the Munger Moss sign. It was built in 2009 and is located at a rest stop on I-41. [map]

More Springfield:
Cat & Fiddle [gone]
College St. Body Shop
Country Club Center (now Tulsa, OK)
Crump Truck & Trailer Works
Office Furniture
Ship & Anchor Motel [vintage; gone]
Steak 'n Shake

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