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Washington Signs (page 1)

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Aberdeen:
Finish Line Car Wash

Masonic Temple [gone]
Anacortes, WA
The Masonic Temple appeared to be from the 1950s or 1960s. By 2019, this sign had been replaced with a neon-less, modern sign. For more, see this website.

More Anacortes:
Anchor Inn
San Juan Lanes

Roberts Motors Oldsmobile
Auburn, WA
O'Brady's Drive-in [gone]
Battle Ground, WA
Roberts Motors Oldsmobile opened at a different location in Auburn in 1952 and this sign was installed then. The sign was relocated to this location when the dealership moved here in 1963. The rocket is a reference to Oldsmobile's "rocket engine" which was developed in 1949 and used in advertising in the 1950s. I believe only two or three of these signs were produced and this is the only one left. Roberts Motors is now a used car dealer. For more, see this website. [map]

The O'Brady's Drive-in sign was probably from the 1960s. The drive-in closed in 2012 for road widening. By 2015, the building was still there but the sign was gone.

Aloha Motel
Bellingham, WA
McGavin's Bakery
Bremerton, WA
Eldon's Cleaners [gone]
Bremerton, WA
The Aloha Motel was built in 1960 and this sign was built then. The "MOTEL" backlit plastic text panel originally had different colored rectangles for each letter. This photo is from 2015 and the motel was demolished later that year. The sign was still there in 2018 but gone by 2021. It was saved by the City. In 2023, the sign was restored and reinstalled at the original site which now houses the Samish Commons Urban Village affordable apartment complex. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

McGavin's Bakery opened around 1937. This sign looks like it might be from the 1960s. [map]

The Eldon's Cleaners sign was probably from the 1960s. This photo is from 2015. By 2017, the cleaners and the sign were gone.

More Bremerton:
Tony's Pizza

Mom's Cafe
Burlington, WA
The Mom's Cafe signs are probably from the 1960s. Mom's Cafe opened here in 2000 and closed in 2015. I don't know what business was here originally but there were ghost letters behind "Mom's" reading "Some Place Different." By 2017, the sign had been covered up for another business. Those panels are gone now and the sign reads Mom's Cafe again, without the neon. The monkey sign is still there. I believe that sign was originally displayed at the Organ Grinder Pizza in Portland, OR. There was another location in Denver, CO. For more, see this website. [map]

Camas:
Natalia's Cafe

Salewsky's Jewelry
Centralia, WA
El Rancho Bar & Grill
Centralia, WA
Shanghai Cafe
Centralia, WA
Salewsky's Jewelry opened in 1947. This sign may be from then. For more, see this website. [map]

The El Rancho Bar & Grill closed around 2007. Around 2009, the "El Rancho" letters were removed from the canopy. The sign with the sleeping Mexican man remains. The building now houses an antiques store. [map]

The Shanghai Cafe opened in 1929. This sign is probably from the 1950s. The restaurant closed in 2019. The sign will be sold to a collector. [map]

More Centralia:
Centralia Rollerdrome
Olympic Club Hotel

Chehalis:
Benny's Florist [map]

Apple Cup Cafe
Chelan, WA
Chimacum Cafe
Chimacum, WA
The Apple Cup Cafe opened in 1957. This sign appears to be from then. For more, see this website. [map]

The Chimacum Cafe opened in 1955. This sign may be from the 1950s or 1960s. The owners believe the sign came from a business in Port Townsend. [map]

Hogan's Place
Clarkston, WA
The Hogan's Place sign is probably from the 1950s. The pole features chasing bulbs. [map]

Sunset Motel
Clarkston, WA
Hacienda Lodge
Clarkston, WA
The Sunset Motel sign is probably from the 1950s. For more, see this website. [map]

The Hacienda Lodge sign appears to be from the 1960s. For more, see this website. [map]

More Clarkston:
Golden Key Motel

Cle Ulum:
Cle Ulum Drug [gone]
Storey's Service Station

Ala Cozy Motel
Coulee City, WA
Rocket Gas [gone]
Des Moines, WA
The Ala Cozy Motel signs are probably from the 1950s. For more, see this website. [map]

This Rocket Gas sign was located inside the Butler Bar & Grill which had a nice collection of old neon signs. The bar was closed when I was there but I got this photo through the window in 2008. By 2011, the bar and signs were gone. I believe Rocket gas stations were a local chain and this is the only sign left that I know of. These 12-foot-tall signs were created in the late 1950s or early 1960s. It was restored by the Neon Electric Sign Co. in Seattle. For more, see this website.

Edmonds:
Robin Hood Lanes [gone]

Johnson's Auto Glass
& Upholstery
Ellensburg, WA
Thunderbird
Motel [gone]
Ellensburg, WA
Lighthouse Motel
Ellensburg, WA
Winegar's [gone]
Ellensburg, WA
Johnson's Auto Glass & Upholstery opened in 1940. This sign may be from then or the 1950s. The neon flashes on and off, alternating between "Seat Covers" and "Auto Glass." [map]

The Thunderbird Motel and sign appeared to be from the 1950s or 1960s. This photo is from 2008. By 2012, the sign was gone and the business had become a Motel 6. For more, see this website.

The Lighthouse Motel sign was partially repainted in the past couple years before this photo was taken in 2008. There seems to be part of the sign missing below the "vacancy" piece. [map]

The Winegar Dairy was established in Ellensburg in 1949. According to the company's website, Winegar's Drive-in Dairy opened in 1960. However, this sign read 1956. This photo is from 2008. By 2015, the sign was gone.

Independent Order of Odd Fellows
Ellensburg, WA
2008: 2015:
This Independent Order of Odd Fellows was chartered in 1881. This sign is probably from the 1940s or 1950s. By 2012, the sign had been restored. [map]

More Ellensburg:
Button's Jewelers [vintage; gone]
Hi-Way Grill [map]
Kittitas County Historical Museum
Mills Saddle N Togs [vintage; gone]
Rainbow Motel
Rossow's U-Tote-Em

Bamboo Shoot
Ephrata, WA
M&H Glass Co.
Ephrata, WA
Everett Motel
Everett, WA
The Bamboo Shoot sign appears to be from the 1950s or 1960s. The plugged neon tubing holes probably indicated that this was not the original restaurant's name. By 2018, the neon had been removed and the text panels had been covered up with printed red vinyl. For more, see this website. [map]

These embossed plastic Glidden signs hang in front of M&H Glass Co. They are probably from the 1960s or 1970s. [map]

The Everett Motel sign may be from the 1960s. The motel has been demolished but the sign remains. [map]

Totem
Family Dining
Everett, WA
Blue Moon Tavern [gone]
Everett, WA
Pacific Stone Company
Everett, WA
The Totem Family Dining restaurant opened in 1953. This sign might be from then or from the 1960s. [map]

The word "Tavern" on the Blue Moon Tavern sign has been painted over. By 2021, the entire sign had been painted over and the neon removed.

The Pacific Stone Company featured two great signs which have been kept from a previous business. The rake and shovel sign was designed by Howard Frederick Tollefson for "Farmer's Garden Center" and installed sometime between 1957-1961. The lettering on the panels was changed later for Pacific Stone. The sign with the lawn mower guy which was installed at the back of the parking lot was probably on the front of the garden store. It may have been built earlier. That sign fell off the roof in 2014. It was badly damaged and put in storage. There are no plans to restore it. In 2024, Pacific Stone announed that they were moving. It is not yet known what will happen with the sign. For more, see this website. [map]

More Everett:
Everett Used Cars

Glacier Motel [gone]
Fife, WA
Poodle Dog Restaurant
Fife, WA
The Glacier Motel sign depicted Mount Rainier. It was probably from the 1940s or 1950s. The sign was removed in 2019 during road construction. The owner is not sure if this sign will be reinstalled. It was still missing in 2022. For more, see this website. [map]

The Poodle Dog Restaurant opened here in a rail car in 1933. This sign appears to be a recreation of the one that was installed on the restaurant's 1950s building. I believe this sign was built in 1967. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

More Fife:
Pick Quick Drive-in

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