The Sign

In this episode, The Sign . . .

Raise your hand if you’ve heard of or remember the futuristic design of the 1950s dubbed Googie architecture? Googie architecture was optimistic, experimental, and exciting. And you might already be familiar with it. Animators for The Jetsons used Googie buildings for inspiration.

Entering Las Vegas, Nevada, from California on Arrowhead Highway/Highway 91, now called “the Strip,” you can still find cherished remnants of roadside America from its motoring past.

While visiting Las Vegas in 2014, staying at Mandalay Bay, I was delighted to discover  the “The Sign.” It’s worth a look just to glimpse Las Vegas’ history.

That is provided you have the pluck to make your way from your room through the maze of the modern monolith hotel/casino and can get outside for an early morning walk; you, too, can discover this quaint roadside attraction.

Admittedly, I’m an early bird, out the door by 5:15 a.m., enjoying a light breeze and a pleasant 78 degrees. Keep in mind even in late May, temperatures in the desert can quickly exceed 100 degrees. My morning walk reminded me of the dramatic scale contrast between the old and the new. The 1950s roadside motels sit in the shadow of the massive Mandalay Bay.

Headed south as the rays of golden sunrise peek over the horizon, unknowingly, I approached the famous Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada sign, built in 1959 and now powered by a solar array. Amazingly, I had never seen this sign before (except in movies).

As I approached from the north side, the large bold red and blue scripted font read, Drive Carefully Come Back Soon. Huh, what’s this? I thought. So, I crossed the street to the median and walked around to read the placard next to the large solar panels.

Here are a few fun facts:

• 25-feet tall
• Designed in 1959 by Architect Betsy Willis
• It is a horizontally stretched diamond-shape
• The design was never copyrighted and remains in the public domain
• The white neon circles were designed to represent silver dollars
• In December 2008, a 10-acre parking lot was built for tourists
• Added to State Register of Historic Places in December 2013

As it’s known to the locals, the sign is located in the center median at 5100 Las Vegas Boulevard South, just north of the historic stone pillars of the old McCarran Airport and across from the Bali Hai Golf Club. According to the GPS on my phone, this landmark sits in the town of Paradise and is located roughly four miles south of the city limits of Las Vegas.

Surprisingly, the design looked familiar. So, I did a quick Google search and tapped on the Googie link; I had seen this style before. Some examples of those familiar with Los Angeles are Norms Restaurants, Johnie’s Coffee Shop on Wilshire Boulevard, the oldest McDonalds in Downey, California, which opened in 1953, the classic drive-in theater signs, and the central Theme Building at the Los Angeles airport.

Today, you can see many diamonds in the desert in Las Vegas, but not one that represents such a blast from roadside America’s motoring past.

I'm Patrick Ball; keep those screens lit, and thanks for listening. See you in the next episode.