NEON EXHIBIT: Old signs offer bright look at Las Vegas' past

Electric relics offer a glimpse of LV era long passed

They are memories of Las Vegas past, representatives of times when buildings were shorter, the Omnimax was still in place and the Flamingo sign was the brightest on the Strip.

They are the neon signs of yesteryear that gave Las Vegas its light, and some of them are on display at the Nevada State Museum and Historical Society through January.

"Neon Unplugged: Signs from the Boneyard" is a collection of vintage neon and bulb signs that once graced locales around the Las Vegas Valley. Some would be familiar to frequent visitors while others are only known by longtime residents. However, there is something at the exhibit for everyone, from history buffs to budding scientists.

Near each sign, a paragraph will tell its story. At a learning station, young and old alike can learn about the science of neon as well as how the signs were created.

"We're trying to give a history and help people put it into context," said Greta Brunschwyler, museum director. "We're trying to fit all the historical elements into the exhibit."

Looking at a photo exhibit of the signs included in the exhibit, curator and longtime resident Dave Millman stressed the importance of local signs such as Anderson Dairy, Modern Laundry and Cleaners and the Sulinda Inn.

"Las Vegas created signs no one had ever seen before. Times Square in New York had some comparable, but not along the lines of the Strip or Fremont Street," Millman said. "Some people look at it like garish light, and some people look at it as art. It created an indelible image for Las Vegas, and it worked for the town."

Signs such as the Landmark, which was imploded in 1995 to make way for a Las Vegas Convention Center parking lot, have weathered the elements over the years outside at Young Electric Sign Co. Ad-Art Electric Sign Group was the other company in town that employed designers working on signs.

"(The Landmark sign is) a very big hit for longtime Las Vegans," Brunschwyler said. "People know it. They remember it. Plus, many people know it was imploded in 'Mars Attacks!' "

Mass manufacturing of neon signs was never developed. Today, where neon signs exist, they are still made by hand, Millman said. The paint is chipped, but some signs still cast a light across the exhibit. They are memories that show their age and experience.

"It's like the difference between early animation cartoons and the computer cartoons of today," he said. "If you're looking at it as art, they're pretty. (But) neon was critical to the image you had of Las Vegas. It was the signs that attracted you, not the buildings."

Although she's the director of the museum, Brunschwyler, a new resident, is a little lost when it comes to Las Vegas sign history. She learns from her staff as well as those who come through the exhibit. Currently, she's looking for someone who will recognize a brown arrow sign, with the word "open" in white letters in the middle.

"They don't get to everything. We just look at pictures and look for names ... because people just didn't keep track of those things," Brunschwyler said. "The nostalgia factor is fantastic for this."

Plans are under way to build a permanent Neon Museum facility downtown. It will include indoor and outdoor exhibits, research facilities, classrooms, a store and cafe.

Those interested in The Neon Museum can call 387-6366 or visit the Web site at www.neonmuseum.org.

Tickets to the neon exhibit at the Nevada State Museum and Historical Society are $2 for adults and children under age 18 are free. The exhibit will be open every day, except holidays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Jan. 4. The museum is located at Lorenzi Park, 700 Twin Lakes Drive. Those interested in the exhibit can call 486-5205.

An added bonus for vintage neon sign enthusiasts this month will feature the one-day-only opening of the Neon Boneyard on Saturday. The event, part of the Cultural Corridor Coalition Free Day, will feature tours every half hour, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tours are limited to 50 people each. Registration will be at the welcome tent at Cashman Center, 850 Las Vegas Blvd. North.


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