Neon to brighten future of TD Downtown
This Dog N Suds neon sign will soon be mounted on the Last Stop Saloon building on Second Street and viewable from Interstate-84. In total, four neon signs will be strategically placed around downtown the Dalles on Monday, Jan 11, giving the historic district, yet, another unique flair and a fun eyeful.
This Jefferson Hall sign will soon be hanging off of the Mid-Columbia Medical Center Financial Office building on Second Street.
By Tom Peterson
Some creative minds will put a cool new twist on The Dalles downtown on Monday, Jan. 11.
Just watch for Joe Gibson’s cranes and swinging neon signs.
Four of the glowing classics will go up at different sites with the intention of creating beauty and uniqueness to The Dalles central core that will entice people to stop, walk, shop, imbibe and dine.
Or just ooh and aah.
Like Pulpit Rock and St. Peter’s Landmark, the signs intend to offer a unique one-of-a-kind feel to The Dalles.
“This definitely plays on our historical side,” said Sarah Mall with The Dalles Mainstreet, which received the grant to do the work. “It brings some more artistry and vibrancy to downtown along with the murals we’re trying to restore.”
David Benko, who established the National Neon Sign Museum in the former Elks Building in The Dalles was pivotal in getting the project completed. Photo by global-travel-info.com
The signs which will be strategically placed, are intended to draw the eye and entice travelers and locals alike to adventure downtown and have lunch and visit a boutique.
“Bringing neon signs and historical restorations to the buildings is important,” Mall said. “It brings some beauty to them so the downtown has this wonderful feel to it.”
The Flying A Service sign will be mounted to the building at 306 Court Street.
The local historic Sears sign will be attached to the Sunshine Mill at 323 E. Second St.
The Jefferson Hall sign is going on the NE corner of the Mid-Columbia Medical Center office building at 323 E. Second St.
The Dog n Suds sign is going on the back of the Last Stop Saloon building, 209 E. Second St.
The $25,000 grant for the work was awarded by the National Main Street Center as a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Mall said.
Joe and Wendy Gibson of Ramsey Sign in Portland
The money went to the cost of restoring the signs, paperwork, permits, and hardware for installation. Joe Gibson of Ramsay Signs has generously offered to do the crane installations free of charge, which was critical in making this project happen in spite of the pandemic, Mall said.
“You can’t miss them,” Mall added “This will get downtown hyped and excited. We are particularly happy everyone will be able to see them from the freeway so people will know what a beautiful downtown we have.”
Mall gave a special thanks to City of The Dalles personnel, including City Manager Julie Krueger and Dave Anderson of Public Works for bringing the project to completion.
On a side note, the vintage signs are going up on the 110th anniversary of both the arrival of the neon tube to the United States and the start of the Ramsay Signs company.
Here is a computer-generated mockup of what the Sears sign will look like at the Sunshine Mill on E. Second St. Can’t wait to see it at night.
