email: roadarch@outlook.com

Missouri Signs (page 1)

(hit "refresh" to get the most recent version of this page; click on photos for larger images)

Ava Beverage
Ava, MO		 Ava Drug
Ava, MO		 Jan's Liquors
Belton, MO		 Crest Food Center
Belton, MO
This Ava Beverage sign is probably from the 1950s. It appeared to have been restored recently when this photo was taken in 2010. [map]

Ava Drug was established in 1950. This sign is probably from then. I believe the sign was restored in 2005. The "Free Parking" part of the sign must have read something else originally. This store has another sign behind the building which I missed. [map]

The Jan's Liquors sign probably had a different name on top originally. The bulbs and neon appear to be in good shape. [map]

The Crest Food Center closed in 2010. In 2012, the building was still vacant and the sign was still there. For more, see this website. [map]

Blue Springs Bowl
Blue Springs, MO
The Blue Springs Bowl signs are probably from the 1950s. The red sign was gone by 2012 but the pole sign is still there. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Childress Music
Bolivar, MO		 Stein House
Cafe [gone]
Boonville, MO		 Melody Lane Inn
Branson, MO		 Buffalo Motel
Buffalo, MO
Childress Music has been around since 1967. This sign is probably from then. For more, see this website. [map]

The Stein House Cafe opened in the 1930s. It was destroyed by a fire in 2011. The sign was saved and put in storage. This photo is from 2010. For more, see this website.

The Melody Lane Inn sign was recently repainted. The note was previously blue. This photo is from 2010. The motel has been closed since at least 2012. The sign was still there in 2016. For more, see this website. [map]

The Buffalo Motel sign is probably from the 1950s. For more, see this website. [map]

More Boonville:
Hotel Frederick [map]

Tod's Motel
Cabool, MO		 California Motel
California, MO		 Cal's 2
California, MO		 Southeast Missouri
Builder's Supply
Cape Girardeau, MO
Tod's Motel was built in 1934 as Tod's Motor Court. This sign is probably from the 1950s. The design appears to match the College Crest Motel sign in Alton, IL. For more, see this website. [map]

The California Motel sign is probably from the 1950s. [map]

The Cal's 2 sign was built in the late 1990s. The pouring bottle is animated. For more, see this website. [map]

Southeast Missouri Builder's Supply was established around 1900. This plastic sign is probably from the 1950s or 1960s. It reads "Lumber" and "Prompt Service". The bottom sign might have been neon at one time. [map]

More California:
Pontiac

Camdenton:
Night Hawks Cafe: 1 , 2[gone]

More Cape Girardeau:
Grecian Steak House
Zickfield's Jeweler [map]

Galbraith's Paint & Floor
Carthage, MO		 Star Lanes
Carthage, MO		 Drake Hotel
Carthage, MO		 Tri-State Bail Bonds
Carthage, MO
Galbraith's Paint & Floor was established in 1948. These Pratt & Lambert Paint signs must have been mass-produced. However, I don't know of any others like this left. There is only one panel left now. [map]

The Star Lanes is housed in the former Crane Theatre. The theatre was built in 1926 and remodeled in 1955. It was renamed the Fox Theatre at that time. I assume this sign was originally used for the theatre and adapted for Star Lanes. [map]

The Drake Hotel was built in 1922 and this sign is probably from then or shortly thereafter. In 2005, the building was renovated and converted into apartments. The neon sign was refurbished in 2006. [map]

Tri-State Bail Bonds was established in 1959. This sign has been there since at least the 1960s. [map]

More Carthage:
De Soto Plymouth
Mobilgas [map]

Cassville:
Cassville Bowl [map]

Boomland
Charleston, MO
Boomland is a big fireworks store and gift shop on the Kentucky, Illinois, and Tennessee border. There are two other locations in Missouri. The first sign is a huge pole sign visible from the interstate while the second sign is ground level near the store. These photos are from 2006. On a 2010 visit, the second sign was missing. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Starlite Motel
Chillicothe, MO		 Ireland Advertising
& Electric
Chillicothe, MO		 Masonic Lodge
Chillicothe, MO
The Starlite Motel sign is probably from the 1950s. The sign was previously painted different colors. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

The Ireland Advertising & Electric sign was probably adapted from another business. The fox appears to be painting. The business name part of the sign is plastic. [map]

This Masonic Lodge sign is probably from the 1950s. [map]

Dryer's Shoe Store
Columbia, MO		 Arrow Head Motel
Columbia, MO		 Eastwood Motel
Columbia, MO
Dryer's Shoe Store opened in 1956 and is still in business. The Weather-Bird Shoes company goes back to at least the late 1940s. Like Red Goose Shoes, I'm sure this logo appeared on other neon shoe store signs. However, this is the only sign that I know of that's still on display. [map]

The Arrow Head Motel was built in the 1950s. It has been closed for years and a U-Haul distributor operates on the property. The sign remains. It features an Indian blowing smoke rings over a fire. The smoke rings might have been animated originally. These photos are from 2010. The motel has been closed since at least 2013. [map]

The Eastwood Motel signs were probably built in the 1950s. These photos are from 2010. By 2013, the red sign had been replaced with a sign for another business. The pole sign is still there. [map]

63 Diner
Columbia, MO
The 63 Diner opened in 1989. The restaurant has a collection of restored and new signs displayed in the parking lot. The pig and vertical EAT signs are vintage. I think the atomic sign is modern. The restaurant closed in 2015. The signs were still there in 2016. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. [map]

MO (page 2) MO (page 3) MO (page 4) MO (page 5) Kansas City St. Louis
Main Signs Page