HalloNeon

Hurricane Sandy has nixed this year's Halloween Parade, darkened neon all over town and destroyed one of the city's best historic signs (more below).  So here's some spooky neon to brighten this post-hurricane Halloween.

Though I try not to digress too much from NYC-related subject matter, I just had to make an exception for this little Halloween-themed gem from Detroit.  I ran across this while perusing old issues of the Claude Neon News at the New York Public Library.  Published for just a few years around 1930, the Claude Neon News showcased the company's work for promotional purposes.  The March 1929 issue featured this installation, conceived by Detroit's "city authorities" to "keep motorists and street railway passengers apart."  Oh for the days when traffic planners resorted to red neon skull-and-crossbones to keep us safe!

(Claude Neon News, March 1929 / NYPL)

Alas, these little neon Jolly Rogers didn't last long.  In July 1929 the Claude Neon News ran a blurb under the headline "Replacing the Skull and Crossbones."  Some bureaucratic killjoys apparently decided that a simple neon rectangle would suffice in place of Claude’s more spirited traffic advisory.  "The reaction to the Claude Neon skull and crossbone display previously used by the city for the same purpose was that it was a bit too gruesome." 

(Claude Neon News, July 1929 / NYPL) 

IN OTHER NEON NEWS:

• By way of the ATZ Blog, the Shore Theater's wonderful vertical sign in Coney Island has been trounced by Hurricane Sandy.  Utterly heartbreaking.

The old Loew's Shore Theatre sign, lost to Hurricane Sandy. (T. Rinaldi)

•  From the Lost City blog: bad news for Gallagher's Steak House on West 52nd Street, set to close in January after 85 years.

Gallagher's, soon to close. (T. Rinaldi)  

UPCOMING NEW YORK NEON TALKS: 

• Nov. 19, 2012 at the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation

• Nov. 29, 2012 at the Skyscraper Museum
• Jan. 24, 2013 at the 92nd Street Y TriBeCa 

Hudson River Neon, Part 2 - Dutchess, Ulster, Columbia and Greene Counties

With the Hudson Valley's autumn leaves about to peak in the next few weeks, we bring you the second installment of this two-part round-up of upstate neon (and a few non-neon signs that were just too great to leave out).   Part 2 features a not-comprehensive selection of signs found in Dutchess, Ulster, Columbia, and Greene counties, along with one or two from Albany and Rensellaer (the Capital District is chock-a-block with a fine collection of great old neon that really warrants a post of its own - maybe one day...).  If you haven't yet, be sure to look over Part 1 featuring signs of the lower Hudson Valley.  Many thanks to Rob Yasinsac for collaborating in this venture.

Did we miss some?  We've got a few more over at HudsonValleyRuins.org – and see also Debra Jane Seltzer's gallery of upstate signs.

The Derby / 96 Main Street, Poughkeepsie

Poughkeepsie Diner / 59 Market Street, Poughkeepsie 

Imperial Lounge / Main Street, Poughkeepsie

Gone now, I think.

Sharkey's / Main Street, Poughkeepsie
A surprisingly good reincarnation of the old Sharkey's Appliances sign - Sharkey's itself is long gone, but the building owner thankfully had the sign faithfully re-fabricated.  Here's what it used to look like.   

Dutchess Center / Rt. 44, Poughkeepsie

Café Aurora / 145 Mill Street, Poughkeepsie

Juliet Billiards / Raymond Ave., Poughkeepsie

Formerly, of course, the Juliet movie theater.  The "CAFE" copy was added when the old theater was converted into a billiards hall.

Mulligan's Irish House / New Hackensack Road, Poughkeepsie

The Milanese / 115 Main Street, Poughkeepsie
The arrow flashes.

Town Shop / Rt. 9, Poughkeepsie

The Roosevelt Inn / 4360 Albany Post Road, Hyde Park

9G Drive In Theatre / 1234 Route 9G, Hyde Park
Gone now, sadly.

Wayside Trailer Park / Wilbur Road, Pleasant Valley

Mystery Motel / Taconic State Parkway, Pleasant Valley

Millerton Diner (now Oakhurst Diner) / 19 Main St, Millerton
Not an especially old sign - the diner now has a new name and a re-lettered sign.

Foster's Coach House / 6411 Montgomery Street, Rhinebeck
Made 1942 by Servicenter Neon Sign Co. of Poughkeepsie

Northern Dutchess Pharmacy / 18 East Market Street, Rhinebeck

Village Diner / Rt. 9, Red Hook

Ship Lantern Inn / Rt. 9W, Milton

Hilltop Cabins / Rt. 9W near Esopus

Friendly Acres / Somewhere near Esopus

Eng’s Chinese / 726 Broadway, Kingston

The Mohican Co. / John Street, Kingston

Astoria Hotel / 435 Main St., Rosendale

Orpheum Theatre / 156 Main Street, Saugerties  

Main Street Bar & Grill (now Main Street Restaurant) / 244 Main Street, Saugerties

Lachmann’s Bakery (now HV Dessert Co.) / 264 Main Street, Saugerties

Vozdik Realty / Saugerties

Clock / Partition Street, Saugerties
Dying to see this one in action!

Exchange Hotel / 217 Main St, Saugerties
Not sure if one can still rent rooms here, but the bar is still alive and kickin' - one of your better bets for late night libation in town.  

Elm Tree Motel / 1384 RT 23, Craryville
Sign seems to be gone now, ditched for a modern replacement.  How they could get red of this beauty I'll never understand.

Ancram Hotel / Rt 82, Ancram

West Taghkanic Diner / Route 82 @ Taconic Parkway, Taghkanic (See also RoadSideFans.com)

Martindale Chief / 1000 New York 23, Martindale
Lesser-known twin to the West Taghkanic Diner, once under the same management.

Ye Olde 1811 Inn / 2 Austerlitz St., Chatham

High-Way Drive-In Theatre / Route 9W, Catskill

Red’s Restaurant / 12005 Rt. 9W, West Coxsackie, NY

IOOF Odd Fellows Hall / Main Street South, Castleton-on-Hudson

Grand Hotel / Albany Ave, Nassau

South End Tavern / 757 Burden Avenue, Troy

Hotel Wellington / State Street, Albany
The old Hotel Wellington was mostly razed not long after this photograph was taken.  A portion of the facade remains but sadly the sign didn't make it.

The Trojan Hotel / Third Street, Troy