Tag: Historic Preservation

You’ll Never Drive Past a Neon Sign the Same WayOnce you’ve watched glass bend over a flame, roadside neon stops being wallpaper. That vintage motel sign buzzing on Route 66, the old diner arrow pointing you toward pie — someone bent that by hand, tube by tube, over a paper pattern on a workbench. Every […]

There’s a particular kind of magic that happens when you pull into a classic motor court at dusk. The neon flickers. The breeze carries the smell of pavement cooling after a summer day. And for a moment, you can almost hear the ghosts of station wagons and road maps rustling in glove compartments. I’ve felt […]

(The National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement) A recent trip to Las Vegas led us to the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement — better known as The Mob Museum. This well-curated, deeply informative museum offers a fascinating walk through the history of organized crime, its influence on American culture, and […]

A Journey Through Vintage Las Vegas at The Neon Museum, Las Vegas Visiting the Neon Museum in Las Vegas—affectionately known as the “Neon Boneyard”—is like stepping into a time capsule that illuminates the city’s vibrant past. This outdoor museum serves as a sanctuary for over 250 retired neon signs, each a relic from the city’s […]

Step Back in Time at the El Cortez Hotel & Casino – A Vintage Vegas Experience The El Cortez opened its doors in 1941, making it one of the oldest continuously operating casinos in Las Vegas. It was so ahead of its time that people thought it was too far from the action—ironically, now it’s […]

Distinguished by its fabulous diamond shaped exterior, the Ohio House is a fabulous example of mid-century architecture right in the middle of downtown Chicago. Other architectural points of interest include the matching suspended sign, held up by a geometric metal grid which is itself reflected in the pattern block fence that runs along Ohio Street. […]

A favorite stop along Route 66 is the Blue Whale. Folk art stops like this make Route 66 fun to travel – but you have to wonder why it’s there? Built in 1972 as an anniversary gift, the Blue Whale quickly evolved into a local summer hot spot and family travel destination. Almost immediately the […]