Wickenburg’s neon saguaro proved adaptable, but will other local historic signs survive?
Roadside enthusiasts cruising U.S. Highway 60 through Wickenburg might think the La Siesta Plaza was an old-time commercial strip based on its vintage saguaro-shaped sign. But looks can be deceiving.
While the neon sign dates from the 1950s, it was adaptively reused more than a half-century later as Wickenburg transitioned from a town offering travelers gas, food, and lodging to a burgeoning residential destination.
The sign initially advertised the La Siesta Motel, an architecturally distinct roadside lodge built around a scenic rock outcrop. The ranch-style motel, with a cactus garden and a heated pool, was popular with motorists traveling on U.S. 60, then the main route between Phoenix and Los Angeles. This two-lane blacktop, however, well less frequently traveled after Interstate 10 opened in the 1970s.
The La Siesta Motel kept its “Vacancy” sign lit until it was razed in 2001. Fortunately, the demolition team spared its charismatic highway sign. By 2003, the parcel had been redeveloped into a strip mall. The sign's lettering was converted to La Siesta Plaza to advertise the commercial space. Conveniently, “plaza” had the same number of letters as “motel.”
Other historical commercial signs abound throughout the Valley, including many in Phoenix. “Preserve Phoenix has received great feedback about our local vintage signs being colorful icons that are engaging urban artifacts that tell a good story about the city’s history,” says Ashley Harder, the group’s executive director. “Unfortunately, these historical assets are often under threat of being demolished to make way for new developments,” she adds.
The adaptive reuse of the La Siesta sign was one of the first to occur locally, as redevelopment efforts recognized its artistry and commercial potential. But other beloved commercial signs are at risk of demolition as their businesses have closed.
“The burden of saving these signs has rested solely on local preservation groups and advocates who often work quickly to raise funds and coordinate the saving of threatened signs,” Harder says. “Typically, if the signs are saved, they go to other cities where there are existing repositories for vintage signs.”
"While the best outcome is keeping vintage signs upright and lit in their original location, there are times when that's not possible,” says Jim McPherson, president of the Arizona Preservation Foundation. “Fortunately, threatened signs have been dismantled, stored, repaired, and placed in new sites for the public to enjoy." He cites the Neon Sign Park in Casa Grande, Ignite Sign Art Museum, Drachman Street in Tucson, and potential installations in Downtown Mesa and along Route 66.
So, what’s someone to do with an orphaned vintage sign? McPherson says that through the Arizona Preservation Foundation Jumpstart Grant, his organization and the Arizona Vintage Sign Coalition have worked with property owners and movers to save three significant vintage signs: the Moe Allen Auto Body Shop and Maroney’s Cleaners in Phoenix, along with the Prescott Valley Motel. “Arizona Preservation Foundation is here to save our vintage signs when the need arises,” he says. “And if anyone has a unique sign to donate, we're here to help facilitate its preservation and recognize its contributor.
But Harder and McPherson believe there’s a better way of preserving Phoenix’s iconic sign heritage than relying on nonprofits and businesses.
“At this point, Mesa Preservation Foundation has been incredibly generous in assisting the saving and storage of Phoenix’s vintage signs, which we’re all so grateful for,” Harder says. “However, I would like to see a path created for the salvaging and preservation of Phoenix’s vintage signage that keeps them within the city for preservation and reuse.”
Harder notes that other communities in Arizona have made noteworthy developments incorporating the use of historic signs that have won awards. “Though our city recognizes these signs as historic assets in its Midcentury Marvels architecture book, there aren’t any resources or support for their historic preservation. The city should step up and prioritize the preservation of these iconic signs.”
Douglas C. Towne is the editor of Arizona Contractor & Community magazine, arizcc.com.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How historic signs will survive in the Valley
