28 of Tucson's best neon signs Apr 17, 2016 Apr 17, 2016 Updated May 7, 2020 Some of the notable neon signs around Tucson. Tucson's neon signs The Tucson Inn at 127 W. Drachman. David Sanders/Arizona Daily Star Tucson's neon signs The restored Canyon State Motor Lodge sign will join other signs on display on the north side of the downtown campus of Pima Community College. Courtesy Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation Hacienda Motel The Hacienda Motel on Oracle Road may become a new apartment complex. Arizona Daily Star file photo Tucson's signs The El Con sign on Broadway was a Tucson landmark from 1962 to 1999. It reappeared in 2012 after refurbishment. Mike Christy / Arizona Daily Star 2012 Tucson's neon signs Passersby stroll on the sidewalk near The Buffet, Empire Laundry and New Empire Food Market in the 500 block of East Ninth Street earlier this month in the Iron Horse neighborhood. Mike Christy / Arizona Daily Star Neon signs The diving lady atop the Pueblo Hotel, 145 S. Sixth Ave., was restored and reinstalled in 2012. Courtesy of Michael McKisson Tucson's neon signs The restored Medina's Sporting Goods sign will join other signs on display on the north side of the downtown campus of Pima Community College. Courtesy Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation Tucson's neon signs Tucson neon saguaro on Oracle Road north of Drachman. Photo by David Sanders/Arizona Daily Star David Sanders/Arizona Daily Star Tucson's neon signs A completely revamped neon sign adorns the facade of the renovated San Carlos Apartments, 71 E. 13th St., on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2013, in downtown Tucson, Ariz. The complex, who’s oldest facets date back to the early-1900s, boasts 36 units set for a grand opening on Saturday, Sept. 14. Mike Christy / Arizona Daily Star Tucson's neon signs Neon signs on the side of Hotel Congress in downtown Tucson. David Sanders/Arizona Daily Star Tucson's neon signs The iconic Hotel Congress sign towers above the streets below. David Sanders/Arizona Daily Star Tucson's neon signs The Shelter Cocktail Lounge neon sign at 4155 E. Grant Road. David Sanders/Arizona Daily Star Tucson's neon signs Lucky Wishbone sign at 10 N. Swan Road. Jill Torrance/Arizona Daily Star Tucson's neon signs The neon Sahara sign at 919 N. Stone. David Sanders/Arizona Daily Star Kingfisher David Sanders/Arizona Daily Star Tucson's neon signs The Tropicana Motor Hotel sign was restored and then re-lit on April 27, 2012. Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star Tucson's neon signs Tobyn Martinez, co-owner of Sign Magic Inc., works to connect wires in the refurbished Sparkle Cleaners historic at the corner of Stone Avenue and Drachman Street. Five workers from Sign Magic worked on the original 1961 neon sign. The sign has been put up through the Tucson Historical Preservation Historic Landmark Signs program in that area. Friday January 11, 2013 Tucson, Arizona Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star Tucson's neon signs The neon star above the new Fatima Women's Center that is in working order. David Sanders/Arizona Daily Star Tucson's neon signs The restored Monterey Court sign, which once said, "Monterey Motel," before it was changed, also indicates its new focus on retail, the arts and a new cafe on West Miracle Mile. A.E. Araiza/ Arizona Daily Star Tucson's neon signs As traffic winds around Congress Street a crowd gathers around the front of the Rialto Theatre moments after the new marquee was lit to mark the reopening of the Rialto in Downtown Tucson, June 24, 2005 in Tucson, AZ. The design and scale of the new Rialto Theatre Marquee was loosely based on the Paramount marquee that was erected in 1948 when the Theatre was owned by the Paramount-Publix corporation. In the early 70's it got a new blade sign and was reincarnated as the El Cine Plaza Spanish-language movie house. It was ultimately torn down in the mid 80's. The theatre would not be known by its original 1920 name until 1995 when it re-opened as the Rialto Theatre. Photo by Rich-Joseph Facun/Arizona Daily Star. RICH FACUN / Arizona Daily Star Tucson's neon signs The ABC Market at 2710 South Park Ave. David Sanders/Arizona Daily Star Caruso's restaurant sign March 28, 2013 Tucson, Arizona Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star Tucson's neon signs The former KY Market building at 1100 S. Sixth Ave. was designed by noted Tucson architect Terry Atkinson, who also drew up plans for Tucson International Airport. Amendments to Tucson’s sign code allowed adaptive reuse of the building’s historic neon signs. Photos by A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star Tucson's neon signs The T-6 filling station on the corner of 6th Street and Tucson Blvd at sunset. David Sanders/Arizona Daily Star Tucson's neon signs The restored Magic Carpet Golf sign now sits with other rehabbed signs on West Drachman Street near North Stone Avenue. A.E. Araiza/ Arizona Daily Star Tucson's neon signs The Fox Theatre, 17 W. Congress St., dimmed in 1974 after the theater closed out its 44-year run, the sign came tumbling down, literally, in February 1986. A replica sign went up in June 2002, and 200 people turned up for the relighting. 5/10/07 PHOTO BY JAMES S. WOOD / ARIZONA James S. Wood/Arizona Daily Star Tucson's neon signs Ghost Ranch Lodge, 801 W. Miracle Mile. Opened in 1941, the lodge was one of the first tourist accommodations along Miracle Mile. Tucson architect Josias Joesler designed the original eight buildings in his signature Spanish Colonial Revival style. Now the lodge and cactus garden are being restored and converted into housing for the elderly. Georgia O’Keeffe had a hand in the design of the sign, which is undergoing repairs. This file shot of the Ghost Ranch Lodge & Restaurant is from the early 1990's but it was restored in 2010. David Sanders/Arizona Daily Star Tucson's neon signs The Flamingo Hotel, 1300 N. Stone Ave., opened in 1954. Jeffry Scott/ Arizona Daily Star Related to this collection 'Neon Pueblo' lights up again as tourist draw Tucson could soon be known as the Neon Pueblo, courtesy of a quirky tourism concept coming to town. Old sign comes down for fix-up At long last, the rusted-out but iconic "diving girl" at the former Pueblo Hotel and Apartments is getting her makeover. Photos: Retro grocery ads in Tucson How much has the price of Thanksgiving dinner changed in Tucson since 1930? Take a look at the grocery ads. Photos: Then and Now around Tucson Round Two of our look at Tucson area views 40, 50, 60 years ago and from the same spot in 2014. Photos: Then and Now around Tucson Round Two of our look at Tucson area views 40, 50, 60 years ago and from the same spot in 2014. Photos: Tucson then and now Tucson 40, 50, 60 years ago and from the same spot in 2014. Tucson astrophotographer Adam Block captures the wonders of the night sky Tucson photographer Adam Block is now one of the nation’s leading astrophotographers Tucson museum to give old signs new life They say the neon lights are bright at 331 S. Olsen Ave.
'Neon Pueblo' lights up again as tourist draw Tucson could soon be known as the Neon Pueblo, courtesy of a quirky tourism concept coming to town.
Old sign comes down for fix-up At long last, the rusted-out but iconic "diving girl" at the former Pueblo Hotel and Apartments is getting her makeover.
Photos: Retro grocery ads in Tucson How much has the price of Thanksgiving dinner changed in Tucson since 1930? Take a look at the grocery ads.
Photos: Then and Now around Tucson Round Two of our look at Tucson area views 40, 50, 60 years ago and from the same spot in 2014.
Photos: Then and Now around Tucson Round Two of our look at Tucson area views 40, 50, 60 years ago and from the same spot in 2014.
Tucson astrophotographer Adam Block captures the wonders of the night sky Tucson photographer Adam Block is now one of the nation’s leading astrophotographers