6 Best Big City Neon Signs in America

These striking, colorful novelties became part of our national landscape

Jeff Tomik,

AARP Experience Counts

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Published August 01, 2024

the leons frozen custard neon sign in milwaukee

Leon's Frozen Custard in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images

It was in 1924 that an advertisement for Willys-Overland Motor Company became the first neon sign installed in New York’s Time Square. It didn’t take long after that glowing introduction for the Big Apple’s tourist focal point to be illuminated by fluorescent lighting.

From Vegas Vic, a massive cowboy outside the Pioneer Club in Las Vegas, to the Radio City Music Hall sign in New York, neon lights have become landmarks etched into the identity of some of America’s largest cities.

To mark the 100th anniversary of that momentous Times Square milestone, here are six places across the country to appreciate neon signs.

The Neon Boneyard Park in Las Vegas

A picture of the colorful neon sign at Boneyard Park in Las Vegas.

Bruno Coelho/Shutterstock

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The Neon Museum is where retired Vegas Strip lights go for a second life. The “Boneyard” houses more than 250 restored and unrestored signs from as far back as the 1930s. The sign at the entrance to the park is a tribute to the Strip, with each letter and feature in the sign being a replica of a different famous Vegas neon sign.

The venue reanimates 40 signs for an augmented reality show called “Brilliant.” Tickets for seniors (65 and older) and veterans are $15 during the day and $20 at night. The museum also offers a Neon Night Flight Spectacular helicopter tour over the Vegas Strip for $200.

Leon's Frozen Custard in Milwaukee

Leon's Frozen Custard in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images

Leon’s has provided the Midwest with sweet treats since 1942, and the Milwaukee establishment’s look hasn’t changed much since it was refurbished in the 1950s. Customers of the retro drive-in are instantly welcomed by a bright assortment of lights, topped with a neon American flag. Come for the signage, stay for the frozen custard.

The Electric City sign in Scranton, Pennsylvania

the scranton the electric city neon sign in scranton, pennsylvania

The "Scranton the Electric City" sign on the Scranton Electric Building overlooking Courthouse Square in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey

Scranton had the first operating electric trolley system in 1886, inspiring the Rev. David Spencer to nickname it "The Electric City." The sign on top of the Scranton Electric Building that shines over the city’s downtown streets featured a colorful combination of 1,200 40-watt filament incandescent bulbs when it was installed in the 1930s.

While the sign went dark for years, it was revitalized in 2004 and again in 2014. It has changed to LED bulbs, but the design and colors remain the same as the original.

The White Stag sign in Portland, Oregon

the white stag neon sign in portland, oregon

The White Stag sign in Portland, Oregon, which is on the National Register of Historic Landmarks, once advertised an apparel company.

Luis Boucault/Shutterstock

The sign, which was installed in 1940, faces the Burnside Bridge in downtown Portland and has earned the designation of being on the National Register of Historic Landmarks. For decades, the sign was used for advertising, including by White Satin Sugar and apparel company White Stag.

In 2010, the city acquired the sign and changed it to simply read “Portland Oregon.” One tradition that has stayed through the years: A Rudolph-inspired red nose is lit up on the deer for the holiday season.

Pike Place Market sign in Seattle

The Pike Place Market sign in Seattle, Washington at night.

Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

The three-story tall sign was erected in 1937, about 30 years after Seattle’s historic farmers market opened, and it underwent a five-week restoration project a couple years ago. For nearly a century, the iconic red lettering and analog clock have been a staple in the backdrop of photos at Pike Place.

McDonald’s sign at the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati

a neon mcdonalds sign from huntsville, alabama that now sits in a museum in cincinnati, ohio

A 1963 McDonald’s sign from Huntsville, Alabama on display at the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio.

American Sign Museum

The museum celebrates 100 years of American signage through education and preservation in its 20,000 square feet of space. One of the largest signs in the collection is a McDonald’s sign from the early 1960s that came from Huntsville, Alabama. Few signs are as recognizable as the Golden Arches.

The facility was founded in 1999 by Tod Swormstedt, who spent more than 20 years working for Signs of the Times magazine. In 2005, the museum was reopened under its current name, and in 2012 it found its home in the historic Camp Washington neighborhood in Cincinnati. Neonworks of Cincinnati, which handles the restoration work, is located inside the building and museumgoers can watch their craftsman repair neon signs during weekday tours.

Bottom line

For 100 years, neon signs have been iconic landmarks in America’s largest cities. These beacons tell stories much deeper and longer than their few glowing letters would lead on. Appreciate the radiance of these markers — and the history behind them.

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Jeff Tomik graduated from James Madison University with a B.A. in journalism and worked for publications in the Washington, D.C., area from 2007, spending 11 years at The Washington Post, where he was a multiplatform editor. He is currently an assistant editor at PhillyVoice.

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