Relight the Night: Saving Our Historic Neon Signs!
On June 20, 2012, the Historic Downtown Pocatello Foundation announced a symbolic new initiative that blends several interests and passions together into one bright, shiny package dubbed "Relight the Night." Downtown enjoys many glowing traditions including an awesome collection of vintage signs. These artistic lights of the night once rivaled those of any city.
However, bit by shining bit, Downtown's beckoning signs have begun to fade into darkness and despair--a stark contrast to the signs of vitality and life so evident in Downtown’s many eclectic and artistic events and businesses. The Relight the Night Initiative intends to reverse the deterioration of these community icons--rescuing and restoring these landmarks--large or small--one by one to their former brilliance and glory as jewels of Pocatello's city center.
This restoration initiative/campaign will require what its leaders call "a perfect storm of collaboration,” a community of givers who are passionate about their unique sense of place and a business district willing to create an even more attractive and distinctive destination. This collaborative storm will be accompanied by "SOS (Save Our Signs) alerts" inviting community members and organizations to come to the rescue of a struggling sign.
The second sign to be renovated was the Greyhound Bus Depot Sign. The only sign of its kind remaining in the US today, the Greyhound now "runs" every evening at its home on top of the Historic Greyhound Bus Station Building located on W. Bonneville, in front of the Union Pacific Railroad Depot.
Why Care About Signs?
Signs are essential socially--they identify, promote, inform, and advertise. They direct and decorate. In short, they communicate with their viewers. Signs don't merely advertise; they
often possess value in and of themselves. Some become loved simply because of their visibility from a certain street corner or even from a vantage point across town. They create the "magic of the night" and add a burst of color to even the greyest of days!
Yet, historic signs pose problems for those who would save them. On occasion, downtown buildings are sadly reduced to ashes or rubble--leaving their signs essentially "homeless." Or new business owners and uses may naturally endanger signs as they seek a "new image" rather than one from a by-gone day. These treasures of chasing light bulbs and flickering neon were originally crafted of the finest materials which nowadays can be prohibitively expensive to maintain.
Happily, some downtown signs are treasured and capably maintained by their property owners: Pocatello Electric, Key Bank, The Whitman, Molinelli’s Jewelers, Bangs Office Products, Greyhound Bus Depot, for example. Others, for monetary reasons, experience the misfortune of peeling, rusting, and languishing away--both in storage yards and on the buildings, they grace but definitely not as in their glory days.
Fortunately, many of these historic signs call out to the "greater community"--they are signatures from the past and reminders of beloved events, places, and people. Such signs allow the past to speak to the present in ways that buildings by themselves cannot. They give continuity to public spaces and become part of the community memory. With so much expense and expertise needed for their rescue, many of Pocatello's signs will require full community involvement and that's why the Relight the Night Initiative came into being.
Under Randy Dixon's chairmanship, like-minded organizers are compiling a growing list of "Signs of Interest" that may need a full rescue or maybe just a bit of resuscitation. Some on the list no longer (or in some cases never did) reside/exist downtown--yet they lit up Pocatello's night skies for decades.
The first sign to be targeted for renovation was the historic Chief Theater sign. This is perhaps the most recognizable and most famous of all the downtown neon signs. Many treasured memories were created at The Chief Theater, from first dates, first kisses and even proposals, many a past and present Pocatello resident has a story to share. The Chief hung over Main Street from 1938 to 1993, when the Chief Theater burned to the ground. It was a community effort to rehabilitate the theater, which was completed just prior to the fire. Only two pieces of the theater were saved, the tile mosaic from the entryway and the sign. The mosaic was first to be restored and now sits at the site of the theater. The Chief sign, now completely renovated, stands 50’ tall and brightly shines every night on Main Street. A special thank you to all of the donors who made the sign renovation possible!
Signs Relit since November 29, 2013:
Oasis Bar - Restored by Owner
Chief Theater - Restored by City of Pocatello and Relight the Night
Bangs Stationary - restored by owner
Meyers Shoe Repair - Restored by Owner
Greyhound Bus Depot - Restored by Relight the Night
The Paris - Restored by Owner and Relight the Night
Ukiah Rexall Drug - Restored by William Eames and Michael Snyder Haas
Fred’s Photo Service - Restored by Relight the Night and Cuoio Family
Buster Brown Shoes - Restored by Relight the Night and a Number of Contributors
Club 210 - Restored by Owner
Pocatello High School Indian - Restored by Pocatello High and Relight the Night
Bannock Memorial Star - Restored by Portneuf Health Trust
Odd Fellows Hall IOOF - Restored by Owner
Teamsters Local 983 - Restored by Owner
Historic Office Bar & Grill - Restored by Owner
Gypsy Tattoo - Restored by Owner
Hotel Yellowstone - Restored by Owner
Purpose- Restored by Owner
Become An Official Friend of Neon!
You can be an instrumental part of keeping the neon signs shining brightly every evening in Historic Downtown Pocatello.
Please contribute to help! Contributions can be made online by clicking here,
Donations in amounts of $25 to $300: Your name will be listed as a Friend of Neon for the calendar year of your donation.
Donations in amounts of $300 to $499: Your name will be listed as a Friend of Neon for the calendar year of your donation and
you will receive a complimentary Thank You packet.
Donations in amounts of $500 to $1,999: Your name will be listed as a Friend of Neon for the calendar year of your donation,
you will receive a complimentary Thank You packet and Relight the Night T-shirt.
Donations in amounts of $2,000 and above: You will be listed as a Lifetime Friend of Neon, acknowledged at future relighting ceremonies in addition to a complimentary Thank You packet and Relight the Night T-shirt.
Donations may also be mailed to:
Relight The Night
C/O Historic Downtown Pocatello Foundation
PO Box 222
Pocatello, ID 83204
Contributions may be tax deductible. Please consult your tax advisor. Thank you!
