28 of Tucson's best neon signs
Some of the notable neon signs around Tucson.
Tucson's neon signs
The Tucson Inn at 127 W. Drachman.
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.
Hacienda Motel
The Hacienda Motel on Oracle Road may become a new apartment complex.
Tucson's signs
The El Con sign on Broadway was a Tucson landmark from 1962 to 1999. It reappeared in 2012 after refurbishment.
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.
Neon signs
The diving lady atop the Pueblo Hotel, 145 S. Sixth Ave., was restored and reinstalled in 2012.
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.
Tucson's neon signs
Tucson neon saguaro on Oracle Road north of Drachman. Photo by 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.
Tucson's neon signs
Neon signs on the side of Hotel Congress in downtown Tucson.
Tucson's neon signs
The iconic Hotel Congress sign towers above the streets below.
Tucson's neon signs
The Shelter Cocktail Lounge neon sign at 4155 E. Grant Road.
Tucson's neon signs
Lucky Wishbone sign at 10 N. Swan Road.
Tucson's neon signs
The neon Sahara sign at 919 N. Stone.
Kingfisher
Tucson's neon signs
The Tropicana Motor Hotel sign was restored and then re-lit on April 27, 2012.
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
Tucson's neon signs
The neon star above the new Fatima Women's Center that is in working order.
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.
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.
Tucson's neon signs
The ABC Market at 2710 South Park Ave.
Caruso's restaurant sign
March 28, 2013 Tucson, Arizona
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.
Tucson's neon signs
The T-6 filling station on the corner of 6th Street and Tucson Blvd at sunset.
Tucson's neon signs
The restored Magic Carpet Golf sign now sits with other rehabbed signs on West Drachman Street near North Stone Avenue.
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
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.
Tucson's neon signs
The Flamingo Hotel, 1300 N. Stone Ave., opened in 1954.
Tucson could soon be known as the Neon Pueblo, courtesy of a quirky tourism concept coming to town.
At long last, the rusted-out but iconic "diving girl" at the former Pueblo Hotel and Apartments is getting her makeover.
How much has the price of Thanksgiving dinner changed in Tucson since 1930? Take a look at the grocery ads.
Round Two of our look at Tucson area views 40, 50, 60 years ago and from the same spot in 2014.
Round Two of our look at Tucson area views 40, 50, 60 years ago and from the same spot in 2014.
Tucson 40, 50, 60 years ago and from the same spot in 2014.
Tucson photographer Adam Block is now one of the nation’s leading astrophotographers
They say the neon lights are bright at 331 S. Olsen Ave.