Famous Signs of Our Times
Signs have a remarkable power to communicate your brand’s individuality and identity and many famous signs of our times are recognized around the world. In this blog post, we look at some of the country’s most influential signs.
Hollywood
This American cultural icon is situated on Mount Lee overlooking the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California. This mammoth of a sign is “HOLLYWOOD” spelled out in 45-foot-tall white letters 350 feet long.
The sign was first constructed in 1923 to advertise a new housing development in the hills above the Hollywood district. It originally read “HOLLYWOODLAND” and was fashioned with over 4,000 light bulbs that would flash the segments “HOLLY,” “WOOD,” and “LAND” individually before lighting up the entire sign. The now pop culture icon was intended to only last a year and a half, but after the popularity of American cinema the owner decided to keep the sign.
Since the famous sign was originally built to last only a year and a half, it started to deteriorate over the next few decades. In 1949 the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce contracted a company to repair and rebuild the sign. The company also took down the “LAND” portion of the sign to better reflect the Hollywood area. In 1978 the landmark was restored by replacing the old letters with steel letters will last much longer.
Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas
VIVA LAS VEGAS! The “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign has been welcoming tourists to the Las Vegas Strip since 1959. It was recently added to the State Register of Historic Places in 2013.
The sign is a 25-foot-tall roadside pole sign that is mounted on two offset poles. It is a double face, internally lit sign that is in the shape of a horizontally stretched diamond. This colorful sign uses neon lettering and incandescent lighting. The sign’s design was influenced greatly by the Googie architecture movement, which was very popular in the post-war United States.
The “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign is the most iconic and best-preserved symbol of Las Vegas’ post-war ascendancy. The Strip and the city have dramatically changed over the years to become a national and international tourist destination.
Many signs have entered our American heritage through their style and cultural significance. The Arby’s hat, the McDonald’s arches, the Holiday Inn arrow and many more will be forever part of history and the cultural and economic changes in the USA.
More Famous Signs
Feeling nostalgic for famous signs? Visiting the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, OH, is a great way to explore the history of signage in the and see many of the famous signs of our times and the past.