Greater Tulsa Reporter Newspapers has a story about the ongoing restoration and re-erection of the historic Meadow Gold neon sign on 11th Street (Route 66) in Tulsa.
Much of the information has already been reported, but the article fleshes out new material about the sign’s restorer, Claude Neon Federal Signs, and its work:
The sign couldn’t have fallen into more capable hands than CNF Sign’s old signs restoration designate, Tony Record, whose real title is fabrication supervisor. Record headed up the sign company’s team of craftsmen who restored the vintage Atlas Life sign and the Circle Cinema marquee, both Tulsa landmarks in their own right.
The goal is to structurally restore the sign to its original state while retaining its vintage look and feel. The sign’s insides had long served as home for pigeons and their associated acidic droppings that eat through the corrosion resistant aluminized steel sheets used to make sign boxes and channels. As much as possible of the old portions of the sign boxes will be saved and patched up with similar metals and riveted together to restore structural integrity. The porcelain sign faces will be carefully buffed back to their original luster and all the neon tubing and fixtures will be replaced.
“This is a beauty and when we get through with it people will enjoy it for years to come. We really love this kind of project,” says Record.
The Meadow Gold sign will be re-erected on a new canopy near 11th and Peoria Avenue in Tulsa.
What a great peice of Route 66 to save. What would be nice is to see the brand name, ‘Meadow Gold’ expand again and this vintage sign will be a symbol of awareness for both history and the current product.
One of my larger interests in writing is I knew William Karnes, who ran Beatrice for over 30 years. For me, it’s great to have the restored sign also linked to the memories of knowing such a fine man.