Route 66 neon signs: where the neon still glows

Neon was the language of the old road: it told drivers where to sleep, eat and buy gas from a mile away. A surprising amount of it still works.

I grew up in Clinton, Oklahoma, and my first memory of Route 66 is lying in the back seat watching motel signs blink past. Most of those signs are gone, but a good number have been restored, and in some towns there are more lit signs now than there were in 1990.

Missouri: the Munger Moss

The Munger Moss Motel in Lebanon has been on the road since 1946, and its big sign with the arrow is one of the classic sights of the Ozarks. Springfield, Missouri, also has the Rest Haven Court sign, one of the most copied designs on the road.

Oklahoma: Tulsa's revival

Tulsa has worked hard on its stretch of 66. The Meadow Gold sign was saved and reinstalled at 11th Street and Quaker Avenue in 2009, and the city has added new neon too, such as the sign at Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios. Further west, the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton has a fine collection outside its door, and El Reno lights up for its onion burger festival in May.

Walk rather than drive; signs were designed for cars but look better on foot.

Texas: the U-Drop Inn

The Tower Station and U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, built in 1936, is outlined in green neon. On a clear night on the empty Panhandle it is a sight worth staying up for, and it is one of the buildings that inspired the town in the animated film Cars.

New Mexico: Tucumcari and Albuquerque

Tucumcari is the neon capital of the road. The Blue Swallow Motel has glowed since 1939, and the town has restored or relit many more signs along the main street. Albuquerque's Central Avenue, 18 miles of the old road, has the KiMo Theatre, the restored El Vado Motel and dozens of motel signs, some lit and some waiting for money.

Tips for seeing Route 66 neon at dusk

• Go at blue hour, 20 to 30 minutes after sunset, when the sky still has color.
• Walk rather than drive; signs were designed for cars but look better on foot.
• Ask motel owners about their signs. Most are proud and happy to talk.

Our Neon and Diners trip from Tulsa to Albuquerque plans its evenings around these signs, and every section trip through Oklahoma and New Mexico includes at least one neon night.

Photo: Gorup de Besanez, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. All photo credits.