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American Sign Museum

The American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio, preserves, archives, and displays a collection of signs. The museum also displays the equipment utilized in the design and manufacture of signs.[1] Tod Swormstedt began working on the museum in 1999. It opened to the public in 2005.[2]

American Sign Museum
Location within Ohio
Established1999
Location1330 Monmouth Street
Cincinnati, Ohio
Coordinates39°08′37″N 84°32′24″W / 39.1435°N 84.5399°W / 39.1435; -84.5399
TypeCollection museum
Websitewww.americansignmuseum.org

Background edit

Swormstedt's family owns the signage industry trade journal Signs of the Times, which has been published since 1906.[3] Swormstedt's grandfather, H.C. Menefee, was the first editor of the publication, and purchased it for himself in 1911.[4] Swormstedt had been working at the journal for over twenty years before becoming inspired to start a sign museum in 1999.[2] His family provided $1 million for the project, and figures from the signage industry gave donations of their own. The museum was founded as a nonprofit corporation.[3] Swormstedt considered building the museum in Los Angeles, St. Louis, Memphis, and other sites, but eventually settled on Cincinnati, the base of operations for Signs of the Times.[4]

Collection edit

Over 200 signs and other objects are on display at the museum,[2] and over 3,800 items are cataloged.[5] The collection ranges from the late nineteenth century to the 1970s. Highlights of the collection include samples of gold leaf lettering on glass, a Sputnik-like plastic orb from an Anaheim shopping center, a rotating neon windmill from a Denver donut shop,[2] Las Vegas showcards, and a fiberglass Frisch's Big Boy statue with a slingshot in his pocket. (The slingshot was omitted from later models of the Big Boy statue.) One can also find signs from businesses such as Big Bear Stores, Howard Johnson's, and Earl Scheib.[4] Over the museum's entrance, visitors are greeted by a 20-foot-tall (6.1 m) fiberglass genie from a Los Angeles carpet company.[2]

In 2008, the museum acquired a single-arch 1963 McDonald's sign from Huntsville, Alabama. The sign features McDonald's Speedee character, who was phased out in favor of Ronald McDonald in the 1960s.[6] In 2009, the museum added a neon sign from Johnny’s Big Red Grill, once a popular restaurant among Cornell University students.[7]

 
A sample of the display within the American Sign Museum in 2014 includes signs for Gulf Oil and Kona Lanes.

2007–2012: Growth edit

Many signs owned by the museum were too large to fit the original exhibit space.[2] To better accommodate the collection, the museum began purchasing a 42,000-square-foot (3,900 m2) property in Camp Washington, Cincinnati, in 2007.[8] The new location is part of the Oesterlein Machine Company-Fashion Frocks, Inc. Complex, a National Register of Historic Places building.[9] The museum opened in its new home in June 2012,[8] and the building displays about 500 signs and artifacts,[10] many of which are on a faux streetscape in a town called "Signville".[5]

Neonworks of Cincinnati moved its business into the museum's new location and features a live exhibit showing visitors how they restore neon signs.[5]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Edward Rothstein. "Bright Lights, Wide Eyes: Nostalgic Collections That Speak Volumes". New York Times. June 21, 2009. Retrieved on February 5, 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Lisa Cornwell. "Museum showcases 'sign garden'". USA Today. February 25, 2008. Retrieved on February 5, 2010.
  3. ^ a b Steven Rosen. "Cincy museum salutes signs of the times". Denver Post. March 13, 2005. T10.
  4. ^ a b c Dave Hoekstra. "Signs stand up, say it loud". Chicago Sun-Times. April 16, 2006. Travel, C1.
  5. ^ a b c Meghan Mongillo (reporter). " American Sign Museum Moving 2012-02-25 at the Wayback Machine". FOX 19 News. Cincinnati, Ohio. January 21, 2010. Retrieved on February 6, 2010.
  6. ^ Steve Doyle. "McDonald's sign moving to Ohio 2009-12-22 at the Wayback Machine". Huntsville Times. April 23, 2008. Retrieved on February 6, 2010.
  7. ^ Elisabeth Rosen. "Big Red Sign Finds Home in Ohio Museum 2011-06-07 at the Wayback Machine". The Cornell Daily Sun. November 6, 2009. Retrieved on February 6, 2010.
  8. ^ a b About the Museum 2014-07-01 at the Wayback Machine. American Sign Museum. 2010. Retrieved on February 6, 2010.
  9. ^ Cliff Radel. Sign Museum plans bigger home in Camp Washington 2011-07-17 at the Wayback Machine. Cincinnati Enquirer. January 30, 2007. Retrieved on February 6, 2010.
  10. ^ Mike Harden. "Sign museum proffers nostalgia in neon". Columbus Dispatch. February 22, 2009. Retrieved on February 6, 2010.

External links edit

  • American Sign Museum Official site

american, sign, museum, cincinnati, ohio, preserves, archives, displays, collection, signs, museum, also, displays, equipment, utilized, design, manufacture, signs, swormstedt, began, working, museum, 1999, opened, public, 2005, location, within, ohioestablish. The American Sign Museum in Cincinnati Ohio preserves archives and displays a collection of signs The museum also displays the equipment utilized in the design and manufacture of signs 1 Tod Swormstedt began working on the museum in 1999 It opened to the public in 2005 2 American Sign MuseumLocation within OhioEstablished1999Location1330 Monmouth Street Cincinnati OhioCoordinates39 08 37 N 84 32 24 W 39 1435 N 84 5399 W 39 1435 84 5399TypeCollection museumWebsitewww wbr americansignmuseum wbr org Contents 1 Background 2 Collection 3 2007 2012 Growth 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksBackground editSwormstedt s family owns the signage industry trade journal Signs of the Times which has been published since 1906 3 Swormstedt s grandfather H C Menefee was the first editor of the publication and purchased it for himself in 1911 4 Swormstedt had been working at the journal for over twenty years before becoming inspired to start a sign museum in 1999 2 His family provided 1 million for the project and figures from the signage industry gave donations of their own The museum was founded as a nonprofit corporation 3 Swormstedt considered building the museum in Los Angeles St Louis Memphis and other sites but eventually settled on Cincinnati the base of operations for Signs of the Times 4 Collection editOver 200 signs and other objects are on display at the museum 2 and over 3 800 items are cataloged 5 The collection ranges from the late nineteenth century to the 1970s Highlights of the collection include samples of gold leaf lettering on glass a Sputnik like plastic orb from an Anaheim shopping center a rotating neon windmill from a Denver donut shop 2 Las Vegas showcards and a fiberglass Frisch s Big Boy statue with a slingshot in his pocket The slingshot was omitted from later models of the Big Boy statue One can also find signs from businesses such as Big Bear Stores Howard Johnson s and Earl Scheib 4 Over the museum s entrance visitors are greeted by a 20 foot tall 6 1 m fiberglass genie from a Los Angeles carpet company 2 In 2008 the museum acquired a single arch 1963 McDonald s sign from Huntsville Alabama The sign features McDonald s Speedee character who was phased out in favor of Ronald McDonald in the 1960s 6 In 2009 the museum added a neon sign from Johnny s Big Red Grill once a popular restaurant among Cornell University students 7 nbsp A sample of the display within the American Sign Museum in 2014 includes signs for Gulf Oil and Kona Lanes 2007 2012 Growth editMany signs owned by the museum were too large to fit the original exhibit space 2 To better accommodate the collection the museum began purchasing a 42 000 square foot 3 900 m2 property in Camp Washington Cincinnati in 2007 8 The new location is part of the Oesterlein Machine Company Fashion Frocks Inc Complex a National Register of Historic Places building 9 The museum opened in its new home in June 2012 8 and the building displays about 500 signs and artifacts 10 many of which are on a faux streetscape in a town called Signville 5 Neonworks of Cincinnati moved its business into the museum s new location and features a live exhibit showing visitors how they restore neon signs 5 See also editNeon Museum at the Fremont Street Experience in Las VegasReferences edit Edward Rothstein Bright Lights Wide Eyes Nostalgic Collections That Speak Volumes New York Times June 21 2009 Retrieved on February 5 2010 a b c d e f Lisa Cornwell Museum showcases sign garden USA Today February 25 2008 Retrieved on February 5 2010 a b Steven Rosen Cincy museum salutes signs of the times Denver Post March 13 2005 T10 a b c Dave Hoekstra Signs stand up say it loud Chicago Sun Times April 16 2006 Travel C1 a b c Meghan Mongillo reporter American Sign Museum Moving Archived 2012 02 25 at the Wayback Machine FOX 19 News Cincinnati Ohio January 21 2010 Retrieved on February 6 2010 Steve Doyle McDonald s sign moving to Ohio Archived 2009 12 22 at the Wayback Machine Huntsville Times April 23 2008 Retrieved on February 6 2010 Elisabeth Rosen Big Red Sign Finds Home in Ohio Museum Archived 2011 06 07 at the Wayback Machine The Cornell Daily Sun November 6 2009 Retrieved on February 6 2010 a b About the Museum Archived 2014 07 01 at the Wayback Machine American Sign Museum 2010 Retrieved on February 6 2010 Cliff Radel Sign Museum plans bigger home in Camp Washington Archived 2011 07 17 at the Wayback Machine Cincinnati Enquirer January 30 2007 Retrieved on February 6 2010 Mike Harden Sign museum proffers nostalgia in neon Columbus Dispatch February 22 2009 Retrieved on February 6 2010 External links editAmerican Sign Museum Official site Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title American Sign Museum amp oldid 1138582488, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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