KC Advertising and Signs

A place to post and request pictures of Kansas City.
User avatar
FangKC
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 18141
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 10:02 pm
Location: Old Northeast -- Indian Mound

Re: KC Advertising and Signs

Post by FangKC »

A 1950 photo of the intersection of W. 14th and Baltimore shows a Skelly station on the SW corner and Armacost Studebaker auto dealership on the SE corner.  The President Hotel is across the street.  The drum sign atop the entrance to the Drum Room is shown.

Image
There is no fifth destination.
User avatar
FangKC
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 18141
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 10:02 pm
Location: Old Northeast -- Indian Mound

Re: KC Advertising and Signs

Post by FangKC »

The Sweeney Trade School, shown in this 1926 photo with its' rooftop signage, was designed by Keene & Simpson, architects, as a 550 room building for use as a auto and tractor instruction and trade school. The building was also designed so that it could be converted to a hotel if the school failed.  The basement had a swimming pool in the basement.  Built in the early 1900s, the structure was the Sweeney School until 1929, and later the Businessmen's Assurance Company (BMA) from 1929-1962.

Image
There is no fifth destination.
User avatar
PumpkinStalker
Bryant Building
Bryant Building
Posts: 3979
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2003 12:04 am
Location: Waldo

Re: KC Advertising and Signs

Post by PumpkinStalker »

I think it would be awesome to recreate that tractor sign and put it up there again.  I'll bet it was a kick ass roof sign!
User avatar
FangKC
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 18141
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 10:02 pm
Location: Old Northeast -- Indian Mound

Re: KC Advertising and Signs

Post by FangKC »

I'll bet it looked cool lit up at night.  The area around Union Station used to have a lot of lighted signs at night with the Sweeney School, Coca-Cola Building (Western Auto), Firestone, and the advertising signs on Signboard Hill.
There is no fifth destination.
User avatar
FangKC
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 18141
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 10:02 pm
Location: Old Northeast -- Indian Mound

Re: KC Advertising and Signs

Post by FangKC »

FangKC wrote: A photo from 1950 showing the old Savoy Grill sign.

Image
I wonder what happened to the old Savoy Grill sign with the lobster on it?
There is no fifth destination.
User avatar
PumpkinStalker
Bryant Building
Bryant Building
Posts: 3979
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2003 12:04 am
Location: Waldo

Re: KC Advertising and Signs

Post by PumpkinStalker »

Very true, that's a good one too.  If I ever go crazy and move to the country, I'm going to collect old signs and have them re-neoned and lit up all over my farm field next to me.
User avatar
FangKC
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 18141
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 10:02 pm
Location: Old Northeast -- Indian Mound

Re: KC Advertising and Signs

Post by FangKC »

I wish the City would erect a vintage sign park somewhere in the Metro, like along the freeway--say the bluff under where the L-shaped house was along I-35. The  middle of a large freeway interchange would also be a great location. The old ASB Bridge, the West Bluffs, or the rooftops of big old warehouses in the West Bottoms would also be good locations.  The park would take old advertising signs from former businesses that have closed or gotten new signs and give them a new home. It would be like a sculpture park. Included might be old motel signs, theater marquees and drive-in signs.

For example, if the Western Auto sign had been taken off that building, or the President sign removed had the hotel been demolished, these signs would have ended up in the Sign Heritage Park.

I know it's a wacky idea, but I think it would have been neat to be collecting vintage signs for this purpose. To keep them alive and remind us of old businesses like Italian Gardens, etc.
There is no fifth destination.
User avatar
FangKC
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 18141
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 10:02 pm
Location: Old Northeast -- Indian Mound

Re: KC Advertising and Signs

Post by FangKC »

The Schlitz Distribution Center in the old freighthouse district at Union Station.

Image
There is no fifth destination.
User avatar
anniewarbucks
Broadway Square
Broadway Square
Posts: 2812
Joined: Sat Jul 22, 2006 9:39 pm
Location: Topeka, Kansas 66605
Contact:

Re: KC Advertising and Signs

Post by anniewarbucks »

FangKC wrote: I wish the City would erect a vintage sign park somewhere in the Metro, like along the freeway--say the bluff under where the L-shaped house was along I-35. The  middle of a large freeway interchange would also be a great location. The old ASB Bridge, the West Bluffs, or the rooftops of big old warehouses in the West Bottoms would also be good locations.  The park would take old advertising signs from former businesses that have closed or gotten new signs and give them a new home. It would be like a sculpture park. Included might be old motel signs, theater marquees and drive-in signs.

For example, if the Western Auto sign had been taken off that building, or the President sign removed had the hotel been demolished, these signs would have ended up in the Sign Heritage Park.

I know it's a wacky idea, but I think it would have been neat to be collecting vintage signs for this purpose. To keep them alive and remind us of old businesses like Italian Gardens, etc.

Kind of like the old McDonald's sign that stood at the south Topeka McDonald's. The sign ended up in the Kansas Museum of History. It featured Speedy.
No trees were destroyed in the sending of this contaminant- free message.
However, a significant number of electrons have been inconvenienced.
User avatar
FangKC
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 18141
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 10:02 pm
Location: Old Northeast -- Indian Mound

Re: KC Advertising and Signs

Post by FangKC »

This photo is taken from 13th and Grand looking north. One can see the first Bryant Building in the distance on the left side. It was later replaced by the art deco Bryant Building. 

Image
Last edited by FangKC on Sat Jan 19, 2008 9:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
There is no fifth destination.
User avatar
FangKC
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 18141
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 10:02 pm
Location: Old Northeast -- Indian Mound

Re: KC Advertising and Signs

Post by FangKC »

An advertisement for the Empress Theatre on McGee near 12th.

Image
There is no fifth destination.
User avatar
FangKC
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 18141
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 10:02 pm
Location: Old Northeast -- Indian Mound

Re: KC Advertising and Signs

Post by FangKC »

Looking south down Main toward 20th Street in 1935.

Image
There is no fifth destination.
User avatar
FangKC
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 18141
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 10:02 pm
Location: Old Northeast -- Indian Mound

Re: KC Advertising and Signs

Post by FangKC »

Rahe's Auto and Tractor School at 22nd and Gillham.  The building later became the Kansas City Post-Journal and then Milgrams grocery administrative offices.  The old General Hospital is in the background.

Image
There is no fifth destination.
DigKC
Parking Garage
Parking Garage
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 1:42 pm

Re: KC Advertising and Signs

Post by DigKC »

September 28, 1930 - 44th and the Paseo

Image
User avatar
FangKC
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 18141
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 10:02 pm
Location: Old Northeast -- Indian Mound

Re: KC Advertising and Signs

Post by FangKC »

That billboard is reporting the motto of Kansas City Public School District students.
There is no fifth destination.
User avatar
PumpkinStalker
Bryant Building
Bryant Building
Posts: 3979
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2003 12:04 am
Location: Waldo

Re: KC Advertising and Signs

Post by PumpkinStalker »

I can't remember where, but I've seen that picture before.  It's one of my favorites!
DigKC
Parking Garage
Parking Garage
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 1:42 pm

Re: KC Advertising and Signs

Post by DigKC »

I've always wondered what the back story is to this image. It looks like a fairly hard impact - I can't imagine the driver could have kept himself from being thrown face first into the board. He was probably smoking a cigarette at the time.
User avatar
FangKC
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 18141
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 10:02 pm
Location: Old Northeast -- Indian Mound

Re: KC Advertising and Signs

Post by FangKC »

Astro Theater was inside Union Station.

Image
User avatar
FangKC
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 18141
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 10:02 pm
Location: Old Northeast -- Indian Mound

Re: KC Advertising and Signs

Post by FangKC »

Image
User avatar
FangKC
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 18141
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 10:02 pm
Location: Old Northeast -- Indian Mound

Re: KC Advertising and Signs

Post by FangKC »

The Royal Theater on Main Street south of 10th Street.
Image

Image
Last edited by FangKC on Thu Jan 16, 2020 12:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
Post Reply