Menlo, Iowa: Neon Gas Station Man
First turned on in 1934, this obscure sign fell into disrepair, but was restored in 2013 to its full neon glory.
- Address:
- 502 7th St., Menlo, IA
- Directions:
- I-80 exit 88. Drive north on County Rd P28/P20 for about two miles. Turn right onto Hwy 925. Drive a half mile into town. You'll see the man on the left, just past Sherman St.
- Hours:
- Best at dusk Local health policies may affect hours and access.
- Admission:
- Free
- RA Rates:
- Worth a Detour
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The White Rose Gasoline man sign is kept up nicely and even lit at night. The building is actually just as cool and will hopefully be preserved as well.
[Charles Lines, 09/11/2017]
In 1934 Harry Kalbach Sr. commissioned the Nebraska Neon Sign Company to build a metal service station attendant, in a blue uniform outlined in red neon, greeting travelers on the White Pole Road (Old Route 6) with a friendly neon wave. Airline pilots used it as a beacon, and young children would wave back at the sign as they passed.
Recently restored by the Parker Sign Company of Indiana, the 12.5-foot-tall attendant stands in front of the old Kalbach Oil Company service station and still beckons traffic to come in for gas and a clean windshield.
[David Darby, 01/22/2014]Nearby Offbeat Places
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