“Dylan Thomas once wrote: ‘Rage, rage against the dying of the light.’ He wasn’t talking about Chicago, but he could have been when it comes to this city’s disappearing neon signs.
“These signs have added such a warm glow to Chicago over the course of decades, so Dana from Oak Park had to ask: what’s happening to Chicago’s neon signs?
“According to Ward Miller of Preservation Chicago, the neon sign as we know it today gained popularity starting in the 1920s, and continued into the 1960s. Signs include the ‘blade’ variety that sticks out perpendicular from a building, and mounted signs that adorn the outside.
“‘Now that we’ve only got a handful of these left, sprinkled in neighborhoods, sprinkled in the Loop, they really are special,’ Miller said.
“A long list of iconic signs in the city include Wrigley Field’s landmark marquee, Margie’s Candies on Western Avenue, and the Congress Hotel downtown. The Drake Hotel had its own iconic neon sign for decades, but it was eventually replaced by cost-efficient LED lights.
“‘We sometimes forget that these are craftsmen that make these signs, and you know… it’s a lost art,’ Miller said.” *(Mike Lowe, WGN 9 Chicago, 2/27/20)
Watch the full story at WGN 9 Chicago
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Preservation Chicago advocates with urgency for buildings like this at City Hall, in the press, with owners and developers, with elected officials, and in the community. This work is funded by people who care deeply about Chicago and recognize that historic preservation is the key to unlocking healthy, dynamic, vibrant communities.
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