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Photographs of El Portal gift shop, Las Vegas (Nev.), April 18, 2017
Site address: 310 Fremont St
Sign owner: HS Family LP c/o J. Blut
Sign details: The building was constructed in 1928 (Assessor). The El Portal Theatre opened June 21, 1928 as the first building in Las Vegas to install air conditioning (Cinema Treasures). The theater closed in the 1970's and the site became El Portal Gifts and then a Native American arts and crafts store (Cinema Treasures). The current owner has received approval to turn the building into a food court and tavern (Lazara, 2017).
Sign condition: Condition is 5. The cabinet, paint and lighting are all in top condition. A few light bulbs are missing from the light boxes on either side of the sign.
Sign form: Blade
Sign-specific description: The metal "L" shaped cabinet points inward toward the building. The cabinet is painted turquoise. Two rows of white incandescent bulbs run along the spine of the cabinet. "El" is spelled out horizontally across the top of the sign in white cursive channel letters with the interior outlined in white neon. "PORTAL" runs vertically down the cabinet in sans serif white channel letters with the interiors filled with three rows of white neon. At the bottom of the sign is a white channel arrow which is filled in by three rows of turquoise neon. The sign is inserted between two rectangular light boxes which angle out from the building to the edge of the sign. The light boxes are outlined with clear incandescent light bulbs, have a red and turquoise Native American blanket style design on each end and state "INDIAN ARTS &CRAFTS" in serif Native American style lettering. The light boxes are made to appear as if they are supported by two totem poles painted in back, white, red and turquoise.
Sign - type of display: Neon and incandescent (with lightboxes adjacent)
Sign - media: Steel (and plastic in adjacent lightboxes)
Sign - non-neon treatments: Lightboxes adjacent to sign
Sign environment: In the Fremont Street Experience. Sounded by other storefronts and casinos.
Sign - thematic influences: The El Portal building is Spanish Colonial style. The light boxes are Native American style.
Survey - research locations: Recorder's office
Survey - research notes: Cinema Treasures. (n.d.). El Portal Theatre. Retrieved from http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/1888 Lazara, G. (2017 June 13). The old El Portal Theatre to become a tavern. Retrieved from http://www.ktnv.com/news/the-old- el-portal- theatre-to- become-a- tavern
Surveyor: Mitchell Cohen
Survey - date completed: 2017-08-11
Sign keywords: Blade; Neon; Incandescent; Steel; Light box; Plastic
Mixed Content
Photographs of The Palm Piazza sign, Las Vegas (Nev.), April 18, 2017
Site address: 1919 Fremont St
Sign owner: Zen Real Estate Holding
Sign details: This building dates back to 1936 and was made for commercial living accommodations/ deluxe motel. Previous to the Palm Piazza opening this location was called the Ariza Motel which was abandoned for a few years. Kamran Foulad in 2013 purchased this building to renovate it in an effort to revitalize downtown. The Palm Piazza opened as an apartment complex in late 2013.
Sign condition: 4- slight fading but still in good condition
Sign form: Pylon
Sign-specific description: There is a black base of the sign that is not very tall which holds a back lit plastic sign that has an image of a lady under a palm-tree leaf canopy and the location's phone number in black numbers. Above this is a blue steel backing that in the shape of a sideways trapezoid which is about half of the width of the black sign beneath it (and is laid on the building side of the sign). This portion has black back lit plastic letters that spell out "The Palm Piazza" in a bubbly cursive font towards the top of the sign. Then below this in yellow skeletal neon tubes they have "Luxury Living" spelled out in a thin tight cursive font. On the road side of the sign there is an arrow blue steel arrow that points down towards the black portion of the sign. The arrow is outlined in yellow neon tubes and has "Enjoy Las Vegas" in clear print font skeletal neon tubes.
Sign - type of display: Neon and back lit plastic signs
Sign - media: Steel and plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: Plastic portion of the sign
Sign environment: This area is located East Fremont close to Bruce Street. There are other motels surrounding this area.
Sign - date of installation: This sign has been up in form that we see today in 2013, though it looks as though they re-purposed/redesigned the sign that the Ariza Motel (previous property name) had. The previous sign has been up since at least 2007.
Sign - date of redesign/move: 2013- Ariza Motel blade taken down and the rest of the sign redesigned for the Palm Piazza.
Sign - thematic influences: Previous to the apartment complex it was a motel and their signs still has remnants of that 1950/60's motel sign design particularly with the arrow.
Survey - research locations: Assessor's Page, Review Journal article discussing the renovation of the building https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/local-las-vegas/developer-eyeing-overlooked-las-vegas-downtown-area-gets-city-boost/, Google map sattelite/ roadside view
Survey - research notes: On the top portion of the blue steel sign there are 3 short black steel beams coming out of it which used to hold an old MOTEL blade sign which was taken down around 2013.
Surveyor: Emily Fellmer
Survey - date completed: 2017-09-09
Sign keywords: Neon; Backlit; Plastic; Steel; Pole sign
Mixed Content
Photographs of Downtowner Motel sign, Las Vegas (Nev.), June 28, 2017
Site address: 129 N 8th St
Sign owner: Robert and Ada Cohen
Sign details: Original Construction year of this building was 1935 and maintains the Art Deco design to the building. This location was originally built for a motel or apartments, but has mainly been used for motels since its construction.
Sign condition: 5- In great condition and looks as though it may have been restored or repainted recently because of how good it looks
Sign form: Double sided Porte Cochere (Facing both sides of the street)
Sign-specific description: This sign is above their two story building, as used as a directional sign for the tunnel passageway to the parking lot since there is a linear arrow pointing diagonally from the top of the sign to where the drivers would need to go. This arrow is lined with chasing incandescent light bulbs. To building side of the arrow there is a long thin red parallel trapezoid that spells out "MOTEL" in a painted white block font that is lined with Skeletal Neon that illuminates red at night. Underneath this one about a foot down is another long thin red parallel trapezoid that has white painted letters stating "Downtowners APTS." the downtowner part is a cursive font that illuminates blue at night,a and the Apts. part is in block letter that illuminates red at night.
Sign - type of display: Neon and incandescent light bulbs
Sign - media: Steel
Sign animation: Chasing
Notes: incandescent light bulbs
Sign environment: This location is on N 8th Street just a few blocks north of the Fremont Street East District, but near Ogden.
Sign - date of installation: Roadside Architecture website http://www.roadarch.com/signs/nvvegas2.html says it has been there since at least the mid 1960's
Sign - thematic influences: This sign is remnant of the vintage motorcade motel signs that one could see along any highway during the traveling era of the 50's/60's.
Sign - artistic significance: The arrow is reminiscent of the 1950's/60's directional arrows.
Survey - research locations: Assessor's Page, Roadside Architecture http://www.roadarch.com/signs/nvvegas2.html , Downtowner Motel website http://downtownerlv.com/
Survey - research notes: The building showcases remnants of Art deco style and mid-century modern architectural styles. The panels in between the doors/windows have the art deco design and then the canopies above the windows and doorways have a mid-century modern curvilinear canopies.
Surveyor: Emily Fellmer
Survey - date completed: 2017-09-06
Sign keywords: Neon; Incandescent; Steel; Chasing; Directional; Pole sign
Mixed Content
Merle Frehner oral history interviews
Oral history interviews with Merle Frehner conducted by Elisabeth Nelson Patrick January 17, 1981 and January 19, 1981 for the UNLV University Libraries Oral History Collection. In the first interview, Frehner talks about his upbringing in Littlefield, Arizona and moving to St. Thomas, Nevada. He talks about driving heavy-duty freight wagons, transporting mining supplies, and the formation of a school district in St. Thomas. Frehner remembers the entertainment in St. Thomas during the 1920s, recreational activities, and commuting to Overton, Nevada to attend high school. Lastly, Frehner describes the local businesses in St. Thomas, miners residing in the town, and the town’s growing popularity after the construction of Arrowhead Trail (U. S. Highway 91). In the last interview, Frehner discusses transporting produce to Las Vegas, Nevada and Tonopah, Nevada during the late 1920s, the construction of Hoover Dam, and Lake Mead water levels overtaking St. Thomas.
Archival Collection
John Irsfeld Professional Papers [UNPROCESSED]
This collection is unprocessed. See Access Note for more information. The John Irsfeld Professional Papers [UNPROCESSED] (approximately 1970-2010) consist of materials documenting the career of novelist and former English professor John H. Irsfeld. The papers include published and unpublished creative works, correspondence, and research files pertaining to Irsfeld’s literary career, as well as teaching materials and correspondence from his time as an English professor and administrator at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
Archival Collection
Doris Hancock Papers
The Doris Hancock Papers (1895-1987) consist of school memorabilia, correspondence, sketches, two scrapbooks, and material from her involvement in the Las Vegas Art League. Also included are materials about Southern Nevada and surrounding areas, particularly mining towns, Colorado River, Boulder Dam, Red Rock Canyon, early Las Vegas, and Death Valley.
Archival Collection
Hazel Baker Denton Papers
Hazel Baker Denton Papers (1907-1957) contain correspondence, family artifacts, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, and family biographical information. Included are journals that chronicle the years Denton served as an Assemblywoman for the Nevada State Legislature and a copy of her book, Ironing Day, her newspaper columns, and speeches.
Archival Collection
Elizabeth Harrington Collection of Essays
This collection contains the original drafts of the thirteen essays that Elizabeth Harrington wrote about her life in early Las Vegas, Nevada. These articles were written from her memory and experiences of life in Las Vegas beginning in the early 1900s, and were published in the Nevadan section of the Las Vegas Review-Journal from 1975-1979.
Archival Collection