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Visual material, 1914-1988

Level of Description
Series
Scope and Contents

The YESCO visual materials series (1914-1988) document a visual history of YESCO from its early beginnings, through its expansions, to its work in the 1980s. They include visuals of various YESCO plants, shops, buildings, equipment and personnel, as well as various signs created and installed by YESCO in multiple states. The series includes black-and-white and color photographs as well as Polaroids. It contains photographs, slides, negatives, and digital files of a variety of Las Vegas landmarks and hotels and casinos, including The Mint, Flamingo, Sahara, Caesar’s Palace, Fremont Street, Vegas Vic, Whiskey Pete’s, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Silver Bowl Stadium, and Excalibur. The series also contains photographs of signs YESCO created for various banks, theaters, cafes, gas stations, and other businesses, both large and small, around the western United States. Digital files appear to be copies of select materials throughout this series.

Archival Collection
Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO) Corporate Records
To request this item in person:
Collection Number: MS-00403
Collection Name: Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO) Corporate Records
Box/Folder: N/A

Archival Component

Photographs of Caesars Palace signs, Las Vegas (Nev.), 2002

Date
2002
Description
Photos show Caesars signs during the day and the porte-cochere at night. Two surveys were conducted to gather information about this sign. One was conducted in 2002 and one was conducted in 2017. PDFs are available for both surveys. See the 2017 survey PDF for additional information that is not included in the object description.
Site name: Caesars Palace (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Site address: 3200 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign owner: Park Place Entertainment
Sign details: Caesars Palace is located between the Flamingo Rd. on the western side of Las Vegas Blvd Caesars has grown over the years since it's opening, but remains the true to its classic form. Signage for the resort is limited compared to some but consists of significant pieces of signage such as two large pylon signs, a rotating sign for Planet Hollywood, building signage consisting of logo text, as well as a porte-cochere. The property itself is an over abundance of classic design form after another, mixed among modern amenities like an Omnimax theatre. Caesars Palace is a permanent icon in Las Vegas Imagery and folklore.
Sign condition: Structure 4 Surface 4 Lighting 4
Sign form: Pylon; Fascia; Porte-cochère
Sign-specific description: The YESCO pylon is located at the northern side of the property and is constructed of black painted steel and centers around a base of four columns aligned in a row. The sign faces north/south. The four columns rise out of the ground about six feet in the air before a long horizontal, gold bordered, rounded end cabinet, that reads and points to free covered parking. The text is graphically applied and internally lit. The cabinet is lit from the backside with neon, creating a halo behind the sign. The columns continue upward until they are met with the triangular cabinet, pointing east, with the two faces, being occupied a color LED message center. The interior edge of the face of the sign is bordered with green neon. Above the visible top edge of the wedge shaped message boards, the Caesar's Palace logo if illuminated in red neon upon a rectangular section created out of two entablatures, stacked on top of each other. The top entablature reads "Caesars" in red letters and "Palace" in the second row The two are capped with pediment lined on the interior edge with gold neon and a back-lit Caesar's logo. The exterior of the cabinet is polished aluminum, with metal channel letters. The original pylon built much earlier, utilized six-column shafts capped with golden statuary, secured to a large concrete base. When facing the columns, facing north, or south, the majority of the view of the vertical pieces is taken up by the giant internally lit message center, with removable lettering. The outer edge is crafted the same as the face of the other pylon, but it is bordered in pink neon. The four center columns supports an entablature supporting the logo text, and above that a pediment rounds out the classic architectural combination. The top half of the pediment is larger and supports the text "Caesars," while the lower, narrower section reads "Palace". The entire pediment is striped horizontally with bands of aqua neon that creates a field for the text. The text is in the stylized roman text, in channel letters, and lined with red neon. One of the most attractive pieces of signage is the Caesars porte-cochere. The famous fountains lead up to the main entrance, which is shadowed by the massive porte-cochere, which is one of the few remaining on the strip that displays such grandeur. The Porte-cohere is a hulking collection of levels, stacked upon on another, but grow in size as each level steps upward. The rest looks as if a massive set of plaster steps were turned upside down and placed over the entrance. The edge of each level is lined with brass treatments that are repeated vertical poles of polished brass, greeting a repeated striping pattern. From behind this treatment and pushed further back beyond the human eye, a rose colored glow is produced by intense lighting fades into a soft halo as it dies out toward the edges. The mass and girth of the structure is helped out visually by the angles chosen to in its design. The entire construction seems to sag under it's own weight, for each level is slightly cupped into a concave shape. Each levels edges are concave as well, producing a illusion of movement in space. To the right of the porte-cochere there is still the aqua tinted light pouring out of the latticework, that fills the arcade of arches. On the main tower directly behind the porte-cochere, the red neon logo is present as well as elsewhere on the building as well. Facing east this particular set of letters looms high over head. The section of the building is a vertically elongated temple front, stretching the height of the building. Four pilasters run the vertical length of the building, holding black spans of tinted windows in between. They each are topped with golden Corinthian capitals, which hold up the classic entablature and pediment. "Caesars Palace" is spelled across the entablature in channel letters and filled with red neon. In the pediment above a golden crest of Julius Caesar's profile flanked by two encompassing olive branches. The crest is ambiently lit with white light. The tower just behind the main building also supports text on its east face as well. As the narrow edge of the tower, the vertical plane rises upward but is flat and smooth until it reaches the top section. It is essentially a giant entablature created out of the temple fronts on either side that wrap around to meet on the width. On this flat plane, "Caesars Palace" is spelled in the classic lettering and neon treatment seen on the building letters just below that. The building itself is ambiently lit but the profile of Caesar above the text is not a brightly lit as the other. On the south side of the parking garage, on the western edge of the property, the channel letter logo reads in red neon as well.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent
Sign - media: Steel; Plastic; Masonry
Sign - non-neon treatments: Paint
Sign animation: Chasing, flashing, oscillating
Notes: The V-shaped red channels on the silver main pylon chase each other downward toward the ground. The main text on the pylon animates as well. The letters light up one at a time with red neon from left to right as the arrows continue to chase downward. The logo/text sign located above the giant replica of the Harley Davidson, animate as well. The incandescent bulbs which fill the text, spelling the name of the establishment, oscillate, steady burn, then shut off, and then restarting the sequence. The letters that spell cafe on the lower portion of the sign animate in concert and with the same sequence as the main text.
Sign environment: Caesars Palace sits in one of the biggest and busiest sections of the strip, and has always been a mainstay. The ambiently lit classic features of architecture seem almost specter like moments, with the blazing red eyes of the Caesars text staring from afar. From the street, the actual structures are set a bit back from the street, seeming rather distant. Construction is currently present around the exterior edges of the property, which rather dampens effect of the theming, but everything shines through. The theme does step out to the street with the statuary, creeping out to pedestrians and the pylon signs. The main signs are street side, pointing toward the casino. Headed south on the west side of the street the two pylon signs lead up to the porte-cochere. Standing underneath the porte-cochere looking out, the fountains provide a picturesque scene to see the other side of the street. The buildings loom high over head. The environment contains elements, which can be seen repeated throughout hotel exteriors. The large water element, the Classic architectural design motif, and the spectacular porte-cochere are still evident in properties built today. Even though Caesars continues to evolve with the current trends, all of these elements were presenting its original design.
Sign manufacturer: Pylon 1: YESCO Pylon 2: Ad Art
Sign - date of installation: 1966, 1998
Sign - date of redesign/move: On-going additions since 1966
Sign - thematic influences: Caesars Palace may be the first themed resort, which has taken its theme to an extreme the likes of which had never been seen before. Ever since it's original inception in 1966, Caesars Palace has sought to give its guest the most of the Ancient Roman theme. Caesars is simply dripping with imagery and architecture that is steeped in the theme of Ancient Rome. No matter where you go there are collections of statuary, domes and columns, false temple fronts create the facades of the towers, and low geometric hedges and cypress trees all add to the theme. Any themed property can draw influence from Caesars Palace, and still stands as one of the highest markers for competitors to be judged by.
Sign - artistic significance: Very important signage that can be seen reflected in many aspects of non-casino culture. Caesars Palace is one of the icons of American popular culture, and the distinctive Romanesque neon is a big reason why.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Pylon; Fascia; Porte-cochère; Neon; Incandescent; Steel; Plastic; Masonry; Paint

Mixed Content

Photographs of Tropicana signs, Las Vegas (Nev.), 2002

Date
2002
2017-09-28
Description

Photos show Tropicana signs at night. Two surveys were conducted to gather information about this sign. One was conducted in 2002 and one was conducted in 2017. PDFs are available for both surveys. See the 2017 survey PDF for additional information that is not included in the object description.
Site name: Tropicana Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Site address: 3801 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign owner: Aztar
Sign details: The southeast corner of Las Vegas Blvd and Tropicana Boulevard belongs to the Tropicana Hotel Casino. The Tropicana is composed of two high-rise towers, the low-rise wings of rooms, and the casino itself. One tower faces southwest/northeast, while the other tower, further east on the property faces southeast/northwest. The expanse of the corner, near the street is an open concrete pedestrian plaza, with rising planters, a large functioning waterfall, also surrounded by foliage, and various vendors. The porte-cochere connects the plaza to the hotel, with the connecting bridge to the Excalibur, residing on top.
Sign condition: Structure 5 Surface 5 Lighting 5
Sign form: Pylon; Fascia
Sign-specific description: On the north and south faces of the porte-cochere roof line, on a pediment between the sloping blue roof and a row of brass fixtures, large channel letters in the faceted Tropicana font, horizontally spell "Tropicana." The exteriors are painted black wit a blue reflective finishing the interiors. They are filled with blue neon. The ceiling of the porte-cochere holds two distinct features to its credit. The north half is adorned with a glass domed hole through the roof. The interior thickness and recessed lip are covered in a polished metallic surface. Seashells adorn the edge where the lip meets the ceiling as well as on the face of the ledge as well. Teal, red and gold organic lines are floating across the surface in paint. The south half of the porte-cochere is covered with six recessed rectangular areas. Within the giant coffering a field of polished metal squares form a tiled field bordered with incandescent bulbs. In each of the corner intersections a sculpted glass cover, hold a single incandescent bulbs. Each field holds forty or so of these bulbs and their coverings. Two identical pylons flank the courtyard. One of them is on the south side of Tropicana avenue facing east /west, while the other faces north/south on the east side of the street. The pylon is essentially a giant double-sided rectangle with a top section that angles back into space on either side to meet at a peak. The result is a small roof like peak at the top of the sign supporting text on its face. The text however is standing up horizontally at a 90-degree angle. Besides the text logo at the top, the sign possesses an internally lit message cabinet on the bottom of the face, a small LED message center, and another backlit cabinet with a color advertisement for Follies Berger. The message center at the bottom is white plastic with vinyl lettering. The small message center is flanked by three steel poles, the height of the sign and finished to look like bamboo. The horizontal line created by the top edge of the sign is also lined with this false bamboo. The channel lettering at the top are polished metallic, shallow channel letters, which extend in depth all the way back to the face of the roof like form. The faces are filled with incandescent bulbs and bordered in neon. The sides of the sign are treated with a vertical bull nose like shape which runs vertically up the width of the sign. It is pointed wit ha triangular shape on both ends. The shape begins flush with the triangular peak of the signs profile and ends with its point approximately halfway down the height of the bottom message center. The bull nose is faceted with three faces. At the triangular tips, the three faces appear to make the space retain a jewel like shape. The middle face is laden with incandescent bulbs. The rest of the width of the sign is also finished in polished gold metal. The remaining open space on the faces of the cabinet, as well as exposed pieces of the cabinet, are painted a teal color. A border on incandescent bulbs runs around the entire face of the signage. The only signage present on the towers , is the on the first tower, closest to the corner. Running vertically down the west side of the southwest face of the tower, giant metallic channel letters spell "Tropicana" and are lined on the interiors with a double row of neon. Along the western end of the tower, three, double rows of incandescent bulbs run the entire height of the building. These animate, chasing each other down, simulating a waterfall.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; LED
Sign - media: Steel; Plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: Graphics; Paint
Sign animation: Chasing, oscillating
Notes: Pylons: The incandescent bulbs inside the channel letters for the logo oscillate, as well as on the vertical width of the pylon. The raceways around the backlit screen chase each other, but it is a double row of incandescent bulbs that chase in opposite directions to each other. Building: The giant raceways of incandescent bulbs on the northwest corner of the Tropicana's front tower, chase each other from top to bottom, representing a waterfall.
Sign environment: The Tropicana belongs to one of the four major properties which comprise the intersection of Tropicana Ave. and Las Vegas Blvd The corner is occupied by a plaza and pedestrian element that is also seen in the other neighbors in the intersection as well. The towers loom over the plaza, as is accented by kiosks for patron promotions, and other services such as refreshments. The property is a good example of a property which has adapted over the years to fit and compete with the rapid evolution of Las Vegas.
Sign manufacturer: Original fascia design ( letters on building are what remain after remodel) by Heath and Company. Pylons: by YESCO
Sign designer: Original prismatic design was submitted by AD-Art's Jack DuBois ,but produced by Raul Rodriguez for heath and Company.
Sign - date of installation: 1978
Sign - date of redesign/move: The original facade was remodeled, which altered the exterior of the porte- cochere, but the letters remain.
Sign - thematic influences: The theme surrounding the Tropicana is that of the island paradise. References to the theming, that are evident on the exterior, are the shape and style of the text utilized in the various signage as well as those shapes being carried over into the designs other architectural elements. The blue incandescent bulbs that chase each other down the face of the building obviously reference a waterfall. Juxtaposed to the aesthetic, actual water elements have been incorporated into the front facade also. The angular design of the text is reminiscent of prism like faceted fonts is reminiscent many aspects dealing with Las Vegas, but fit more into the theme of the property than Vegas. The prismatic design is also incorporated into the design of the actual pylon also. The edges of the vertical length of the pylon are faceted and the triangular end seen on the fonts can be found elsewhere on the pylon. Not only is this shape evident with the pylon but on the fascia of the neighboring facade. The peaked rooflines of the village like facade also mirror this shape, being accented by the incandescent bulbs that line the edges. The text are reminiscent of something tropical, the shape somehow represents something rustic and wooden, even a tiki-like flavor.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Chasing; Oscillating; Pylon; Fascia; Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; Steel; Plastic; Graphics; Paint; LED

Mixed Content

Photograph of the design sketch for the Sands sign (Las Vegas), circa 1952

Date
1952 to 1953
Description

A design sketch for the free-standing sign for the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas.
Site Name: Sands Hotel
Address: 3355 Las Vegas Boulevard South

Image

Photograph of the neon sign of the Thunderbird Hotel (Las Vegas), 1948

Date
1948
Description

The neon sign of the Thunderbird Hotel.
Site Name: Thunderbird Hotel
Address: 2755 Las Vegas Boulevard South

Image

Photograph of the neon sign in front of the Aladdin (Las Vegas), 1966

Date
1966
Description

Statue and neon sign in front of the Aladdin.
Site Name: Aladdin Hotel
Address: 3667 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, NV

Image

Photograph of neon signs in front of the Aladdin (Las Vegas), 1976

Date
1976
Description

Nighttime view of neon signs in front of the Aladdin Hotel and Casino.
Site Name: Aladdin Hotel
Address: 3667 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, NV

Image

Photograph of the Dunes Hotel tower (Las Vegas), circa 1980s

Date
1980 to 1989
Description

View of the Dunes Hotel tower in the 1980s.
Site Name: Dunes Hotel
Address: 3650 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, NV

Image

Handwritten notes for the Horseshoe Club neon sign (Las Vegas), circa 1960s

Date
1960 to 1969
Description

Handwritten notes with details for the neon facade of the Horseshoe Club.
Site Name: Horseshoe Club
Address: 128 East Fremont Street

Image

Photograph of construction on the exterior of the Horseshoe Club (Las Vegas), circa 1960s

Date
1960 to 1969
Description

The facade of the Horseshoe Club under construction.
Site Name: Horseshoe Club
Address: 128 East Fremont Street

Image