Willits Arch
Willits, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Here's a welcome sign that's hard to drive past without noticing. The Willits Arch stretches across Main Street, announcing the “Heart of Mendocino County” overhead. A little farther along, the road can take care of the introductions to the redwoods.

This arch has done some traveling itself. Built in 1963, it originally stood in Reno, where it advertised the Biggest Little City rather than a Northern California timber town.

The framework arrived in Willits in 1995, received new lettering, and went back to work above the road. Quite a change of scenery from casinos to redwoods.

UPDATE: The arch remains over Main Street, welcoming travelers to Willits. 09-26

Hotel Jefferson
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Look up at the tall neon blade for Hotel Jefferson in San Francisco. The lettering climbs the building's frontage, giving the street a glow that a small sign beside the entrance couldn't quite manage.

The hotel building dates to 1906, from the city's rebuilding after the earthquake. There's plenty of building behind that marquee, so a view from farther down the block helps take it all in.

The place has appeared in The Pursuit of Happyness and Nash Bridges, too. A familiar face on screen for anyone who had already spotted it while wandering the city.

The neon received a restoration in 2020, putting the old lettering back to work after dark. Another reason to make a second pass when the daylight fades.

UPDATE: Hotel Jefferson serves as residential and supportive housing, and its restored neon sign remains. 09-26

Philipp's Bakery (Gone)
Sacramento, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Hungry? Look up at the vertical neon sign for Philipp's Bakery in Sacramento. The pink script gives the building a bright finishing touch, and a pretty good excuse to stop before deciding what to eat.

Julius Herman and Angelina Philipp moved their bakery to this part of Sacramento in 1925. The brick building stood along Folsom Boulevard, where travelers on the old Highway 50 route could find something fresh from the oven.

The sign followed in the 1950s, adding neon to a business that already had a few decades behind it. A bakery could catch attention with more than the smell coming through the door. This one was worth another look after sunset. Hopefully there was still something left in the display case.

UPDATE: Philipp's Bakery has closed, and the neon sign was removed from the building in 2011 and is being stored at the Sacramento Center for History. 09-26

H-B Hotel
Oakdale, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Check out the old H-B Hotel marquee in Oakdale. The lettering and western-style frontage look right at home in a town with ranching roots, giving passing travelers a reason to slow down.

The canopy carries the name out above the sidewalk, where it can be spotted before reaching the entrance. It's worth stepping back to catch the sign with the building around it. The H-B name has been associated with more than lodging. Food and a drink have also brought customers through the door, so a stop here didn't necessarily require an overnight bag.

UPDATE: The H-B building remains in use for food and drinks, and the old marquee survives. 09-26

D.R. Woodard (Gone)
Sacramento, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Here's a cleaner with a sign worth seeing after dark. The vertical marquee for D.R. Woodard in Sacramento puts “Cleaner & Dyer” up in neon, giving an everyday errand a little extra roadside appeal.

The business's building dates to 1936. For decades, customers came to this Midtown corner with clothes that needed attention, while the sign advertised overhead. The marquee had some repair work of its own. After a storm badly damaged the older sign, Ellis & Ellis Sign Systems made a replacement that brought the familiar lettering back.

UPDATE: The business, later known as Woodard-Ficetti Cleaners, closed around 2017. The sign has been removed. 09-26

Coca Cola Bottling Co.
Sacramento, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Check out the red Coca-Cola Bottling Co. script across this Sacramento building. The familiar lettering follows the curved frontage, giving an industrial stop a little more flair than the usual warehouse.

The building went up in 1939 with an ocean liner look, complete with rounded white walls, porthole-style details, and railings. About the only thing missing is a departure time.The neon fits neatly into the arrangement above the entrance. Take a step back to catch both the lettering and the curves, rather than letting the logo steal the whole photo.

UPDATE: The Coca-Cola facility remains in use, and the script sign survives. 09-26