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Serving injured workers in Sonoma County By Meechan Rosenthal Karpilow, P.C.
DEAR ABBY: GOLFERS IN OUR GROUP WON’T SHARE A CART WITH UNVACCINATED MAN
He won’t wear a mask or get the jab, and others don’t want to ride with him.
WAYS TO VOLUNTEER IN SONOMA COUNTY
Help with Paws For Love’s fundraiser or prepare food for people with serious
illnesses.
HOW A PHONE CALL FROM A HISTORY-MAKING VINTNER LED TO A SMITHSONIAN EXHIBIT
Warren Winiarski’s phone call led a Smithsonian team to develop oral histories
and videos and collect artifacts for the “Food: Transforming the American Table”
exhibition, still on display today.
LOCAL MOM LAUNCHES SUPPORT GROUP FOR FAMILIES OF KIDS WITH DISABILITIES
When a doctor told Larkin O’Leary of Santa Rosa that her son had Down syndrome,
her life changed forever.
OUTDOOR EVENTS IN SONOMA COUNTY, NOV. 28 - DEC. 7
Learn about the unique history of the mistletoe at Ragle Ranch Regional Park or
join in for a roast of Sonoma County’s ugliest animals at Foothill Regional
Park.
WHAT MAKES ARMSTRONG’S REDWOODS SO RESILIENT DESPITE NATURAL DISASTERS
Plus, 10 other places around and near Sonoma County to see redwoods.
DEAR ABBY: I’M WORRIED ABOUT MY MOM’S NEGATIVITY
The mother has become increasingly quick to anger.
25 BEST PLACES FOR FRENCH TOAST IN SONOMA COUNTY
In case you’ve got any room left after Thanksgiving, National French Toast Day
is this Sunday, Nov. 28.
SPICY KOMBUCHA FROM HEALDSBURG WILL HELP YOU MAKE IT THROUGH THANKSGIVING
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This new line of canned kombucha has a relatively low alcohol content and is
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SIGNS OF THE TIMES: PRESERVATIONISTS AIM TO RELIGHT SONOMA COUNTY WITH NEON
Slide 1 of 17
The newly restored Linch Jewelry sign now burns brightly in downtown Petaluma.
(Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
Slide 2 of 17
Neon artists drew not just words but images with bent glass tubing. This sign is
outside Cattlemens Steakhouse in Petaluma on Monday, Nov. 1, 2021. (Beth
Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
Slide 3 of 17
The neon sign outside Cattlemens Steakhouse in Petaluma on Monday, Nov. 1, 2021.
(Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
Slide 4 of 17
Garth Bixler was given a historic preservation award by Heritage Homes of
Petaluma for restoring the Linch Jewelry sign outside his 1910 building on
Western Ave. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
Slide 5 of 17
The newly restored Linch Jewelry sign in Petaluma on Friday, Oct. 29, 2021.
(Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
Slide 6 of 17
The Linch Jewelry sign before it was restored to its 1940s glory. (Garth
Bixler).
Slide 7 of 17
The neon sign at The 8 Ball in Cotati is still glowing in the night. (Beth
Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
Advertisement
Slide 8 of 17
The 8 Ball in Cotati on Monday, Nov. 1, 2021. (Beth Schlanker/The Press
Democrat)
Slide 9 of 17
The neon sign outside the Flamingo Resort in Santa Rosa on Monday, Nov. 1, 2021.
(Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
Slide 10 of 17
The neon sign outside The Buckhorn Tavern, one of the few remaining neon signs
in Petaluma, still entices people to come in for cocktails with pink neon
lettering and a familiar neon martini glass. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
Slide 11 of 17
The reflection of the neon sign outside Coddingtown Mall in Santa Rosa. The
monumental rotating sign from the 1960s is one of the most significant neon
signs in the North Bay. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
Slide 12 of 17
The large neon sign at Negri’s restaurant stands out in Occidental. (Amanda
Negri)
Slide 13 of 17
The retro sign at the Owl Cafe in Cloverdale. (Rosa Howard)
Advertisement
Slide 14 of 17
Paul Barber’s father Warren built the Linch Jewelry sign more than 70 years ago.
He repaired it himself over the years as part of the family’s Barber Sign Co.
Now retired, he collects and works on old neon signs as a hobby. (CRISSY
PASCUAL/ARGUS-COURIER)
Slide 15 of 17
This old neon restaurant sign on Petaluma Boulevard remains in homage to the
town’s poultry heyday. (Katherine Rinehart).
Slide 16 of 17
The rotating sign outside the Coddingtown Mall is a 1960s Space Age classic.
(Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
Slide 17 of 17
Residents of Rio Nido have rallied to restore this 80-year-old neon sign that
long beckoned vacationers to the river town. (Friends of Rio Nido)
Facebook Twitter Reddit WhatsApp AddThis
MEG MCCONAHEY
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
November 12, 2021
NEON SIGN SPOTTING: LIT AND UNLIT
Take a self-guided tour to search out these vintage signs in Sonoma County.
Petaluma in particular is a hot spot for these old signs.
Know of another cool, retro neon sign in Sonoma County that’s not on this list?
Send the address, and even a photo if you have one, to
onlineideas@pressdemocrat.com and we’ll add it.
The Buckhorn: 615 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma
Elm Court: 4545 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma
The Hatchery Restaurant: 620 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma
LanMart sign (non-working): 29 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma
Mario John’s Tavern: 428 E. D. St., Petalulma
McNear’s Mystic Theater: 23 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma
The Washoe House: 2840 Roblar Road, Petaluma
Twin Oaks Roadhouse: 5745 Old Redwood Highway, Penngrove
Coddingtown sign: 733 Coddingtown Center, Santa Rosa
Firestone sign at King’s Tires: 1075 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa
Flamingo Resort: 2777 Fourth St., Santa Rosa
Villa Trailer Park, 1975 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa
The 8 Ball: 8 Charles St., Cotati
Other signs spotted by readers:
Negri’s restaurant: 3700 Bohemian Highway, Occidental
Oliver Hotel sign: 115 Fourth St., Santa Rosa
Owl Cafe, 485 S. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale
Pick’s Drive-In: 117 S. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale
Pink Elephant sign: 9895 Main St., Monte Rio
Rainbow Cattle Co.: 16220 Main St., Guerneville
Stark’s Steak & Seafood, 521 Adams St., Santa Rosa
To learn more about neon signs:
Neon Speaks Festival & Symposium: neonspeaks.org
Museum of Neon Art: neonmona.org
Neon: A Light History: historyofneon.org
Back in the mid-20th century, neon signs were on the skids.
Public tastes had turned against the ubiquitous glowing letters and cocktail
glasses that beckoned people to dime stores, diners, laundromats and lounges in
virtually every town in America, from tiny burgs to big cities. Neon, associated
in the public’s mind with Vegas gambling and prostitution, became a tarnished
symbol of the worst of modern life.
Even as early as 1946, in the Christmas classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” George
Bailey finds himself thrust into the future “Pottersville,” a hellscape of neon
signs signifying moral decay.
But local landmark preservationists and enthusiasts who appreciate both the
cultural history inherent in neon signs and the artistry that went into their
creation are sending out an SOS to spare the few neon signs that are left.
“Sadly, the number of neon signs existing within Petaluma and Sonoma County in
general have diminished dramatically over the years, making those that remain
even more worthy of preservation,” said Katherine Rinehart, a professional
historian based in Petaluma who has long been interested in historic buildings.
A sign, she added, is an important architectural element too often overlooked.
Fortunately, she said, that wasn’t the case with Garth Bixler, a Petaluma
property owner who recently sank $30,000 into restoring an old neon sign that
had perched on the side of his building at 10 Western Ave. since 1947.
The business it advertised, Linch Jewelry, was gone. But that didn’t matter to
Bixler. He believed the sign was an essential part of the character of the 1910
brick commercial building designed by renowned early 20th century Petaluma
architect Brainerd Jones.
Bixler restored the building 20 years ago. But the faded old sign hanging over
the structure had taken a beating.
Over the years, Bixler was able to call on Barber Sign Co. of Petaluma, which
built the sign just after World War II, to make minor repairs. But about five
years ago, as workers restored trim on the building, someone backed a
cherrypicker truck into the sign.
“It was repaired, but it just didn’t last,” Bixler recalled. “It must have
joggled the metal case, and it broke some of the neon glass tubing.”
By that time, Barber Sign Co. had been sold after 80 years in business. So
Bixler went searching for a company with expertise in restoring old neon signs
using the original technology of glass tubing and gas.
He turned to Oakland’s Arrow Sign Co., which opened in 1952 as the Arrow Neon
Sign Co. and specialized in theater lighting. Ever since florescent lights and
then LED lights behind sheet plastic came into vogue in the 1960s and 1970s,
neon sign-making has been a diminishing art. But some, like Arrow, continue to
carry a torch for neon.
“It’s not good for everything. It’s not as durable. It needs more service,”
Arrow president Charlie Stroud said. “But it’s just a beautiful method of
illumination you can’t accomplish any other way.”
DISAPPEARING ART
Warren Barber built the Linch Jewelry sign in Petaluma around 1947, the same
year he graduated from the Acme Neon Institute in Chicago. It likely was one of
his first, if not very first, significant neon signs, said his son Paul, who
served in the family business for more than 40 years before selling Barber Sign
Co. in 2015.
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Like many veterans returning from the war, Warren Barber took advantage of the
GI Bill to learn a trade. His older brother Lewis, who started the company in
1935, likely designed the Linch Jewelry sign and Warren constructed it.
Paul Barber knew the sign well, having repaired it many times. Now a collector
of old neon, he is in the process of making two one-third-scale models of the
Linch sign, one for himself and one for his buddy.
“I’m going to install it on a pole in the middle of the backyard,” he said.
Neon is not something any sign maker can do. It takes special training to learn
to bend glass tubes into letters or shapes and then illuminate them with inert
gas.
When an electric current hits the electrodes in the tubes, electrons flow
through the gas, making its atoms glow. The type of gas in the tubes determines
the color of the light. In the 1930s, phosphorescent coatings and colored tubing
introduced a rainbow of additional neon colors.
In the 1890s, inventor Nikola Tesla developed the first wireless luminous
tubing, which he dubbed “as lovely a phenomenon as can greet our eyes.” Tesla
wasn’t successful in commercially marketing the marvel. But others continued to
experiment, said Dydia DeLyser, a cultural-historical geographer at Cal State
Fullerton who specializes in neon signs.
NEON SIGN SPOTTING: LIT AND UNLIT
Take a self-guided tour to search out these vintage signs in Sonoma County.
Petaluma in particular is a hot spot for these old signs.
Know of another cool, retro neon sign in Sonoma County that’s not on this list?
Send the address, and even a photo if you have one, to
onlineideas@pressdemocrat.com and we’ll add it.
The Buckhorn: 615 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma
Elm Court: 4545 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma
The Hatchery Restaurant: 620 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma
LanMart sign (non-working): 29 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma
Mario John’s Tavern: 428 E. D. St., Petalulma
McNear’s Mystic Theater: 23 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma
The Washoe House: 2840 Roblar Road, Petaluma
Twin Oaks Roadhouse: 5745 Old Redwood Highway, Penngrove
Coddingtown sign: 733 Coddingtown Center, Santa Rosa
Firestone sign at King’s Tires: 1075 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa
Flamingo Resort: 2777 Fourth St., Santa Rosa
Villa Trailer Park, 1975 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa
The 8 Ball: 8 Charles St., Cotati
Other signs spotted by readers:
Negri’s restaurant: 3700 Bohemian Highway, Occidental
Oliver Hotel sign: 115 Fourth St., Santa Rosa
Owl Cafe, 485 S. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale
Pick’s Drive-In: 117 S. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale
Pink Elephant sign: 9895 Main St., Monte Rio
Rainbow Cattle Co.: 16220 Main St., Guerneville
Stark’s Steak & Seafood, 521 Adams St., Santa Rosa
To learn more about neon signs:
Neon Speaks Festival & Symposium: neonspeaks.org
Museum of Neon Art: neonmona.org
Neon: A Light History: historyofneon.org
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SCOTT PETERSON TRANSFERRED OFF DEATH ROW TO BAY AREA JAIL AHEAD OF MURDER
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Peterson on Monday was transferred from death row at San Quentin Prison to the
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JOHN GONNELLA, BELOVED FIGURE IN OCCIDENTAL, DIES OF CANCER AT 68
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City officials are recommending the council move the proposed program from a
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BYSTANDERS PULL WOMAN FROM VEHICLE AFTER FIERY ROLLOVER CRASH NEAR SANTA ROSA
The woman suffered minor injuries in the weekend crash.
FORMER SONOMA ACADEMY HEAD SORRY FOR ‘MISSTEPS,’ DISPUTES SOME MISCONDUCT
FINDINGS
Janet Durgin responded Tuesday to revelations in a new report released by the
Santa Rosa private school detailing abuses and misconduct by three staff members
during her tenure.
SCOTT PETERSON TRANSFERRED OFF DEATH ROW TO BAY AREA JAIL AHEAD OF MURDER
RESENTENCING
Peterson on Monday was transferred from death row at San Quentin Prison to the
San Mateo County Jail.
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STUDENTS
The 49-page report outlined sexual abuse of underage students by two other
former staff members and sweeping allegations of sexual grooming and misconduct
by former teacher Marco Morrone.
JOHN GONNELLA, BELOVED FIGURE IN OCCIDENTAL, DIES OF CANCER AT 68
“For a community to be a community,” said Tom Gonnella of his sibling, “you need
people like my brother.”
Sir William Ramsay and Morris Travers isolated the so-called noble gases and
named one, which produced an orange-red glow, as “neon,” DeLyser said. Georges
Claude ran with it, developing his own luminous tube patents and franchising
Claude Neon Lights after World War I.
By the 1920s, neon was lighting highways and towns and developing as an art. And
after World War II, learning to make neon lighting was a popular vocational
option, DeLyser said.
“A lot of them went to neon schools. The returning vets could learn a trade they
could use to raise their families. In the post-war period, all of these
mom-and-pop sign shops flourished all over the country,” she said.
That influx of trained craftsmen led to a skyrocketing popularity of neon that
lasted until the 1960s, when a federal highway beautification project targeted
the ticky-tacky billboards and other unregulated signage that was seen as
littering the landscape. Neon also got caught in the crosshairs of an SOS
campaign, supported by the sign industry itself, to “Scrap Old Signs.”
“There was a backlash against neon,” DeLyser said. “It was partly because of
what neon had come to stand for.”
Neon had become a pejorative denoting cheap commercialism and a cluttered
environment. Frequently, but not exclusively, it was used in signs advertising
beer and alcohol and came to be associated with drinking, dive bars, illicit sex
and sleazy motels.
SONOMA COUNTY IN NEON
But there is another story, said DeLyser, who with husband Paul Greenstein,
himself a sign maker, recently published a book, “Neon: A Light History.”
Neon signs also were used to attract people to a wide variety of businesses,
including Petaluma’s longtime downtown jewelers.
Sign spotters in Sonoma County still can find a few survivors, including the
Mario & John’s sign at 428 E. D St. in Petaluma, the glowing pink Buckhorn at
615 Petaluma Blvd. S., The 8 Ball in Cotati, Twin Oaks in Penngrove, a Firestone
sign at King’s Tires on Santa Rosa Avenue in Santa Rosa and the Villa Trailer
Park, also on Santa Rosa Avenue, to name a handful.
The most iconic are the monumental Coddingtown mall sign and the kitschy pink
flamingo at the newly renovated Flamingo Resort in Santa Rosa.
DeLyser maintains that neon unfairly got a bad rap. So often they advertised
small businesses and served to invite people to gather.
“They have a geographical role of drawing people toward them, saying, ‘Come in.’
So ultimately, what these signs are doing is creating community.”
Even now, communities all over the U.S. are coming together to save them.
In Glendale, the Museum of Neon Art, for which DeLyser is a board member, seeks
to raise awareness of the value of historic neon signage. It partners with the
city of Los Angeles to sponsor a popular bus tour, the Neon Cruise, to showcase
the history and artistry of neon.
In the tiny river Russian River town of Rio Nido, residents have rallied to
restore the old neon Rio Nido sign that once flew like a red flag on the south
side of the road approaching the village. It was unearthed from a resident’s
garage, where it had been stored for decades. The Friends of Rio Nido set about
raising money and secured grants through the Sonoma County Advertising Program
to restore it.
“It was quite rusty and damaged and it didn’t have a post or anything to it, so
there were costs to designing and getting the engineering done for the pole and
the base. We also had to work to get the property approvals,” said Kim Holliday
of Friends of Rio Nido.
Because of the complexities and mounting costs, they opted to illuminate it with
LED lights that look like neon.
“People tell stories about approaching Rio Nido and feeling a simmering
excitement to see the Rio Nido sign as they approached for their summery
getaway,” Holiday said.
Friends of Rio Nido is now raising the last few thousand dollars to officially
light up the sign.
The sign is a “point of pride,” a way of distinguishing Rio Nido from
Guerneville down the road, said Ingrid Emming, also part of the group.
A DELICATE PROCESS
Restoring an old neon sign, particularly a large one like the Linch Jewelry
sign, is a delicate process. To do it right, the heavy 12-foot sign had to be
removed from the building and transported to a warehouse in Modesto for
restoration. Initially, city of Petaluma planners balked. Technically, once a
nonconforming sign is removed it can’t go back up.
It took several months to win permission to remove the sign, with Bixler making
a case for its historical significance. Once he got the OK, he carefully planned
with Arrow to get it right.
“I wasn’t willing to have it be a different color, and I wanted it to look old,”
Bixler said. “One problem with sign paints is they’re shiny. It had to look old
and weathered. I asked if they could put some matte varnish over it, and they
were able to do it. It looks as old as ever, but it’s in perfect condition.”
The sign was removed in March of 2020 and reinstalled in June. Last year,
Heritage Homes of Petaluma gave Bixler a preservation award for the project, the
first time they recognized a sign renovation.
“It was a project I loved,” Bixler said. “If I’m around here for another 20
years and I live to be 98 like my grandmother and mother, I’ll be able to enjoy
the sign for another 20 years. I have a daughter who works in the building, and
she made it clear she wants to inherit it. I feel like this is for her and my
grandson and for Petaluma.”
A GROWING MOVEMENT
Bay Area neon enthusiasts are working to raise awareness about the historical
and cultural value of old commercial signs as part of the urban landscape. The
nonprofit San Francisco Neon hosts an annual Neon Speaks Symposium of experts
and aficionados from across the country.
San Jose is experiencing a neon revival. Heather David has written two guides on
San Jose’s neon heritage.
But there are challenges. Many signs don’t have the same historical protections
as buildings, David said. And the cost for maintaining them can be prohibitive
for property owners. If they can’t be maintained in place, the next best thing
is relocating them to museums or outdoor neon alleys, she said.
The restoration of the Linch Jewelry sign, however, is a step toward recognizing
and saving the community’s and the country’s neon heritage.
“The Linch Jewelry sign means so much to so many people, and there are so few
signs left in downtown Petaluma,” she said. “For someone to open up their
pocketbook to pay for its restoration says a lot. There are people coming from
all over the Bay Area to photograph that sign, and now you can see it lit
again.”
You can reach Staff Writer Meg McConahey at 707-521-5204 or
meg.mcconahey@pressdemocrat.com. OnTwitter @megmcconahey.
MEG MCCONAHEY
Features, The Press Democrat
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