Michael Bushnell

Northeast News
June 12, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Missouri ― The iconic Motel Capri neon sign has officially been saved from the wrecking ball.

At the most recent meeting, the city’s Parks and Recreation Board of Commissioners unanimously approved to have the sign carefully de-installed and preserved as part of the collections of the Kansas City Museum.

“This sign,” said Museum Director Anna Marie Tutera, “is a wonderful piece of Roadside Americana that absolutely needs to be preserved.”

According to Thomas Cobian, nicknamed the Neon Warrior at the Downtown Neon Gallery, the sign is an outstanding example of an bygone era, that of the old Route 66, before the burgeoning growth of the Interstate Highway system. The sign was built and installed by the United Sign Company of Kansas City in 1963 or 1964.

“That sign is a porcelain enamel sign,” Cobian said. “We just don’t see that much anymore. Once we get this down, the Museum will be able to buff this out and it will look almost new again. I’m very impressed with the condition of the sign. The neon is almost 90 percent intact. This is just a great piece of history.”

Following the de-installation, the sign will be carefully cataloged and archived in the Museum Collections. Work on the de-installation of the sign will continue through today. Weather permitting, the sign should be completely down by the weekend.