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The mention of neon signs brings another era to mind: an age of old-timey diners and driving on the open road. Let's take a brief look at the interesting history of this special type of lighting. The Beginning Neon lighting actually predates Edison's invention of the light bulb. The concept was originally discovered in 1675 by the French astronomer, Jean Picard. He accidentally shook a tube of compounds he was experimenting with and a glow he named "barometric light" occurred due to static electricity. Scientists William Ramsey and Morris Travers further experimented with this concept in London in the early 20th century. They discovered the element "neon" when they chilled an air sample until it formed a liquid, capturing each gas as they boiled off. Each gas that they boiled was identified in the order of its abundance in the sample. Once all krypton was removed, a gas that shone a brilliant crimson glow remained. This remaining element's moniker was derived from the Greek word for "new." 1910s - 1920s A French engineer named George Claude became a true pioneer in the use of neon for signs. He made several discoveries and invented many different ways to revolutionize this dazzling technology. For instance, by applying an electric discharge in a sealed tube, he invented the first ever neon lamp. Eight years later, Claude displayed his gleaming lamp at a show in Paris, and sold his first of many neon signs to a Parisian barber in 1912. By 1923, he was selling them all over the United States, including to a Packard car dealership in Los Angeles. Coined "liquid fire," the gleaming fluid caught on with the American public and soon became a fixture of outdoor advertising. 1930s - 1950s In the 1930s, luminous signage became much more extravagant. By 1935, large colorful billboards donned the streets of larger cities like New York and Chicago. In the 1940s, Las Vegas dotted its landscape with some of the most memorable and vivid signage in history. Some formed animations and others were used as brilliant architectural accents. By the mid-1950s, neon became an endearing part of American culture. Many diners, hotels, and retail stores were accompanied by these glowing towers in the sky. With the new highway system in place, travelers were able to see food and gas stops from far distances down the road. 1960s and Beyond By the time the 1960s rolled around, there seemed to be a steep decline in the use of the glowing liquid. Not only did public taste change, but the municipal codes of some cities prohibited such elaborate displays. Cheaper alternatives were perfected and mass-manufactured and that really put the final nail in the coffin for the former phenomenon. However, many museums and those interested in retro signage have preserved many originals. Some of these are from the historic Route 66, while others are from stores and restaurants that are now defunct. The best place to view these is at the Museum of Neon Art (MONA) in Los Angeles, which is the first museum in the world dedicated to these wonders. To learn more about their options for signs, Alabama residents should visit http://www.lasignservice.com.
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