PHOENIX – Mesa will celebrate its bright history by illuminating six historic signs in a new downtown installment called the Neon Garden.
The display includes a replica of the Starlite Motel’s famed Diving Lady, the Valley’s last remaining animated neon sign.
The other five signs were kept alive after standing outside defunct and existing businesses on Main Street, which used to be a major transportation route through the East Valley.
The Neon Garden will light up for the first time at 7 p.m. Thursday in a public ceremony behind The Post at 26 N. Macdonald, a block south of Main Street.
“The Neon Garden is a one-of-a-kind space that beautifully blends art, history and community,” Councilmember Jenn Duff said in a press release. “It’s a fantastic new gathering spot that brings Mesa’s past to life in a way that’s vibrant and fun for residents and visitors alike.”
The sign project is the product of a partnership between the city and the nonprofit Mesa Preservation Foundation. It was partially funded by a 2018 voter-approved bond to support cultural infrastructure projects.
The Neon Garden is part of a larger revitalization effort connected to The Post, a historic post office that opened as a community event venue in 2023.
The city also has plans to display more historic neon signs throughout the downtown area.
What signs will be displayed at Neon Garden in Mesa?
Here’s a closer look at the six Neon Garden signs, based on information provided by the city:
Bill Johnson’s Big Apple: The sign stood at 950 E. Main St. from 1977 until 2018, four years after the western-themed restaurant closed. It was donated to the Mesa Preservation Foundation.
Watson’s Flowers: The 30-foot neon sign was installed at 2525 W. Main St. in the 1950s and collapsed in a windstorm in 2014. It was stored for five years before the shop’s owners donated it to the Mesa Preservation Foundation.
Dairy Queen: The porcelain enamel sign was installed when the restaurant opened at 629 E. Main St. in 1949 and operated for almost 70 years. The city and the Mesa Preservation Foundation rescued it after the Dairy Queen closed in 2018 for a redevelopment project.
Smiley Ford: The sign was installed around 1960 when Smiley-Berge Motors relocated to 256 E. Main St. The business was renamed Berge Ford after R.C. Smiley retired in 1965.
Frontier Motel: The sign, which went through several paint schemes over the years, is thought to date back to when the motel opened at 1307 E. Main St. in the 1950s.
Starlite Motel: The original Diving Lady was installed to promote the motel’s new swimming pool in 1960. However, the 60-foot sign was destroyed in a 2010 microburst. The Mesa Preservation Foundation launched a fundraising campaign to rebuild the Diving Lady, and she returned to action in 2013. The Neon Garden will display a smaller replica.
“I have a personal connection with each of these signs. They reflect the spirit of our city,” Mayor Mark Freeman said in the release. “This space will help us remember where we came from and will create new memories for future generations.”
Follow @kstonezone
We want to hear from you.
Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.
