Denver and Rio Grande Depot
Salt Lake City, UT
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The Denver and Rio Grande Depot in Salt Lake City, Utah, opened in 1910, bringing a grand railroad entrance to the city. Its rooftop Rio Grande lettering later became a familiar landmark, especially after dark when the glowing script stood out against the sky. 10-06

Designed by architect Henry Schlacks, the depot combined Renaissance Revival and Beaux Arts influences. Utah purchased the building for $1 in 1977, and it later housed the state's historical collections—a fitting second career for a place that had witnessed decades of arrivals and departures.

UPDATE: The depot remains standing but has been closed during repairs following the March 2020 Magna earthquake. Its original neon sign was removed in 2019 and replaced with an LED replica. Fortunately, the old sign was preserved, restored, and installed at the Heber Valley Railroad in 2025. Good to see that familiar lettering shining again. 06-26

Roll Inn Trailer Court (Gone)
Blackfoot, ID
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

After spotting this sign, travelers might have been ready to roll right into the Roll Inn Trailer Court in Blackfoot, Idaho. The playful name and prominent roadside lettering made a memorable combination, advertising a place to settle in after a day on the road. 10-06

Trailer courts served a mixture of passing travelers and longer-term residents, becoming familiar sights along western highways. The Roll Inn sign once carried neon tubing, adding an after-dark welcome to its already distinctive design. It was quite a calling card for a modest roadside property.

UPDATE: The Roll Inn's vintage sign has been documented as gone. The trailer court has also been reported lost to redevelopment, although the sign's eventual destination remains unknown. This photograph preserves its invitation to roll in from the highway. 06-26

Dancing (Gone)
Ogden, UT
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Here's the Dancing sign in Ogden, Utah, photographed near the Lighthouse Electric business. The vertical lettering needed only one word to advertise an evening out. It's a nice reminder of downtown nights when neon helped lead people toward the entertainment. 10-06

The sign was associated with the Berthana Ballroom, a gathering place that later housed a roller rink. Its name combined those of Bertha Eccles and Anna Dee, the women behind the project. Over the years, the building hosted dances and community events before its skating chapter brought another crowd through the doors.

UPDATE: The Berthana building survives, with Union Grill occupying space at its base. The old exterior Dancing sign has been removed, but historic dance advertisements and other reminders of the ballroom remain incorporated into the interior. Nice to see some of its entertainment history carried into another use. 06-26

FOE
Pocatello, ID
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Check out the FOE marquee in Pocatello, Idaho. The initials stand for the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and the vertical sign gave the lodge a recognizable roadside presence. A few glowing letters were enough to let members know they had arrived. 10-06

This sign served the Eagles' Benton Street location beginning in 1949. Fraternal halls provided meeting rooms and social spaces for generations of residents, and their signs became part of the neighborhood scenery alongside those of shops, theaters, and cafes.

UPDATE: The local lodge closed in 2011, but its sign was saved. Donated for preservation, it was restored and relit in March 2022 at the NeighborWorks Pocatello building. Good to see this piece of Eagles history glowing again at a new home. 06-26

Nalder's
Shelley, ID
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

This old vertical Nalder's sign projects from its downtown building in Shelley, Idaho. The tall lettering helped customers recognize the business while approaching along the street, giving the storefront a familiar small-town landmark. 10-06

Lloyd Morgan and Virla Nalder established the business in 1934. Along with furniture and funeral services, the family provided ambulance transportation—a combination of responsibilities once found in smaller communities. That service continued until 1976, when Shelley's Quick Response Unit took over.

UPDATE: Nalder Funeral Home moved to a separate facility in 1995 and continues operating in Shelley. The original downtown building reportedly survives in another use, although the present condition of its vertical sign remains unconfirmed. Another chapter for a name with deep community roots. 06-26

Trailer Court
Mountain High, ID
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Not sure where this old sign is pointing? Oh wait, it must be directing visitors to the Trailer Court. Photographed in Mountain Home, Idaho, the large arrow leaves little doubt about which way motorists should turn. Sometimes the simplest advertising gets the message across. 10-06

Without a business name, the sign leaves the identity of the court a mystery. Its appeal is in that straightforward roadside design: bold lettering, a prominent arrow, and a promise of somewhere to pull in. No elaborate slogan required.

UPDATE: The sign has been reported removed, although the trailer court it advertised has not been identified. Whether the marquee was saved or scrapped remains unknown. This view keeps its old directional message around a little longer. 06-26