A piece of Las Vegas history is now glowing softly in the Medical District. The neon sign is both poetic and cryptic, reading “Free Aspirin and Tender Sympathy” on one side with the second part of the message replaced with “Ask Us Anything” on the other.
🤔 So Where Did it Come From?
The sign dates back to the late 1950s, when it was part of Allen Post’s Union 76 gas station on a segment of Highway 91 that would later become known as the Strip. The exact address is 3758 S. Las Vegas Blvd., where — in an unavoidable example of evolution — a CVS stands today. (Aspirin available, sympathy questionable.)
👀 What Did it Look Like?
The sign was originally hand-painted with the words outlined in skeletal white neon. Over the years, the lettering was replaced with vinyl. The sign also advertised “Mechanic on Duty” and “Snacks, Cold Drinks, and Film” at various points. “S&H Green Stamps” on the header referenced a program by Sperry & Hutchinson that allowed customers to earn stamps with purchases and redeem them for catalog prizes.
Notable neighbors: The Desert Rose and Lone Palm. (Three Lions/Mervyn Penrose Rands/Getty)
🎰 An Enduring Strip Fixture
As the years passed by, Las Vegas continued to change. The gas station was originally between the Desert Rose Motel (where the Park MGM stands today) and the Lone Palm Motel (whose land is now home to New York-New York). Kenneth Lehman bought the property in the mid-’70s and closed the business in 2001.
😄 Revived and Restored
The sign was donated to the Neon Museum in 2005 and kept in storage until a months-long restoration project by YESCO took place this year. It now looks better than ever and is on loan to the City of Las Vegas, erected on Charleston Boulevard in front of UMC and yes, another CVS.
Now glowing in the Medical District. (Neon Museum)
💡 Preserving History
The Union 76 project is just one example of the work done by the Neon Museum, which has more than 200 historic signs and marquees in its collection, including restorations from the Desert Rose and Lone Palm motels. The latter joins its old neighbor as one of more than 15 signs on display throughout the city as part of the Scenic Byway Project.
