Watch artists bend glass into neon magic in this Ohio museum

Georges Claude’s Neon Empire Illuminates 1920s America

America’s dark streets lit up with a new glow in the 1920s.

French inventor Georges Claude brought neon to the US, where his patented technology first stopped traffic at a Los Angeles Packard dealership in 1923.

His Claude Neon Lights held a tight grip on the market until 1932, raking in millions through franchises nationwide.

Meanwhile, Signs of the Times magazine tracked it all, growing into the sign industry’s bible under the Swormstedt family.

By 1940, almost 2,000 neon shops brightened American cities, turning Times Square into a dazzling spectacle.

The glow of this electric revolution lives on at Cincinnati’s American Sign Museum, where you can watch artisans bend glass tubes into fiery art every Saturday.

French Inventor Lit Up the World with Glowing Gas

Georges Claude showed off his neon lights at the Paris Motor Show in December 1910, wowing crowds with tubes of glowing red light.

The French chemist got patents in 1915 for electrode designs that kept neon signs from burning out. Claude saw big money in America, so he set up Claude Neon Lights Inc.

with rights to sell his tech in the United States. This business move gave him control over the American neon market for years.

Traffic Literally Stopped for America’s First Neon Signs

Car dealer Earle C. Anthony brought neon to America in 1923 when he bought two bright “Packard” signs from Paris for his Los Angeles dealership.

Anthony paid $2,400 for the pair, about $40,000 today.

The glowing blue signs made drivers stop their cars in the middle of the road to stare. Police had to direct traffic around the gawkers.

People traveled miles just to see the mysterious glowing tubes.

One Company Controlled Almost Every Neon Sign in America

Claude Neon Lights built a business empire through clever deals. The company didn’t make every sign themselves.

Instead, they let local sign makers use their tech for big fees. They had such a tight grip that in 1927, Claude made 611 out of 750 neon signs in New York City alone.

Sign makers couldn’t legally create neon displays without paying Claude’s company for using his patented technology.

Neon Signs Became a Multi-Million Dollar Business During the Depression

The neon industry grew fast despite the Great Depression. By 1929, Claude Neon reported yearly sales of $9 million (about $150 million today).

Just two years later, the entire neon sign business reached $16. 9 million yearly. The bright signs helped businesses stand out during tough times.

Claude’s company kept making money until 1932, when their patents ran out and other companies could legally make neon signs without paying fees.

Thousands of Neon Shops Popped Up Across the Country

After Claude’s patents ended in 1932, neon shops spread across America quickly.

By 1940, nearly 2,000 shops nationwide made neon signs, from small family businesses to large companies. Sign makers in different areas created their own styles.

Las Vegas shops made massive, flashy casino displays. Chicago shops made elegant designs for department stores.

Miami creators made colorful, tropical-themed signs for hotels. Neon bending became a respected trade with its own culture.

Times Square Turned Into a Neon Wonderland

Times Square changed from a normal New York intersection into the world’s most famous light show thanks to neon.

Sign designer Douglas Leigh created amazing displays beyond simple lettering.

His Camel cigarette billboard from 1941 blew actual smoke rings that floated across Broadway. The A&P coffee sign showed a giant cup that seemed to steam.

These creative displays made Times Square a top spot for tourists from everywhere.

A Magazine Started Recording Sign History Before Neon Existed

Signs of the Times magazine started in 1906, years before neon came to America.

The magazine began as a simple trade paper for sign painters and billboard companies. H.C. Menefee took over as editor in 1907 and bought the magazine in 1914.

The publication tracked how signs changed from hand-painted wooden boards to electric bulb displays to neon tech. Each issue shared new methods, business tips, and photos of cool signs from around the country.

Family Dynasty Built the “Bible of the Sign Industry”

The Swormstedt family joined Signs of the Times in 1937 and made it famous.

Their publishing family spanned four generations, with family members working as editors, publishers, and industry supporters.

The magazine got its nickname as the “bible of the sign industry” under them.

The Swormstedts set industry standards, ran trade shows, and linked sign makers across the country. Their magazine became the main place where sign pros shared knowledge.

Magazine Pages Captured America’s Changing Streetscapes

Signs of the Times showed how American cities changed through the 1900s.

The magazine’s pages tracked cities from gas lamps and painted signs to electric displays and finally neon-filled streets.

Each issue had photos of new signs, articles about lighting breakthroughs, and tips for shop owners.

They covered Times Square displays and small-town theater signs. This monthly record created a visual history of how American cities looked as they grew.

Fourth-Generation Editor Knew Signs Better Than Anyone

Tod Swormstedt grew up in the sign industry and worked 26 years at Signs of the Times. As the fourth-generation editor, he gained deep knowledge about sign history, tech, and design.

Swormstedt traveled the country visiting sign shops, talking to old-timers, and taking photos of historic signs before they vanished.

He gathered stories, manuals, and design books that nobody else saved. Swormstedt called his later museum his “mid-life crisis project,” but it came from his love.

Cincinnati Museum Now Preserves America’s Neon History

Tod Swormstedt founded the American Sign Museum in 1999 to save the physical artifacts of sign history.

The museum opened to the public in 2005 in a small space but quickly outgrew it as Swormstedt rescued more historic signs.

In 2012, the collection moved to a 20,000-square-foot building in Cincinnati’s Camp Washington neighborhood.

Today, the museum houses hundreds of vintage signs, from early 1900s gold leaf to mid-century neon masterpieces.

Visitors can even watch skilled craftspeople create neon tubes using the same techniques Georges Claude pioneered over a century ago.

Visiting American Sign Museum, Ohio

The American Sign Museum at 1330 Monmouth Avenue in Cincinnati’s Camp Washington neighborhood showcases over 500 signs from 100 years of American signage history.

Adult tickets cost $20, with discounts for seniors ($15) and students/military ($10), while kids under 12 get in free.

You’ll need 60-90 minutes to see everything. The museum runs Wednesday through Sunday from 10am-4pm, with guided tours on weekends.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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