Gallup rotosphere will be restored March 29, 2006
Posted by Ron in Attractions, Businesses, Preservation.trackback
The Gallup Independent has the photo above with the following information:
Star Light: Hinckley Signs employees Danny Ellis, Gilbert Mexican, Dan Rudisill and Tamend Brown dismantle the star-shaped sphere after removing it from the top of the Downtown Plaza sign Monday in Gallup. The old sign, which is motorized and lit with neon lights, is being shipped to Albuquerque to be restored and is schedule to be completed in June. [Photo by Jeff Jones/Independent]
This sign is called a rotosphere, which is festooned with neon and rotates. There's another one on Route 66 at the Moriarty, N.M., at the El Comedor restaurant. When restored, the Gallup rotosphere should look like the picture below. The Downtown Plaza is a block off of Route 66, and when this rotosphere is fixed, it should be easily visible.
The El Comedor and eight other neon signs on New Mexico's Route 66 were restored by this fabulous program.
Whatever became of this sign? Since the neon sign was replaced with a plastic box sign, I have my doubts that this rotosphere will ever return.
I saw the mundane new sign too. I was just in Gallup last week and there is no sign of the rotosphere. Also, I can find no mention of the Gallup rotosphere on the New Mexico Route 66 Association website.
I have some good news: yes, the Gallup Roto-Sphere is definitely in the sign shop in Albuquerque (the same guys that restored the Moriarty sign). They don’t know exactly where it will be reinstalled in Gallup and there’s no estimated completion date yet — but when it’s back up, I’ll announce it at my webpage:
http://www.RoadsideArchitecture.com
Sorry — that Roto-Sphere page is here:
http://www.agilitynut.com/sca/roto.html
[...] a related note, Debra Jane Seltzer of the terrific Roadside Architecture site informs us that the rotosphere in downtown Gallup, N.M., is being restored by the same people in Albuquerque [...]
I cant wait to see it, thank god great signs and neon like this one is being restored. In la too much of this sfuff is going by the way side to make room for some plane horrible building. When the sign is finished I will drive in from cailifornia to see it.