McDonald's sign (Pine Bluff, Arkansas) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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McDonald's Store #433 Sign
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 Location in Arkansas
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2819 S. Olive St., Pine Bluff, Arkansas |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | c. 1962 |
| Architectural style | Single-arch McDonald's sign |
| NRHP reference No. | 06000411 |
| Added to NRHP | August 21, 2006 |
The McDonald's Sign in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, is super special! It's one of only two McDonald's signs left that has just one arch. This sign was put up way back in 1962. It stayed at its first home until 2007. That year, the McDonald's restaurant moved to a new spot. The sign was fixed up and moved too. Because it's so unique, the McDonald's sign was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2006. This means it's an important historical landmark.
History of the Sign
The McDonald's restaurant in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, first opened its doors on July 3, 1962. It was built on South Main Street. Back then, the area was mostly homes, but more businesses were starting to appear. The restaurant looked like other McDonald's stores from that time. It had a red, white, and yellow design. It also had arches that went through the roof.
The restaurant stayed open for many years. But in August 2007, it was announced that the store would close. A new McDonald's was being built about two miles away. At first, no one knew what would happen to the old sign. But by September, everyone learned that the special sign would move to the new location!
As the old store got ready to close, the sign was taken apart. It was then sent to a company called Skylite Sign & Neon in Mabelvale, Arkansas. They worked on fixing it up during October 2007.
Cool Design of the Sign
The McDonald's sign in Pine Bluff shows a special time in McDonald's history. It came after the very first "Speedee" signs. It was also before the famous double golden arches that you see everywhere today. This single-arch design was only used for one year. So, it was rare even when it was new, and it's even rarer now! The first double golden arches sign appeared just three months after the Pine Bluff store opened.
Like other single-arch signs from McDonald's early days, the Pine Bluff sign has plastic panels. These panels are held in a metal frame. There's also a red space in the middle for advertising. The sign was made by a company called Sign Crafters. The plastic parts came from Rohm & Haas Company.
A man named Ray Kroc helped design this type of sign. He got the idea after seeing a picture of the McDonald family crest. The arch itself looks like a modern piece of art. One expert, Phillip Langdon, said the arch showed a "buoyant spirit." He meant it felt like it was reaching for the sky. It was like the exciting "aerospace age" when people were going into space. Langdon also said the arch made a simple hamburger stand look modern and cool.
Why This Sign is Important
The U.S. National Register of Historic Places added the Pine Bluff McDonald's sign to its list on August 21, 2006. It's listed as McDonald's Store #433 Sign. McDonald's has used many different sign designs over the years. Because of this, early signs like this one are very hard to find. The sign in Pine Bluff is the only known single-arch McDonald's sign left in Arkansas. It's also a great example of an early backlit plastic sign. Backlit plastic signs became popular after World War II. They changed the sign industry a lot in the 1950s and 60s.
It's not clear exactly how many single-arch McDonald's signs are still around in the whole country. Before Hurricane Katrina in 2005, one was still in use in Biloxi, Mississippi. Another one was in Springfield, Illinois, until 2006. There might be others in places like Magnolia, New Jersey, and Green Bay, Wisconsin. One of these signs is even on display at The Henry Ford museum in Dearborn, Michigan. The sign in Pine Bluff is the only one that has its own special listing on the National Register. Other single-arch signs might be part of private collections.
Images for kids
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A single-arch McDonald's sign in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, modified to mention the drive-thru, dismantled in 2016
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A McDonald's sign on display at the Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan.
