SIGN ME UP: Local History Immortalized in Signage
a look at words that have lasted in the Chippewa Valley
Ever doubt the power of good signage? I don’t, especially after realizing about a decade ago that my toddler recognized the McDonald’s arches but not the American flag. (Score one for Ronald McDonald’s global dominance.) Likewise, decades of Chippewa Vallians have, from an early age, had the signs and symbols of local establishments imprinted deep in their brains. While businesses come and go, the appeal of vintage signage persists – and fortunately sometimes not just in memory. Here are a handful of signs that locals might recognize from years gone by.
Gemini Drive-In
Restaurants, even new ones, can make us feel nostalgic with the help of vintage decor. The newly reopened Galloway Grill (409 Galloway St., Eau Claire) is filled from floor to ceiling with fascinating bits of Chippewa Valley history, including signs. One that caught our eye was a sign from the entrance to the gone-but-not-forgotten Gemini Drive-In. The theater was home to countless outdoor film screenings and first dates for more than 40 years before closing in 2015. Ryan Franz of Ryan’s Relics of Eau Claire says on his Facebook page that he rescued the sign from a bulldozer when the drive-in was demolished in 2016! (Note: Galloway Grille includes lots of other retro signs, including the Sea Horse Inn, Viv and Bill’s Last Chance, and Chip’s Hamburgers.)
Boyd School
Generations of Eau Claire youngsters passed through the halls of Boyd School (1105 Main St.) between 1916 and 2002. The Gothic-style building in the Eastside Hill Neighborhood – complete with separately labeled “Boys” and “Girls” entrances – was originally called the Second Ward School. After it was replaced by nearby Flynn School, Boyd School was transformed into condominiums, and it still stands proudly across the street from Boyd Park. Former students looking for an extra burst of nostalgia can check out the school’s sign, which hangs above the outdoor dining area at Stella Blues (306 E. Madison St.), which is owned by John Mogensen, the same developer who converted the school into condos.
Market Square
The construction of the Pablo Center and the adjacent Haymarket Plaza and Haymarket Landing involved demolishing a number of old buildings – which wasn’t without some controversy, of course. One of the structures that stood exactly where the Pablo Center does now was the Market Square Building, 128 Graham Ave. The two-story brick building had numerous tenants, starting with a Piggly Wiggly grocery store when it opened in 1938 and ultimately housing Siker’s Furniture. The upper floor housed multiple offices, from doctors and dentists to the War Production Board during World War II. While Market Square was demolished to clear the way for the arts center, a history-minded local salvaged the letters from the front of the building. You’ll now find them gracing the wall in the courtyard area of The Local Store, 205 N. Dewey St.
London Square Mall
If you want the reminiscences to roll in, mention London Square Mall to Chippewa Vallians who came of age in the ’70s and ’80s. They’ll talk about Bruce the Spruce and Prange’s and Bridgeman’s Ice Cream – and a whole lot more! And while we don’t know the whereabouts of any of the now-departed mall’s signage, one London Square landmark has been preserved for posterity at the Chippewa Valley Museum. That would be “Little Ben,” a scale model of the real-life London clocktower commonly called Big Ben. Little Ben once charmed visitors at Eau Claire’s original mall. Now, it can charm history buffs while they ponder the 21st-century fate of big-box retailers and urban sprawl.
Chippewa Lumber & Boom Co.
Like the Chippewa Valley Museum in Eau Claire, the Chippewa Area History Center in Chippewa Falls is chock-full of interesting objects, including some fabulous signs from long-gone businesses. Among the most fascinating is this one from the Chippewa Lumber & Boom Co., which once dominated the riverfront in downtown Chippewa Falls in the late 1800s, when it was proclaimed the largest sawmill under one roof in the world. The mill was owned by the legendary Frederick Weyerhaeuser and was managed by William Irvine, the namesake of beloved Irvine Park. The mill may have closed for good in 1911, but if you lean close enough to this relic you may still be able to smell the sawdust!
