Boston's CITGO Sign

I believe it's been designated a historic landmark, littlek, and is therefore protected from any new zoning regulations and/or anti-billboard laws that might affect the rest of Kenmore Square. I can remember when the sign was green and said Cities Service instead of Citgo.

You can? When was that?

In the 80s (I think) Citgo was going to dismantle the sign, but residents stopped the deconstruction and had it saved.

That was back in the 50s and 60s, before Cities Service changed its corporate name to Citgo. It was the same sign, same triangle, and I assume the same miles and miles of tubing. Just a different color and name.

BTW, does anyone reading this thread live on the West side of Manhattan? Is that Spry sign still up on the Jersey shore, flashing all night? I always thought of that as a landmark, too.

Seems like every major city has some enormous neon sign that has stood the test of time and is now protected.

I saw this one every day during my college years....

speaking of the highway of life, this sign has confronted me since childhood:

That sign does appear to be a good representation of your life, dys.

I'll see if I can find one that represents mine.

Aw, sorry Dys....

Grain Belt Beer. MMMmmm, I bet that is a mighty fine brew (not!).

Oh... excuuuuuuse me! And what do you drink, Ms. Hootie Tootie? Princess Newcastle Golden Import?

I love Grain Belt beer. It gives me reason to live.

And you come along and belittle it.

I'll borrow one of your phrases and say..... hmph!

<pat pat>

I like ale, is all.

and not newcastle

That was a very soothing gesture, littlek. All my anger was washed away by that simple movement.

What can I say?

Thanks.

sure thing

I well recall the Citgo sign - I went to BU and you could see the sign from just about anywhere on (well, it's not really a campus, just the buildings) - "campus".

In Warren Towers (700 Commonwealth Avenue, the three ugly 70s-era dormitory towers) there is or at least was, when I was in college - '79 - '83 - a cult of the Citgod. People would stand facing it with their fingers in a triangle shape (both thumbs are horizontal and face one another, and both index fingers are at a vertical 45 degree angle and touching) and omm to the Citgod. In the stairwells, there was graffitti that said things like "Smile, Citgo loves you."

I never lived in Warren Towers so I wasn't as much of a cultist, but the Citgo sign was always the surest sign (no pun intended) that I was not lost. Just follow the Citgo sign back to Kenmore Square and home, which was the Myles Standish dorm for my last two years there.