To celebrate its birthday, Vegas lights vintage signs instead of candles: Travel Weekly

Eight historical, refurbished neon signs were relit May 15 to mark the city of Las Vegas' birthday and the completion of a prominent road project through the tourist corridor.

The signs, owned by the city, the Neon Museum and Yesco Custom Electric Signs, are between the Gateway Arches and showgirls signage on Las Vegas Boulevard north to the museum. They joined seven other classic neon signs already on the boulevard's median.

"Neon is our city's native art form, and I cannot think of a better way to celebrate our 118th birthday and the completion of the city's largest-ever public works project than by lighting these beautiful signs," mayor Carolyn G. Goodman said. "These signs have found a home where millions will be able to see and enjoy them along the world's most famous roadway."

The eight neon signs were refurbished by Yesco, with funding provided by the Commission for the Las Vegas Centennial and the city of Las Vegas.

The signs are:

• Par-A-Dice, originally placed in 1953, installed just north of Oakey Boulevard.• Apache Motel (1965), north of Bridger Avenue.• Golden Inn Motel (1960), south of Bridger. • Clark Inn (1962), north of Clark Avenue• Lone Palm Motel (1954), north of Garces Avenue.• Domino Motel (1960s), north of Hoover Avenue. • Fun City Motel (1952), south of Charleston Boulevard. • Rummel Motel (1968), south of Oakey.

"We are honored and grateful to partner with the city of Las Vegas and Yesco on this project that will preserve these beautiful neon signs -- each of which is more than a half century old -- for generations to come," said Aaron Berger, executive director of the Neon Museum. "Our goal at the Neon Museum is to make Las Vegas history more accessible, and collaborations like this, that exist beyond the museum's walls, help to achieve that."

The signs that were already in place are:

• Horseshoe Casino (1951), located just north of Washington.• Silver Slipper Casino (1950), near the Neon Museum at McWilliams Avenue.• Bow and Arrow Motel (1950s), south of McWilliams.• Society Cleaners (1946), just south of U.S. 95/Interstate 515.• Normandie Motel (1940s), just north of Stewart Avenue.• Lucky Cuss Motel (1955), just south of Stewart Avenue.• Hacienda Casino (1956), at Fremont Street.

In addition to the Gateway Arches and showgirls signage, the $125 million Las Vegas Boulevard Improvement Project included replacing underground utilities, traffic signals, medians, curbs, gutters, sidewalks and street pavement. Existing median trees were saved and replanted, and 200 new trees were added.