YESCO, the 104-year-old company known for creating, repairing, and maintaining internationally recognizable signs, announces it has completely restored the vintage Rancho Super Car Wash pink elephant sign in Rancho Mirage, California. The restoration project took YESCO two weeks to complete.
Retained by Preservation Mirage, which celebrates and protects the architectural history of the city, YESCO refurbished the sign’s neon tubing and worked with their vendor, Graffiti Inc., to provide the landmark with fresh paint.
The pink elephant sign was originally designed by Beatrice “Bea” Haverfield in Seattle for the Anderson family, who owned and operated five pink elephant car washes across Washington and Oregon. The pink elephant neon sign standing on Highway 111 in Rancho Mirage was built by Tube Arts Display in Seattle for a car wash in Portland.
In 1966, Richard Fromme and his wife Marilyn, the daughter of Eldon Anderson, opened the Rancho Super Car Wash in Rancho Mirage, California. The sign was packed into their moving truck with the elephant’s head sticking out the top for the duration of their journey. It was rebuilt and installed at its current location by Chief Sign Crafts.
“Reminiscent of America’s mid-century design and style, the Rancho Super Car Wash neon sign is the most iconic symbol of Rancho Mirage,” said Jeff Young, executive vice president of YESCO. “YESCO is proud to breathe new life into this historical landmark, so it can be enjoyed for decades to come.”
On September 7, 2023, to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of Rancho Mirage, the Rancho Super Car Wash sign was also designated as a historical landmark by the Rancho Mirage City Council, ensuring it will remain a permanent fixture on Highway 111 for generations to come.
—Press Release
