Neon Nostalgia: Northern Virginia’s Vintage Signs

By Angela H. Eng, Offbeat NOVA

I’ve always had an appreciation for all things retro and vintage, but as I grow older, the love deepens. To that end, I’ve always felt a stab of excitement any time I saw a vintage sign still standing. I love the sharp lines, the thoughtful color palettes, and the whimsy of a time gone by.

I knew there were several such signs still in Northern Virginia. One day, I decided to try and find as many as I could. My research yielded six signs. Matt and I took a driving tour one afternoon and photographed all of them, which are detailed below.

The Breezeway Motel | 10829 Fairfax Boulevard, Fairfax, VA
The Breezeway Motel is a mid-century modern relic in Fairfax City. It was built in three separate phases between 1950 and 1960. It is still in operation as a budget motel, but the land it sits on is slated for redevelopment in the near future.

The Lee High Inn | 9864 Fairfax Boulevard, Fairfax, VA
The Lee High Inn was formerly the Anchorage Motel, originally built in 1955. The motel’s nautical theme is still discernible in the motel’s sign and building structure. The Anchorage was sold sometime around 2015 and is still in operation as a budget motel.

The Majestic | 911 King Street, Alexandria, VA
The Majestic first opened in 1932, at 622 King Street in Old Town Alexandria. It moved to the current location at 911 King Street in 1949. The restaurant operated until 1978 and remained closed until April 2001. Though it has changed hands since then, it remains open. The signs on the front of the building are reproductions, but the sign in the window is original.

The Virginia Lodge Motel | 6027 Richmond Highway, Alexandria, VA
The Virginia Lodge was built in 1952. It is a part of the Route 1 string of motels that had their heyday in the 1950s and 1960s and is one of the few that remain. It is currently still in operation as a budget motel.

The Americana Hotel | 1400 Richmond Highway, Arlington, VA
The Americana Hotel opened in 1963 and was one of the first hotels in Crystal City. It appeared in the 2009 political thriller State of Play. it closed in December 2020 and is in talks to be demolished for new apartments or condos.

Dixie Pig BBQ | 1225 Powhatan Street, Alexandria, VA
The original Dixie Pig BBQ opened in 1924 and was the first of several restaurants to open with that name. The restaurant with this sign opened at the intersection of Powhatan Street and Bashford Lane, Alexandria, in 1949. It was sold in 1984, but the sign remained. It is currently a Greek restaurant named Vaso’s Kitchen. The sign also appeared in the TV show The West Wing and the film Remember the Titans.

Did we miss any other vintage signs in Northern Virginia? Please let us know in the comments, and we will add them to this article!