In 2017, The Neon Museum presented the small photo exhibit “贝蒂·威利斯:霓虹灯艺术家” at the Lost City Museum in Overton, 内华达.

The exhibit honored the designer in her home town and was originally curated by Neon Museum staff members Derek Weis and Tracey Sprague. 

We hope our visitors and supporters will enjoy the following highlights from the exhibit. 

Overton起源 

原产于奥弗顿, 内华达, Betty Willis has garnered international attention for designing the 欢迎来到美丽的拉斯维加斯 sign. Willis got her start in commercial art creating newspaper ads for Las Vegas shows before becoming a neon sign designer. One of the few women designers in a male-dominated field, 威利斯的职业生涯包括在YESCO任职, 西方的霓虹灯, 以及广告艺术标识公司. 

The signs created by Betty Willis and her contemporaries, whether advertising family-owned motels or wrapping entire casino buildings, were a defining element of Las Vegas’ roadside architecture. This exhibit features photographs of some of the most memorable signs designed by Willis, 包括现在存放在十大买球平台的那些. 

欢迎来到美丽的拉斯维加斯  

This 欢迎来到美丽的拉斯维加斯 photo was taken by fine art photographer William Hannapple. All of the limited edition prints were signed by both Willis and Hannapple. The above print belongs to the daughter of Willis, Marjorie Holland.  

Betty Willis designed the city’s most iconic sign while working at 西方的霓虹灯 in 1959. 2009年，欢迎标志被列在 国家史迹名录. 

_{Photo of the Welcome sign in 2002, Neon Survey, 拉斯维加斯大学数字馆藏}

_{National Register Nomination by Dorothy Wright and Angela Moor} 

_{欢迎来到美丽的拉斯维加斯 内华达, September 1959, VintageLasVegas.com}

To learn more about the Welcome sign, check out our blog post, “Put a Star on It: A Brief History of the Welcome Sign,” 特约撰稿人 杰弗里·卡尔森. 

红磨坊 

红磨坊, 还有贝蒂·威利斯(Betty Willis)的招牌, broke new ground when it opened in 1955 as the first major racially integrated hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Although popular, mismanagement likely led to its closure five months later. In 1960, the 红磨坊 was the site of the historic agreement that helped end segregation at Las Vegas hotels. 

Willis studied 法国-style lettering and drew the elegant script for the sign by hand, which was common before the advent of computer aided design techniques. Decades later she recalled that “I wanted to make it as impressive and as happy and as good as I could.”  

_{红磨坊，1955年; UNLV特别收藏} 

_{红磨坊，1955年; UNLV特别收藏}

贝蒂·威利斯参观十大买球平台 

In 2013, Betty Willis was photographed in front of her sign after touring the 霓虹灯墓地.  

德尔玛汽车旅馆 

The 1950s Del Mar sign originally housed much of its neon tubing in the open space bordered by a perimeter of thin cabinetry.  Betty Willis designed the Del Mar so that a single section of neon could be seen from both directions, an innovation that reduced the cost and labor needed to manufacture the sign.  According to Willis other sign companies soon followed suit.

蓝天使汽车旅馆    

 The 蓝天使汽车旅馆 opened on Fremont Street in Las Vegas in 1957. The angel, designed by Willis, was removed from the property in March 2017 to be refurbished.  

拉斯维加斯市 恢复和重新安装 the Blue Angel near its original location in March 2020.  

_{《十大买球平台》装置，2020年，丹尼斯·康纳}

蓝天使箭 

The blue and white arrow from the Blue Angel signage is now in The Neon Museum collection. This photograph shows the crew from Federal Heath sign company moving the arrow to the Museum. 

市中心汽车旅馆 

The 市中心汽车旅馆 sign from the 1950s has often been attributed to Willis but has yet to be confirmed as her design. 现在被安置在霓虹墓地, the sign features a cut-out skyline and an arrow that functioned as a directional tool. 

纪念邮票发行仪式 

2002年，美国政府宣布.S. Postal Service released a set of commemorative stamps called “Greetings from America.” The retro design of these stamps resembles the large letter postcards that were popular with tourists, and 内华达’s stamp features Willis’ iconic 欢迎来到美丽的拉斯维加斯 sign and Brian “Buzz” Leming’s Hacienda Horse and Rider. This photo is from the ceremony held for the stamp’s release in downtown Las Vegas.  

Leming designed the Hacienda sign in the mid-1960s while at YESCO. It was the first sign in The Neon Museum collection and is now restored and installed as public art at the intersection of Fremont Street and Las Vegas Boulevard. 

The two legendary designers passed away on the same day, April 19, 2015. 

进一步阅读: 

《十大买球平台》的杰弗里·卡尔森Put a Star on It: A Brief History of the Welcome Sign” 

Steve Bornfeld/拉斯维加斯通讯社ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS’: Remembering Betty Willis on 60th anniversary of her iconic Vegas greeting”

帕特里夏·利·布朗，”霓虹灯吸引人，仍然可以调情，《靠谱的体育网站》

贝蒂·威利斯视频访谈:

克拉克县。”Welcome to Las Vegas Sign Designer on Her Creations & 生活” 

拉斯维加斯评论杂志”贝蒂·威利斯:“我曾经做得很好’"

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*Intro image: Betty Willis with a 拉斯维加斯新闻社 photo of her "Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas" sign at the West Charleston Library in 2002, 拉斯维加斯新闻社