Vintage Signs of Utah

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The new book, “Vintage Signs of Utah,” is a beautifully photographed collection of vintage roadside signs around the state, including historic cafes, motels, theaters, and stores. Even a few ghost signs will appear! More than 150 original photographs depict signs from the early to mid-20th century and feature stories about the mostly mom-and-pop business owners. The glowing neon, the quirky names, and the unusual shapes are fascinating. Explore the history of Utah sign artists and sign makers. You will see some familiar signs, learn about this entertaining form of art and discover some fun aspects of Utah’s visual history.

About Our Speaker: Lisa-Michelle Church

Lisa-Michele’s professional background includes more than 30 years of both public and private service as an attorney and community activist. She loves history, legal issues, social justice, and road trips. Beyond her legal practice, Lisa-Michele also runs Relentless History, a small nonprofit.. She publishes books and makes presentations on untold Utah stories. Her historical interests focus on the American West and vernacular architecture. Her most recent book, “Vintage Signs of Utah,” is on sale at Salt Lake City’s The King’s English Bookshop. The book offers a fascinating tour of hundreds of vintage signs around the state. She presents to a variety of scholarly and community groups on such topics as hand-made adobe brick homes, early 20th-century apartment buildings, vintage roadside motels, women-owned beauty shops, and tourism development along the Arrowhead Highway in mid-20th century American West. Her published work includes the books “Historic Salt Lake City Apartment Buildings” (2018) and “Sunlight and Shadow – The Page Ranch Story” (2017), along with numerous articles such as “Early Roadside Motels and Motor Courts of St. George, Utah,” Utah Historical Quarterly, Winter 2012, photographic essays, and brochures. She is a frequent presenter at the Utah State History Conference and other venues. The website www.RelentlessHistory.com illustrates some of these efforts and you can also see her work by visiting @relentlesshistory on Instagram.