Navajo Indian - Colorado Springs, CO - Smithsonian Art Inventory Sculptures on Waymarking.com

The Navajo Hogan has been in Colorado Springs since 1935 and the 17 foot tall neon sign has graced the top of the building until the early 1940's when it was moved to the front of the building. The sign was an icon for road weary travellers as they entered the (then) north edge of Colorado Springs on the sole gravel road leading from Denver, It lost some of its mystique and notoriaty after the mid 50's when Interstate 20 bypassed this part of town.

The sign was installed in 1935 as an advertisement for the newly created Road House, owned by the Gheno family. About five years later, the sign was moved from the top to the front of the building. In 1980, a fire caused severe damage to the building which was closed and boarded up until 1988. The sign was restored in 1989 by Joseph Cimino of Cimino Sign Company. (The original designers)

Description as written in the SIRIS IAS Listing:

A neon sign depicting a bust of a Navajo Indian with shoulder-length hair and a feather ornament flowing down his back. A single braid hangs over the Indian's ear to just below the front of the shoulder. The front of his shirt is decorated with geometric designs. The bust is painted. The sign is mounted to the roof of a building.

Link to SIRIS IAS listing Navajo Indian

TITLE: Navajo Indian ARTIST(S): Joseph Cimino DATE: 1935 MEDIUM: Sheet metal and neon tubing CONTROL NUMBER: IAS CO000584 Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link] PHYSICAL LOCATION: Navajo Hogan Restaurant 2817 North Nevada Avenue, On rooftop Colorado Springs, Colorado 80917 DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH: The neon Navajo Indian Head is still exactly as described in the database.

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