The Vintage Neon Signs of Marysville & Yuba City

(and the rest of Yuba County & Sutter County)

Marysville and Yuba City are these days essentially one city, but they are separated by the Feather River, and when drawing up counties for California, the Feather River was made the border between Sutter and Yuba Counties. And just to make it a little confusing, Marysville, bordered on the south by the Yuba River, is the seat of Yuba County, while Yuba City is the seat of Sutter County. In the 2000 census, Sutter County was home to 78,930 people, while Yuba County had a population of 60,219. Given that the sparse population of these two counties is mostly centered in this urban area right on the border, the area is often referred to as Yuba Sutter, and they have one combined county fair called the Yuba Sutter Fair.

Both cities are on the historic path of U.S. Route 99E. U.S. 99W went from Sacramento to Davis, then Woodland, and from there generally followed the route of current Interstate 5. U.S. 99E went from Sacramento to Roseville, then followed the path of current CA-65 through Lincoln and Wheatland on its way to Marysville. It crossed over to Yuba City--I'm not sure if that would be on current CA-20, or farther south on Bridge St. Leaving Yuba City, it headed north on current CA-99 to meet up with U.S. 99W in Red Bluff. The current CA-99 stretch from the junction with I-5 near the Sacramento Airport to Yuba City is not the historic route of the federal Highway 99.

A 1950s postcard that I bought at Red Tire Antiques in Yuba City shows the streets of downtown Marysville lined with dozens of neon signs. Not one in the picture remains today, and many of the buildings are gone too. When I visited Marysville and Yuba City for the first time in 2000, the Sutter Theatre in Yuba City was still open, as was the Marysville Drive-In (actually across the Yuba River from Marysville in Linda or Olivehurst). The State Theatre had just closed a year earlier. Now the Sutter is in the process of being converted to a performing arts center, the drive-in is just a rubble and weed-strewn parking lot, and State Theatre has now been closed for a full decade.

But here are the signs I managed to get to with a camera before they were destroyed. If you know of any that I have missed, please drop me a line (check my profile for my e-mail).

Marysville, Yuba County


232 1st St.
Plaza

This sign was my most recent discovery in the area. The address is now the site of the Chinese Museum of Northern California, opened the first Saturday of each month.


520 3rd St.
Quick's Glass Service

I'd guess that this mixed plastic and neon sign dates from the 1960s.


315 5th St
Cortez Room



320 5th St
Cotton's Cowboy Corral


425 5th St.
Matthews Music

I'm guessing that this isn't vintage, but it has the right look, and it could be vintage, so for now I'll keep it in this list.


221 B St.
Bossen Laundry

In the 1947 city directory, this business is advertised as the "Wife Saving Station."


229-231 C St.
Travelers Hotel

The hotel was built in 1912. The neon must have come later, since neon tubes were not used for commercial signage until the 1920s.


103 D Street
Tower Theatre

I believe this theater was built as the Liberty Theatre, and then remodeled to become the Tower Theatre. The Liberty, which opened on January 11, 1927, was built on the site of the National Theatre, which burned down on January 28, 1926. (A new National Theatre was built on E Street, which then was later remodeled to become the State Theatre, which still stands, but without its original neon marquee.) The Tower Theatre opened at the same site as the Liberty on January 17, 1941, and like the Liberty, its advertising logo was "The Family Theater."

The shot above is how I first saw it in 2000. The shot below is how it appears now--the theater space has been converted to offices, but the marquee remains, as well as the terrazzo floor. Here's a lovely image of the place in full swing back in the day.



530 E St.
Mogheli's Furniture

I'm not sure about this sign. The design certainly looks vintage, but I don't remember seeing it in my early visits to Marysville. But it may have just been moved--I found a listing for Mogheli's at 430 D. St.


509 G St
Bob's Lock & Key



North of Marysville on CA-70 at Ramirez Rd.
The Walnut Tree


Yuba City, Sutter County


573 Bridge St.
Sutter Orchard Supply


Bridge St.
Westbridge Village


440 Colusa Ave
2000 Hal's Grubstake

It was in business when I first visited the area, and I ate one of their Dude Burgers. Now one sign is gone entirely, and the other has been drastically modified and has no neon.



724 Colusa Ave
EZ Bentprob Liquor & Deli

With a name like that, it has to be good.


754 Plumas St
Sutter Theatre

Below is all the neon that was working on it in 2005 when it was still operating as Sutter Cinema 3.



758 Plumas St
The Spur

Below is all that was lit when I checked it in 2005. Since then I have never seen any part of it lit.



760 Plumas St
Town Pump

In the 1970 Yellow Pages they advertise, "Cook Your Own Steak to Your Liking." Man, I can do that at home.


Linda, Yuba County


Riverside Dr.
Anton's Apartment Motel

This sign was quite a discovery for me. It certainly didn't seem like an area that would have an old neon sign, and I'm not even sure why I was on that road, but I happened onto this rusting beauty in a fenced-off vacant lot


Live Oak, Sutter County


6241 Live Oak Blvd.
Pasquini's


Liquor Store

I'll have to get the name and address (and hopefully a better picture) next time I'm in Live Oak.