The State Theater Marquee was built by Hi-Glo Neon signs of Clovis which was owned and operated by Rowland Tessier. He had built other signs for Griffith in the past. Hi-Glo operated until the outbreak of World War II. Neon transformers were deemed non essential for the war effort. He ultimately sold the company to H.L. Cox of Amarillo and joined the See Bees to fight in the pacific. After the war he opened Tesco Neon signs in Roswell and continued to manufacture theater marquees and other signs throughout New Mexico and Texas.
I remember repairing the Plains Theater sign many times. My grandfather built quite a few of Theater Enterprises signs from 1947 to around 1955. He owned Tesco Neon in Roswell. Theater Enterprises was a Dallas Texas based theater company. If I remember correctly, they had an operating company called Frontier Theaters that took care of the West Texas and New Mexico part of their business. Of those that Tesco neon built were the Plains and Yucca in Roswell. The Yucca was demolished. The Cavern in Calsbad, NM which is closed but still standing. The Lea in Lovington, NM which is still in operation. The Frontier in Hobbs, NM which is gone now, and the State Theater in Pecos, Texas. All of these signs were built utilizing porcelan enamel panels. The attraction panel section was made out of opal glass behind an Bevelite Adler frame to support clip on letter fonts. These signs are all around 60 years old and the ones that are still standing look as good as the day they were manufactured because of the porcelan enameling process. I am sure there were others, but these I remember having to
work on. Would love to have a photo of the Yucca.
The State Theater Marquee was built by Hi-Glo Neon signs of Clovis which was owned and operated by Rowland Tessier. He had built other signs for Griffith in the past. Hi-Glo operated until the outbreak of World War II. Neon transformers were deemed non essential for the war effort. He ultimately sold the company to H.L. Cox of Amarillo and joined the See Bees to fight in the pacific. After the war he opened Tesco Neon signs in Roswell and continued to manufacture theater marquees and other signs throughout New Mexico and Texas.
I remember repairing the Plains Theater sign many times. My grandfather built quite a few of Theater Enterprises signs from 1947 to around 1955. He owned Tesco Neon in Roswell. Theater Enterprises was a Dallas Texas based theater company. If I remember correctly, they had an operating company called Frontier Theaters that took care of the West Texas and New Mexico part of their business. Of those that Tesco neon built were the Plains and Yucca in Roswell. The Yucca was demolished. The Cavern in Calsbad, NM which is closed but still standing. The Lea in Lovington, NM which is still in operation. The Frontier in Hobbs, NM which is gone now, and the State Theater in Pecos, Texas. All of these signs were built utilizing porcelan enamel panels. The attraction panel section was made out of opal glass behind an Bevelite Adler frame to support clip on letter fonts. These signs are all around 60 years old and the ones that are still standing look as good as the day they were manufactured because of the porcelan enameling process. I am sure there were others, but these I remember having to
work on. Would love to have a photo of the Yucca.