REPUBLIC, Mo. -- If you drive along U.S. 60 through Republic, you'll see a true sign of nostalgia. It's the newly restored neon arrow pointing to downtown.
It was originally the idea of the local Lions Club to pull shoppers off the road. The original went up in 1949 and caught on with other towns in the Ozarks.
The Republic Historical Society saved the sign from rusting into oblivion with two years of fundraisers.
The blue arrow is not paint. It’s porcelain for weather-proofing. The shiny surface made the neon letters stand out, night or day.
Republic's new/old sign sits on the south end of Main. It was originally installed on the north end at the Missouri 174 intersection.
