Blue Angel Carries On
March 5, 2024
I have always held a fascination with neon signs, roadside attractions, and the American motel. And Las Vegas has its fair share of all of these. During a quick 24-hour stay in “Sin City” in September 2013, I explored various areas including the less touristy east Fremont Street. This is where I first saw her.
From 1957 until 2017, the Blue Angel stood atop a revolving 32-foot tall pole overlooking Fremont Street and Eastern Avenue, guarding the Blue Angel Motel. Although the motel, which was located at 2110 Fremont Street, closed in 2011 and demolished in 2015, the Blue Angle remained untouched and at her post for an additional two years. The statue was donated to the city of Las Vegas by the property owners of the land where the motel once stood. At that point the it was stored by the city until she was transferred to Hartlauer Signs for restoration in December 2019. In March 2020, The Blue Angel was officially returned to the neighborhood that she reigned over for more than 60 years.
The 16-foot tall classic mid-century fiberglass and metal statue is the work of local Las sign designer Betty Willis (1923-2015). Betty also designed the famous Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign. The Blue Angel was originally designed wearing a belt wrapped around her blue dress, with a pair of white wings on her back and holding a wand in her right hand.
According to Culture Trip, “The Blue Angel is a special emblem, especially to Las Vegas locals. The benevolent figure… combines a showgirl aesthetic with a Disney sensibility,” said Dawn Merritt, director of marketing and public relations at the Neon Museum located in Las Vegas.
“One’s destination is never a place, but rather a new way of seeing things.”
—Henry Miller
The Blue Angel underwent a number of different alterations over her 60 years standing atop the motel, including the addition of a star to the end of her wand and a halo over her head. Her skin tone changed from peach to white, and her hair from blonde to gold. The statue today has been restored to her original circa 1957 appearance.
The Blue Angel Motel sign is from the Blue Onion restaurant that was located adjacent to the motel and operated from 1958 until the 1970s before being used by the motel for nearly 30 years.
In addition to the sign and statue, a feature that was not saved as far as I can determine, was the arched entrance with the words “Blue” and “Angel” and the tall Motel sign. One of my favorite images from Las Vegas is of this missing relic.
