Spring River Inn Neon

The Kansas Historic Route 66 Association is working towards restoring a Historic Neon sign that sets on Route 66 in Kansas. The old neon sign for the long-gone Spring River Inn restaurant in Riverton Ks was one of few neon signs located on the 13.2 mile alignment of Kansas Route 66. Spring River Inn was once operated as the Joplin Country Club beginning in 1905. Accounts hold that it at first catered to wealthy patrons from Galena. The clubhouse and 60 acres were sold in 1932 and used for many years as the base for a boating club, Reopening in 1952, the restaurant and inn catered to main travelers of the Mother Road. The restaurant was known for its thirty-five foot buffet table loaded with home-cooked food, cinnamon pull-apart rolls and squaw bread. In the mid 1990s the Inn and restaurant closed and a couple of years later the Inn burned to the ground. The restaurant has never reopened. If you google it you can find many pictures of the neon sign.

In 2013 the sign was taken to begin restoration but a conflict of ownership of the sign stalled the restoration. Recently the owner of the sign donated the sign back to the Kansas Historic Route 66 Association so the restoration can begin. funds are needed to restore the neon , replace the box , installation of the sign itself. and the electrical service to the neon.