The time is drawing near. Come be a part of history and witness the grand “Lights On” festival.
The celebration will take place on Saturday, April 11, 2026 beginning at 5-9 p.m. with lights on at approximately 8:15 p.m. There will be live music, food trucks and a kid zone for an evening of family friendly fun.
The Chrysler Tower was engineered and designed by Hubert Grover “Red” Beard in 1949 as an advertisement for the Beard Motor Company. After the company closed the sign was not maintained and went dark in 1958. It has remained dark until the Bristow Historical Society decided to bring it back to life. The National Parks Service listed the sign as #3 in the country as a sign that needed saving so the historical society went to work. They were awarded $774,000 from Route 66 Revitalization Grant that covered most of the one million dollar project. The historical society covered the rest along with help from supporters.
The sign was completely dismantled and each of the 6 ft. letters were removed. Each piece was completely refurbished and the sign was then erected in its forever home. In a park-like setting on Route 66, the historic sign will once again shine.
The 102 ft. tall sign is the tallest free standing on Route 66. It is now not only a piece of history, it is a piece of history that was brought back to life after 68 years.