Hillcrest Medical Center Awarded Tulsa’s 66th Neon Sign Grant
Tulsa’s iconic Meadow Gold neon sign, an inspiration for the Tulsa Route 66 Commission’s Neon Sign Grant Program.
TULSA, Oklahoma - The Tulsa Route 66 Commission has announced that Hillcrest Medical Center will be the 66th neon sign grant awarded as part of the City of Tulsa’s neon sign grant program. Hillcrest has been a premiere provider of healthcare services for the Tulsa region for more than a century and has been in business at their current location on Route 66 since 1928.
"Hillcrest Medical Center is honored to contribute to the history and legacy of the Mother Road," said Hillcrest Medical Center CEO Xavier Villarreal. "Much like the historic Route 66, Hillcrest has been a cornerstone of the Tulsa community for decades. This new sign symbolizes our commitment to preserving history while looking toward the future and continuing to serve as a go-to for compassionate care to both Tulsans and travelers."
The City of Tulsa’s Route 66 Commission launched the neon sign grant in 2019, with the goal of installing, refurbishing and increasing the number of neon signs along the road in the now official Capital of Route 66®. The idea for the program was spurred by the restoration and relocation of the iconic Meadow Gold sign to the corner of 11th Street and South Peoria. A National Parks Service Grant, along with efforts from the Tulsa Foundation for Architecture, the City of Tulsa and private donors, kept the sign in Tulsa and helped install it at its current location, where it has stood since 2009.
“Nothing says ‘Route 66’ more than a bright neon sign,” said Chair of the Tulsa Route 66 Commission Josh Stout. “The grant program was already a resounding success, and to now have 66 approved grants in The Capital of Route 66®, a year before the Centennial celebration, is perfect timing. We’re looking forward to adding even more along the Mother Road in the months and years to come.”
Since its inception in 2019, the City of Tulsa’s neon sign grant program has awarded more than $477,000 in grant funds, with additional private investments amounting to more than $1.3 million.
“Tulsans have a long history of working together to accomplish big goals, and the neon sign grant is no exception,” said Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols. “With Tulsa serving as The Capital of Route 66®, the forethought of Vision 2025 and the generosity of private donors have allowed our stretch of the Most Famous Highway in the World to serve as a shining example of Tulsa’s community pride.”
The grant has helped fund signs for everything from restaurants like Billy Ray’s Catfish and BBQ, Flo’s Smokehouse Eats and Tally’s Cafe, to shopping (Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios, Southwest Trading Company) to businesses (Studio 45 Architects, Day & Night Cleaners, US Studio 66), highlighting the diversity of Tulsa’s stretch of the road that helped solidify it as The Capital of Route 66®.
“Tulsa is thriving!” said Tulsa Regional Chamber Senior VP of Tourism and Tulsa Regional Tourism President Renee McKenney. “Sixty-six new neon signs through the grant program is incredible. Congratulations to Hillcrest Medical Center for being the latest, and no better time than this as we prepare for the Centennial, the 2026 World Cup, and the flood of international travelers that will have their eyes on Tulsa.”
Neon sign no. 66 at Hillcrest Medical Center is scheduled to be installed Wednesday, March 12, with a lighting party on Thursday, March 13, starting at 6:30 p.m.
The City of Tulsa also offers special event and façade restoration matching grants for businesses along Route 66. Those businesses are eligible for up to $5,000 toward special events that are free and open to the public, and buildings with an overlay constructed between 1926 and 1959 are eligible for up to $40,000 toward façade restoration.
For a list of Tulsa’s neon signs, click here, and for more information on the neon sign, special event and façade matching grant programs, visit cityoftulsa.org/route66.
