New York : They're not kidding when they say they'll leave the light on for you. A long-forgotten neon lamp which was switched on during the Great Depression and left burning for about 77 years has been discovered hidden behind a dusty partition at Clifton's Cafeteria.
The find was made amid an extensive renovation of the downtown eatery, according to the building's owner, Andrew Meieran.
The neon fixture is believed to have been installed in 1935 when Clifford Clinton purchased the lease to Boos Bros Cafeteria on Broadway and 7th Street and converted the place into a forest-themed restaurant.
The discovery has delighted fans of neon lighting, who point out that America's first neon sign was erected blocks away at Olympic Boulevard and Hope Street. That's where automobile dealer Earle C. Anthony installed a glowing "Packard" emblem outside his showroom in 1923.
"Neon lamps can last 20 to 40 years before the glass deteriorates or transformers go out," said Kim Koga, executive director of the Museum of Neon Art. "That this one has survived, lit, for as long as it has is incredible." When the cafeteria reopens Meieran plans to erect a display area that will show off the rescued neon light and other artifacts.
