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remains of the bygone era in public typography

remains of the bygone era in public typography

INTR

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INTR

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INTR

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introduction

05

Nostalgia describes a seNtimeNtal longing for

the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal

associations. Oftentimes, the typography of our past was

encountered at the places our parents brought us to for

amusement. However, we didn’t know it at the time and

overlooked how it affected us in the long run. Typography

that used to be inviting and happy may now have a

sentimental sadness. As I explore different locations, I

recall the feelings of happiness that also resonates with the

typography at the time. Places that bring people together

often provide rich signage and lettering. These signs were

meant to direct, capture, and inform us. Looking back into

the past helps me realize that even decades after its arrival,

industrialization and modernization had a huge affect on

typography and our upbringing. Typography from the past

will always haunt us even as technology moves forward;

more people will grow aware of this nostalgia and want to

restore its artistic merit.

06

JOYL

AND

07

08

JOYL

AND

WheN you thiNk of amusemeNt parks, you

don’t usually imagine yourself surrounded in desolation,

desertion, or damage, but rather you place yourself in a

setting that is decorated with flashing lights, cheerful tunes,

and bold, fun typefaces. Joyland amusement park opened

in the summer of 1949 and thrived for a consistent fifty-five

years until the ‘joy’ was taken out of it in 2006. Since then,

it remains frozen in a forgotten time.

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left in the lurch

Bulbs illuminated signs long before neon lights. These signs were

meant to be eye-catching and quickly inform people of what

the place is about. Joyland’s arrow moves the eyes as it curls

around the title, leading those to a destination filled with joy.

010

JOYL

AND

011

A tag is the artist’s handstyle

representing a signature or a short

message. In this case, the tags

are negative and add feelings of

abandonment to its environment.12

JOYL

AND

“Without the reader,

the text has No purpose.”

c h r i s m y e r s

today, the JoylaNd amusemeNt park stands as

a ghost, decaying over time and plagued with vandalism,

litter, and overgrown weeds. Almost no one is allowed to

view it because it is a dangerous place and is protected by

the city of Wichita, Kansas. The current typography stands

alone, and “without the reader, the text has no purpose

(Myers 131).” All buildings, signs, and surfaces are covered

with tagging from neighborhood gangs. Tagging, which is

the simplest form of graffiti, restricts the area and marks

a crew or person’s territory. Despite the struggles with

vandalism, Joyland still possesses a sentimental beauty in

its vintage and damaged form.

13

To give a dark spooky mood,

this thick typeface combines

curves with sharp edges.

14

JOYL

AND

“[flaWed desigN] holds its oWN perfectioN of image

aNd message aNd, iN its oWN Way, it might Just be the

perfect message for its time, place, aNd audieNce.”

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p a u l t o s h

before JoylaNd’s abaNdoNmeNt, the typography

provided direction and caught the eyes of adventure

seekers. Now “the lettering does not have to fulfill a

utilitarian role but can simply exist as art and contribute

to the quality of space (Baines 101).” Many of Joyland’s

signs are vernacular, or unprofessional and hand done. In

the attempt to appeal to children, this style of typography

has a certain charm and piques interest because of

its imperfections. It is personal and has character that

is comforting because it is not made by a machine.

Amusement parks have a variety of typefaces from serif

to sans serifs, and even implement ornamental typefaces.

“the letteriNg does Not have to fulfill

a utilitariaN role but caN simply exist as

art aNd coNtribute to the quality of space.”

p h i l b a i n e s

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JOYL

AND

Colors provide distinction and boldness, as amusement

parks often choose bold and bright complementary colors.

To be successful, the rides and booths not only had to

stand out from the competing environment, but also had

to be eye-catching during the day and the night to lure its

adventurers in at any time.

Typography from the Fifties is often filled with

small details from the drop shadows to the star

within the letter O. The colors are vibrant and the

first letter of each word is enhanced and stylized.

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18

JOYL

AND

This vernacular typeface attracts

attention because it is bubbly and

fun. The rounded corner of each

letter creates a lighthearted mood.

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20

While growing up, rumors spread of several deaths at

the Joyland amusement park, however I never knew

whether they were true or not. One rumor was of a

kid who stood up while riding the roller coaster, and

at the time the roller coaster did not have seat belts.

The kid’s grandfather was looking around for his lost

grandchild. However, it wasn’t until later that day

that the kid was discovered somewhere underneath

the roller coaster by a Joyland employee. Because

of this, seat belts were built into the roller coasters.

This story may have been a cautionary tale in order

to cause people to act a certain way on the roller

coaster, but it still sends a sad and scary image.

death at joyland

JOYL

AND

Joyland’s vernacular typefaces are in danger of

vanishing because the park is closed down. It would

be a shame to lose a great piece of the 1950’s history,

however there may be hope to save this once joyful

amusement park. Alex East is taking steps to renovate

Joyland by raising money to fund a ten million dollar

project. Joyland is an asset to Wichita, however no one

has money to fund it.

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a sign of hope

22

STAR

LITE

DRI

VE-IN

23

drive-iN theaters thrived directly as the U.S.

car mania did in the 1950s. Now however, only a few

screens remain lit with movies since the introduction of

cable television and cassette players. Industrialization and

modernization changed the way drive-in theaters worked

and nearly wiped out all of its business. Because drive-

ins are becoming more rare, it is considered a nostalgic

treasure of the past.

“iN the late sixties, Wichita had about

NiNe drive-iNs. NoW there is oNly oNe.”

g a r y q u i c k

saving a piece of history

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STAR

LITE

DRI

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26

STAR

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DRI

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starlite drive-iN theater is the last of its kind

in Wichita, Kansas. It is restored and well-taken care of.

However, the loss of business is still a threat. The drive-in

brings nostalgia into the environment by staying true to the

1950’s feel. Many of the signs are lit up because its hours

begin at night. The typography around Starlite brings us

back to the Fifties before the worries of the new digital

age. The typefaces around the drive-in are completely san

serif with small details and titles in script. San serif type is

known to be less formal and clean. It is friendlier and less

authoritative than serif typefaces. To display information on

the next showings, Starlite Drive-in uses pronto marquee

letters, which slide in and out of the board to easily change

the showings every weekend. This gives it personality

because it is a person’s job to change the type around and

worry about the kerning and composition.

signs and lights

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28

STAR

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STAR

LITE

DRI

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slotted-b theater marquee letters

are always all caps in order to be

reusable, bold, and distinguished.

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STAR

LITE

DRI

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typography is importaNt iN the food court.

When you first walk into the food court, you’ll notice

the ceiling is decorated with hanging signs. majority

of these signs are san serif and are created on the

computer in a tacky or unpolished manner. The

combinations of typefaces are typical to those found

on any computer. the messages are inviting and

concise, which causes the viewer to feel comfortable

to serve themselves. The menu also reflects simplicity

in its composition; everything is aligned in each

column for a quick and easy ordering experience.

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34

STAR

LITE

DRI

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Signs are purposely placed

at eye level to ensure that

it will be shown. Bad use of

typography causes further

disruption to our daily lives.

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36

STAR

LITE

DRI

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starlite drive-iN theater attracts people from

afar to experience watching movies under the night sky for

a cheap price per carload. Tactfully placed colored lawn

lights and lit signage leads cars toward the ticket booth.

These signs are meant to be read quickly and be seen from

a distance. Starlite’s signs are bold, yet polite.

“a oNe-of-a-kiNd facility, it’s oNe

of the Nicest oNes ever built.”

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g a r y q u i c k

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STAR

LITE

DRI

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the fifties has a place iN its heart for neon signs.

Neon signs were very popular from the ‘40s to its decline in

the ‘60s. Conveniently placed in the food center in order to

light up the night, these signs attract attention and provide

a quick read. It was effectively used in barbershops, bars,

diners, motels, and other urban settings. At first, neon

lights were used for quick advertisement, but ended up

as a mixture of art and advertisement. Furthermore, neon

signs with clocks gained more exposure in attracting eyes

and sending a message to the viewer.

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illuminate the night

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KC B

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KC B

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boWliNg is esseNtially the same as it was in the

ancient days. However, it was extremely popular during the

‘40s to the ‘60s and technology furthered the sport to be

easy to track. Much of the typography within KC Bowl has

been modernized “as the need for mass production grew,

the use of hand lettering techniques such as painting and

carving gave way to industrial processes such as casting or

an increased reliance upon a modular means of generating

signs (Baines 98).” However, I did find some typography

left over from their vintage history. The original sign of

Ranch West is done in an older style, and is designed for

a cinema. However, after changing the owner and name of

the bowling alley, Rick Thurber decided to keep the vintage

vibe by incorporating the ornamental star into his sign and

putting to use the pronto marquee letters.

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changing with time

Originally, KC Bowl started as a bowling alley,

changed into a movie theater, and eventually back

into a bowling alley in 1977 known as Ranch West.

Unfortunately, it burnt down in May 1992 and

was later reopened in November of the same year.

With this new building came new developments

in technology. Back in the 1950’s, each player

would use a single ball per game, however now

people use multiple balls that fill up the racks.

This explains why bowling alleys have long

ball return racks. The bowling environment also

changed with the new age. Bowlers used to bowl in

a darker, smokier setting; now, bowling centers are

often very clear and bright, unless you cosmic bowl.

history of kc bowl

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KC B

OW

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p h i l b a i n e s

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“some of the most iNterestiNg urbaN letteriNg

JuxtapositioNs occur WheN the fuNctioNs of the

buildiNgs chaNge While the origiNal letteriNg remaiNs.”

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KC B

OW

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boWliNg alleys usually have amusemeNt

arcades for added entertainment. Because of growing

technology, arcades became popular in the late ‘70s

to the ‘90s. Arcades are rich with a variety of type from

neon lights to specialized decorated type. Most of the

arcade games are flamboyantly lit up to capture attention

and evoke feelings. When you start a game, you may

experience a certain mood depending on the theme of the

game and the type design associated with it.

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hit the slotties

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r i c k t h u r b e r

“everyoNe is Welcome to boWl aNd boWliNg Will

alWays coNtiNue. last year, 70 millioN people

boWled across the uNited states.”

KC B

OW

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KC B

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Arcade games often mix decorative

typefaces that clash with one another

in an obnoxious and bright way in

order to add vibrancy and excitement.

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When I went to KC bowl to interview the owner

Rick Thurber, I was surprised when he allowed me

to photograph this sign, which is lit up with light

bulbs. He explained that it was left over from the

previous owners. The story behind the sign is that it

was originally a part of a bowling show that aired in

Kansas City in the 1980s. He didn’t know what the

show was called, but said that it may have been called

“Strike it Lucky.” However, I looked up old bowling

shows and it may have been a show called “Bowling

for Dollars,” which aired around the same time. That

would explain how the letter ‘S’ is a dollar sign. The

typeface in this sign is an exciting san serif because of

it’s skewed thickness and mixture of sharp edges and

smooth round curves.

the lucky sign

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KC B

OW

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Throughout the building, neon signs further

stimulate the excitement and allow people

to easily navigate the bowling center.

KC B

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added techNology chaNged boWliNg ceNters

for the better in various ways. Because bowling changed

with the time and used technology to its advantage, it

allowed for larger crowds from all different ages. Like

mass production, bowling centers increased their alleys

from maybe four lanes to about twenty in order for groups

and leagues to get in and get out. Many bowling chairs,

bowling racks, balls, screens, and lane numbers are often

modernized

san serif because it is casual and easy to read. One of

the major distributers of bowling equipment is Brunswick,

founded by Jonas Moses Brunswick from Switzerland.

Brunswick branded equipment has subtle influence from

the International style, also known as the Swiss Style in its

typography and graphic design. The designs are clean and

simple, use geometric shapes, and are uniform.

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KC B

OW

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KC B

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A major development in bowling included

automatic scoring, which changed the

job of the secretary of the leagues, who

usually records, tracks, and calculates

the game information by hand.

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the fifties boWliNg ceNters ofteN differ from

Swiss style by being influenced by the Art Deco and Kitsch

period. Art deco promoted streamlined forms and futuristic

designs. Most shapes were organic or dramatic geometric

shapes, often found in Fifties business signs or neon signs.

Kitsch, on the other hand, was composed of outlandish

and vulgar designs that people ended up ironically liking.

Pop Art falls in this category because of its exaggeration

and odd mixes of vernacular typefaces with informalities.

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KC B

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vernacular meets technology

the sNack bar at kc boWl has rich vernacular

and digital typography, which is juxtaposed to one another.

This shows that the bowling alley is still changing and using

technology to further drive their message. For instance, the

television screen menus pair up the name of the food with

a photo of it. The digital typefaces on the screens are also

more organized and credible than the hand drawn type of

the glowing marker board or labels.

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conclusion

the typography from 1950’s local

amusement parks, drive-in theaters, and bowling

alleys are meant to be inviting, fun, and casual.

Unlike now, the Fifties was a period of time that was

not completely driven by technology. the current

success of the business depends on money and

whether new technology is integrated or not. the

remaining typography of the past will be abandoned,

endangered, or integrated. However, we won’t forget

the mixture of vernacular type along with clean and

inviting san serif typefaces and will still use them

today. Before we know it, the typography of our

present time will become the remains of the past.

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creditsThis book was typeset in ITC Bookman and Helvetica Neue and designed in Adobe InDesign

and Illustrator. The photos were taken with a Nikon D3000 then edited in Adobe Photoshop.

Special credits and thanks are given to Dominic Nguyen who helped me visit Joyland and let

me use his photos of Joyland on pages 6, 7, 10-15, 18, and 19. Also, thanks to the owner of

KC Bowl, Rick Thurber, and the Starlite Drive-In, Gary Quick for being open to interview with

me and reveal more history.

Designer as Author, Patrick Dooley, Fall 2012, The University of Kansas.

sourcesBaines, Phil, and Catherine Dixon. Signs Lettering in the Environment. London: Laurence King

Pub., 2008. Web.

Tosh, Paul. The Uncultured Word: Vernacular Typography and Image. (2007).

Myers, Chris. The Value of the Narrative in the Education of a Typographer.

www.wikipedia.com

www.starlitefun.com

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remains of the bygone era in public typography