Town of Abbeville, Alabama
One great things about taking a road trip is the roadside attractions and one of southeast Alabama’s best is in the heart of downtown Abbeville along Kirkland Street. There’s a great collection of restored vintage neon signs that create a time capsule of how downtowns looked across America during the 40s through the 60s. There iconic signs from brands such as Pontiac, Ford, Rexall Drugs, John Deere and numerous others.
The collection is owned by Abbeville native businessman Jimmy Rane who is recognized as the “Yella Fella” from the advertising of his lumber company Yellawood. Mr. Rane spent years acquiring authentic vintage neon and advertising signs. Rather than keeping them in a dedicated building Rane’s vision was to display the signs in his hometowns downtown, incorporated into storefronts and in window displays. This transforms downtown into an open air museum of how these signs would be originally seen and tells the story of an era when hand crafted neon signs lit up small towns across the South and America.
For automotive enthusiasts and photographers Abbeville offers the opportunity to capture the nostalgia of the soft colored glow of these historic signs, especially in the evening hours. I wasn’t able to see these at night during our stop in 2024 but I am definitely planning to return to capture these beautiful signs at night.
So whether you’re just coming home from the beach or making a dedicated trip the roads leading into Henry County offer a relaxed drive that ends in one of Alabama’s most unique downtown experiences. The neon signs of Abbeville truly make this small town a memorable destination that perfectly preserves the charm and nostalgia of mid century America.
At Southern Motoring Society we are always searching for roads, landmarks and unique destinations that make driving more than just getting from one place to another. The signs of Abbeville are a perfect example what we love and look for in a road trip.
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