Len Davidson, Davidson Neon Museum Curator and Author of Vintage Neon, has gotten his hands on a vintage sign from the heart of Philadelphia's Divine Lorraine Hotel.
The first Neon Sign to be restored is a 5' long Hot Pink Neon Sign that reads, COMMUNION TABLE. Next, I hope to receive parts of the Iconic Rooftop sign for the Divine Lorraine Hotel.
My mother once shared very fond memories about the Divine Lorraine Hotel with my brother and I, and she may have even taken us there when we were very small, something I cannot confirm due to her passing a over decade ago.
The Divine Lorraine Hotel was the brain-child of one, Father Divine (aka George Baker or Reverend Major Jealous Divine).
His hotel was the first of its class in Philadelphia, or indeed in the United States, to be fully racially integrated.
He was known to serve elaborate dinners in a grand communal dinning hall with meals that were only .25 each. My mother often comment on how orderly and wholesome the meals were. She often quote the one sign that stood out for her throughout the dining hall. The signs read "Take all That You Want but Eat all You Take", a testimony to Father Divines Prudent sense of charity.
I always tried to imagine what the inside was like, considering how predominate the Divine Lorraine edifice stood long after the incredible charitable icon closed its doors. Now I have a piece of her the Divine on my workbench and I am looking forward to my roll in bringing this small piece of history back to life in time for the long awaited Divine Lorraine revamp.
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