The Journey of Seattle's Iconic "Blue Flame" Neon Sign
In 1964, a striking 26-foot-tall blue neon gas flame was installed atop the Mercer Building in Seattle, the newly constructed headquarters of Washington Natural Gas Company. This impressive sign, designed by Seattle native Frank A. Tenuta, weighed two tons and featured 660 light bulbs and 180 neon tubes. It quickly became a defining landmark of the Seattle skyline for nearly four decades.
Known as the "Blue Flame," this rotating neon sculpture symbolized the gas company and gave the building its popular nickname, the "Blue Flame Building." It stood as a beacon of the company's presence for over three decades, but the late 1990s brought significant changes to the Seattle energy landscape.
In 1997, a major merger took place between Puget Sound Power and Light Company and Washington Energy Company, forming Puget Sound Energy (PSE). This consolidation marked a new era in the region's energy sector. Shortly after, in 2000, the Blue Flame was removed from its prominent perch atop the Mercer Building. This removal coincided with the sale of the building to Vulcan Inc., a company founded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, marking the end of the sign's reign over the Seattle skyline.
After its removal, there were plans to display the Blue Flame at Seattle's Museum of History & Industry. However, this arrangement never materialized. In 2010, another proposal suggested mounting the sign at a PSE location near Boeing Field, but this plan also failed to come to fruition.
For almost 15 years, the Blue Flame remained in storage at the PSE Georgetown site. Recently, the iconic sign needed to find a new home due to a system improvement project at the location. PSE’s project team contracted INFRASOURCE SERVICES LLC to perform a crucial gate station rebuild at the site, which provides natural gas to four different parts of Seattle. This important work necessitated the relocation of the Blue Flame.
Thanks to the efforts of Elizabeth Dubreuil, PSE’s Consulting Cultural Resource Scientist, and members of the system improvement project team (including Shawnte Anderson, Sam Hicks, and Nick Floros), a suitable new home was found at the National Neon Sign Museum in The Dalles, Oregon. The relocation project provided a unique opportunity for collaboration between PSE, National Neon Sign Museum, InfraSource Services, Potelco Inc, Snell Crane Service Inc., Brown Roofing, and Harold Crane. This joint effort showcases the fun and rewarding nature of cross-company collaboration, especially when it involves preserving a piece of Seattle's history.
This relocation marks a new chapter for Seattle's beloved Blue Flame, ensuring its preservation and allowing it to illuminate the history of neon signage for future generations. It also highlights how infrastructure projects can intersect with cultural preservation efforts, creating unexpected opportunities for companies to work together in meaningful ways.
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