Neon Baby Chick Sign in Petaluma, CA Restored

After years of fundraising, planning and restoration, Petaluma, CA’s hatchery chick sign is glowing again, according to Patch.com. The 3-ft.-high neon outline of a yellow hatchling was installed in 1935, but for years, only its breast would light up. 

Organizers led by historian Katherine Rinehart launched a fundraising campaign in 2025 and surpassed their goal by Jan. 1. The campaign involved GoFundMe and “chick sign” merchandise sold in local retail stores, the visitor center and a local museum. An anonymous $5,000 matching grant in December and a special offer to donors of a handcrafted sign ornament put the project over the top, per the article.

Image courtesy of Joe Chapman’s Facebook account.

Crews removed the sign from its posts on April 16 and reinstalled it on June 11, three days before the public relighting on June 14 before a crowd of 150. The ceremony celebrated the community effort by donations, volunteers, local businesses, skilled craftspeople, historians and an accordionist — all set on preserving a piece of Petaluma history.

To read the full article on Patch.com, click here.