The Evolution and Legacy of Roadside Architecture and Neon Signage

Abigail Christman is a Principal City Planner in Landmark Preservation at the City and County of Denver. Abigail has a varied background having previously worked for consulting firms, Colorado Preservation, Inc., and the University of Colorado Denver. Her experience includes Section 106n consultation, reconnaissance and intensive-level surveys, National Register nominations, HABS/HAER/HALS documentation, neighborhood pattern books, preservation tax credit certification, interpretation, public outreach, and serving on the Denver Landmark Commission. Abigail also teaches a graduate course for CU Denver titled Historic Buildings in Context. Abigail holds a B.A. in History from the University of South, a M.A. in Public History/Historic Preservation from Middle Tennessee State University, and a M.A. in Histories and Theories of Architecture from the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London, England.

Todd is a fifth-generation Denverite. He began bending neon glass in 1987 and restored his first sign, Ruth’s Flowers, in 1994. After 13 years of tube bending, he left the trade and became a Waldorf elementary school class teacher for 15 years. He returned to college and completed a chemistry major and history minor in 2017. In 2020 he was rehired at Morry’s Neon to focus on sign restoration. He is currently a graduate student in the University of Colorado Denver’s Historic Preservation program and co-president of SAVE THE SIGNS LLC, a local non-profit committed to saving signs in situ.