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All the United States Washington Seattle Elephant Car Wash Sign
Elephant Car Wash Sign is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

AO Edited

Elephant Car Wash Sign

Now housed in a museum, this giant pink elephant stood in downtown Seattle for more than 60 years.

Seattle, Washington

Added By
Marilyn
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Elephant Car Wash   Mike/CC BY-SA 2.0
Elephant Car Wash   Mike/CC BY-SA 2.0
Elephant Car Wash   Mike/CC BY-SA 2.0
Elephant Car Wash sign at night   Keith Bellvay/CC BY 2.0
Elephant sign with the Space Needle in the background   Mike/CC BY-SA 2.0
Elephant Car Wash   Mike/CC BY-SA 2.0
  MarilynR / Atlas Obscura User
Elephant Car Wash Sign at Amazon Nitro   Tbussert / Atlas Obscura User
Smaller version of the sign, also from the Battery Street location. Taken in September 2023.   MarilynR / Atlas Obscura User
Plaque describing the sign’s history and restoration. Taken September 2023.   MarilynR / Atlas Obscura User
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About

This kitschy pink elephant sign was a resident of Seattle's Belltown neighborhood for more than 60 years. It has over 380 lights and is constructed from bent neon and steel. The bright and whimsical sign made this Elephant Car Wash location one of the most photographed spots in Seattle.

Elephant Car Wash first opened in the SoDo neighborhood in 1951. In 1956 the owners opened a second location on Battery Street, which included a sign designed by local artist Bea Haverfield, known as Seattle's "Queen of Neon." The bright, rotating sign was a hit with locals and visitors alike. Elvis washed his car here in 1963 while he was in town filming It Happened at The World's Fair and so have many other famous people. The elephant sign also made a cameo in the 2010 movie Love Happens, starring Aaron Eckhart and Jennifer Aniston. 

Up until recently, the sign stood proudly over the car wash, and has been well-preserved (though a few lightbulbs stopped blinking). But in October 2020 a demolition permit was filed for the car wash itself, leaving the fate of the sign in question.

Luckily, this piece of Seattle history will be preserved at the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI). The sign was taken down in November 2020, and is undergoing a restoration process to fix the lights and remove rust. When complete, it will join MOHAI's vast collection of signage from local businesses, including a 26-foot-tall neon blue flame that once stood above Washington Natural Gas.

Related Tags

Cars Signs Roadside Attractions Neon Kitsch

Know Before You Go

The sign not currently on display while it undergoes restoration. The car wash where the sign was originally located has closed. A similar, working version of this sign can be found in  Rancho Mirage, California. 

Community Contributors

Added By

MarilynR

Edited By

Tbussert, Michelle Cassidy

  • Tbussert
  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

May 6, 2021

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Sources
  • https://www.geekwire.com/2022/amazon-installs-historic-elephant-car-wash-sign-on-seattle-hq-campus-blocks-from-original-home/
  • https://www.seattletimes.com/business/elephant-car-wash-to-close-permanently-sign-will-go-to-mohai/
  • https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/elephant-car-washs-neon-pink-sign-departs-denny-way-perch/
  • https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/seattles-queen-of-neon/
  • https://www.elephantcarwash.com/about-us/history/
  • https://www.seattlemag.com/article/how-elephant-car-wash-became-unforgettable-icon
  • https://www.geekwire.com/2021/amazon-plans-install-smaller-elephant-car-wash-sign-outdoors-campus-everyone-enjoy/
  • https://www.ranchoelephantcarwash.com/
Elephant Car Wash Sign
860 Terry Ave N
Seattle, Washington, 98109
United States
47.627525, -122.336563
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The Intersection of Bellevue, Bellevue, and Bellevue

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