The Pensacola Beach Sign was designed in 1960 by Mrs. Patricia Thorton Born. The Sign was commissioned by the Santa Rosa Island Authority to help direct tourists to drive from the city of Pensacola to Pensacola Beach.

Lamar Advertising built the sign in 1961 and it was originally located on the top of the Escambia Motors Building at the northwest corner of Palafox and Gregory Streets in downtown Pensacola.

The original sign was made with hundreds of feet of neon tubing and thousands of flashing lights directing tourists to a "Scenic drive east along the Gulf of Mexico" and to the "world's whitest beaches."

In 1962 the sign was moved to its permanent home on US Hwy. 98 at the turn off to Pensacola Beach. The sign was replaced in 2003 and repaired in 2006 after being damaged by hurricanes and tropical storms in 2004 and 2005.

One part of the original sign was given to West Florida Historic Preservation Inc. and is located in the Beacon Building in downtown Pensacola. The other part was sold at auction and can now be seen hanging on the wall of Flounders Restaurant on Pensacola Beach.

Written by University of West Florida Public History Student Blythe Marshall.