CITGO Sign

This guide to the CITGO Sign above Kenmore Square in Boston starts with an electric bill in 1979, when Governor Edward King ordered the sign switched off during the oil crisis to save about sixty dollars a week. You'll hear how long it stayed dark, and what happened in 1983 when demolition crews showed up on the roof to tear the whole thing down instead of relighting it. The guide also traces the changing rent Citgo has paid to keep its name on the skyline, from Boston University's early lease to developer Related's purchase of the block in 2016.