The famous Bakersfield Arch installed by the late Buck Owens by the Crystal Palace is getting a makeover.

Company spokesman Jim Shaw says the original letters had been patched and painted over a 16-year span.

He said the letters have already been removed from the back of the sign.

“Yeah, we can have some fun and start some stories about somebody, maybe Taft, kidnapping the letters, but we decided not to do that,” he said.

The restoration should take about a week.

– Suzanne Grant/Scott Thackrey