Flying Red Horse lands again

Katie Schwartz stood near the red ribbon, flanked by her mother, aunt, and a longtime employee who had worked alongside her family for decades.

Behind them, the Flying Red Horse – the Mobil Pegasus sign that once stood sentry over Eden Prairie – now towered once again on a new base, just steps north of its original perch.

On June 17, after more than a decade of planning, the city formally dedicated the restored sign at the northwest corner of Flying Cloud Drive and Town Center Place. The horse had been installed months earlier – in February – but this was the moment it became official. Most of the Eden Prairie City Council and many city leaders were in attendance, along with residents, former customers, and members of the Eden Prairie Historical Society.

“For me, this truly validates the impact and meaning – that this is not just a sign, it is a landmark,” Schwartz told the crowd gathered in the summer heat. “Now generations to come will have the opportunity to smile when they see this sign, learn about the history of this wonderful city, and create their own stories.”

The 12.1-foot-tall, 16-foot-wide neon sign was once a beacon above the Wye Café and Mobil station, a familiar sight to drivers on Highway 212 and pilots approaching Flying Cloud Airport. After the business closed in 2008, the sign went into storage – and for years, its future remained uncertain.

Schwartz, granddaughter of Jesse Sr. and Irene Schwartz, grew up in the family business. Her grandfather took over the station in 1933 and later became a co-owner with his son, Jesse Jr. Irene, her grandmother, was a beloved fixture in the community. The family sold the business in 2008, but Schwartz held onto the sign.

The city took ownership of the Flying Red Horse in 2013. In 2024, Eden Prairie awarded a construction contract and began work to restore and reinstall it. A triangular parcel of land, returned to the city by the Metropolitan Council, offered a suitable home – just north of the sign’s original location.

Now lit with neon tubing and LED illumination at its base, the restored Pegasus serves as a civic landmark – visible to drivers, pedestrians, and, starting in 2027, light rail riders.

Schwartz worked closely with designer Katie Qualey to develop three interpretive panels that accompany the sign, preserving its history and the story of her family’s role in the city’s growth.

When the ribbon was finally cut, Schwartz stood with her mother, Kathy Schwartz; her aunt, Jill (Schwartz) Grier; and Craig Bartlett, a former employee who worked alongside the family for nearly 20 years. The four smiled as the scissors closed, marking the return of a symbol that once hovered above them all.

“Craig was very passionate about this place,” Schwartz said. “I’m just so glad he could be here.”

In her remarks, Schwartz thanked the city, its parks and recreation department, the Eden Prairie Historical Society, and “all the creative vendors for making this 12-year project and vision come to fruition.”

But Schwartz said the real tribute belonged to the people who gave the sign its meaning – customers, employees, neighbors.

“This would not be possible,” she said, “without all those who worked with us at the W. Gordon Smith Co./Flying Red Horse, those who stopped in every day, month, year, and everyone who has a story about our humble station.”

Her voice turned personal as she reflected on her family’s legacy: “My grandparents and father are not here to see this beautiful dedication and what has been created, but this stands as their legacy. My family worked their whole life for this horse.”

She paused, then added: “Now generations to come will have the opportunity to smile when they see this sign, learn about the history of this wonderful city, and create their own stories. Thank you so very much.”

Mayor Ron Case and Historical Society President Kathie Case also attended the ceremony. In his speech, the mayor placed the Flying Red Horse in a broader civic context – as part of the city’s effort to preserve not just buildings, but identity.

“I’ve always said I don’t want us to be just another (suburb) you drive through,” Mayor Case said. “I want people to know they’ve arrived in Eden Prairie – and that we celebrate our history.”

As families posed for photos and neighbors swapped stories, the red horse stood sentinel once more – a relic reborn, anchoring past to present.

Later, away from the crowd, Katie Schwartz paused, her smile lingering.

“It was my Oscar moment,” she said.