Goodbye Grand Island, Goodbye 2013

 

Fitting that our GI pictures run out as the sands pass through the hourglass?

Or just coincidence?

 

Mead, and Sherwin Williams are both still in business, but not at this location, next to yesterday's entry.

 

Thank you all for supporting our little obsession this year.

Left Behind

 

On the edge of downtown Grand Island, next to the railroad tracks, sits the ole' Kriz Davis Company building.

They're still in business, but have moved, to be closer to Hwy 30.

Grand Island

 

My guide, Chad, says there's an effort to revitalize downtown Grand Island.

Let's hope they don't make the mistake of covering over all the fantastic ghost signs they have there.

All Around

 

In Hastings, just south of the Downtown, there's the massive Borley building. 

The company appears to be still in business, so, it doesn't truly qualify as ghost sign...

 

But, on the north side of the building, it explodes.

 

Sinner Rentals is also still in business, but it is a prime location to "lease(d) ad space", as it's right next to the railroad tracks.  Amtrak still runs right past.

 

I believe the subtitle reads "Mild Havna", which suggests a cigar.  And it looks older than the name ending with "SEN" above it.

 

"Very Best" something.

Marking Time

 

My Ghostsigns 2014 calendar arrived just in time for Christmas!

It's bigger, and more beautiful than I hoped.

Order yours here.

The Sign Remains

 

A rare ghost sign that outlasted the building.

Belvidere, NE

Oh Donna

 

Above the wreckage of poor Donna's Fashions, I see a hint of a circle with a couple of letters in it.

Barely There

 

Grand Island.

Not Long Now

 

We reported some time ago that this building was scheduled for demolition.

Seems it can't wait, and has started to bring itself down.

 

Sometime in the last few days, bricks near the top, (to the left of the guy's head), leapt to their deaths.

Maybe it was the heavy rains this weekend, or maybe it's just inevitability of time, but, either way, this will probably only hasten the demise of what some consider an eyesore.

Beautiful Downtown Grand Island

And for those of you who are big fans of buildings with names:

No! Really!

 

There's a ghost sign here.  I swear.  There's at least one.  It doesn't show up well in the photo, but, there's more going on than just green.  Toward the upper right hand corner, there's the remnants of a "GO" or a "CO".

 

Grand Island.

The Tank

Glad I caught this before it was completely lost.

Hastings.  When I was in college, I don't remember this place being open at all.

Custom Machining

Grand Island.

 

G.I.

 

I should really take a better camera with me.

 

The sun was setting behind this behemoth in Grand Island,

 

And these pictures do not do it justice.

 

So, what was the Nebraska Mercantile Company?  Dunno.  Google is silent, and the Grand Island Downtown history page only mentions the building in passing.

 

Can you imagine a company spending money on art like this today?

 

Thanks again to Chad, who, moments after I dropped my bags in his spare room, suggested we go ghost sign hunting.

Ghost Signs in a Ghost Town

 

It's not a complete ghost town.  People still live in Alexandria, Nebraska.  Just not many.

 

177 people, according to the 2010 census.  And not one of them is spending time downtown.

 

On one day of the safari, Dad took us on another driving tour of the backcountry of southeast Nebraska, and we found more than a few ghost signs.

 

Look up Alex, (as it's known to locals), on Google Maps.  Choose the satellite view.  Across the street from the very building shown here, near Harbine and 3rd, there's a ghost sign visible from the air.

 

During World War II, there was a training base for B-17 pilots nearby.  I can only assume the sign on the roof was meant for them.

Ooooh! Stop! There's One!

 

Again, many thanks to everyone who humors me when I see a ghost sign. 

This particular example was captured with my brother-in-law Jake, in the village of Juniata, Nebraska.

Neither One, Nor the Other

 

Of course, we're talking about Grand Island, which, as the locals like to point out, isn't.

Perhaps so, perhaps not.  But they do have some great ghost signs.

 

And, on this part of the safari, my guide is Chad, who has his own blog of adverts from yesteryear.

I C U

 

One more from Wheatland.

Cheating

 

Before going on the expedition, we scouted.  On-line.  And it was Google Street View that helped us capture today's entries in Wheatland, Wyoming.

 

 

This is now a coin-operated laundry.

 

Hat tip to Frank for humoring me, and driving me around to find these.

 

Go West

 

I'm back from a nearly two excursion into the high country.  And it was a profitable journey, in the hunt for ghost signs.

 

This was across the street from my old college bar, but I'd forgotten about it.

Thanks to my niece for pointing it out, thanks to my sister for putting me up for the night, and thanks to my brother-in-law for lending his truck for the hunt. 

 

(The Imperial Mall sign could be considered a ghost sign simply because there really isn't much left there.)

 

Many more to come, from across Nebraska and Wyoming.

 

 

AND...

The GhostSign calendar is now available for purchase, just in time for Christmas.

 

Here's the link, it includes three of our photos and it's just $23!