Monday, August 31, 2015

Kansas City Library District


Technically, it's now the old Old Spaghetti Factory, and it hasn't been replaced with a new Old Spaghetti Factory.  Not in KC, anyway.  The company is still operational in other cities around the nation.


According to AreaVibes.com, this is part of KC's Library District, and we'll be featuring ghost signs from there all week.


Note the faded green blotch. 


And one we almost missed.

Friday, August 28, 2015

More to Come


At least another week's worth of Kansas City ghost signs to come.
In the meantime, enjoy this one, and take note of the Richards and Conover sign in the background featured earlier this week.

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Bull Durham Ghost Sign in Kansas City


Bull Durham signs are often what people think of if you mention ghost signs.

This one is at Wyandotte and Fifth, in Kansas City's River Market neighborhood, and there's a question of whether it's well-preserved or restored.

It's has some wear and tear, but is rather bright for something that may be close to 100 years old.

(Bull Durham signs started appearing in the 1870s, but, according to ghost sign historian William Stage, the fence post covering up the bull's unmentionables wasn't added until around 1909.)

Either way, it's beautiful.

(A search for the painter company, Tnos Cusach, turned up a few references in trade publications from Chicago, around 1920, but little else.)

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

More From the River Market


Our time in the River Market district was fruitful, but brief.


For instance, while we caught these two sides of the building, 
we missed what was on the north.

And we welcome readers of Tony's Kansas City. Stick around.
Plenty more from your lovely city to come.

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Kansas City Dreaming


The Kansas City neighborhood called River Market.  An old warehouse district that's been renewed.


Independence and Delaware.   
The district has many similarities to Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood;
There's a permanent farmer's market, and tracks for a streetcar that's still under construction.


And plenty of ghost signs.
The only words we can make out for sure are LEAF at the top, and TOBACCO, at the bottom.

Monday, August 24, 2015

Summer Sufari


We're back from another trip Out West.


To briefly sum up, we explored new, and familiar territory, finding plenty of new ghost signs.
This first trophy is from Kansas City, Missouri, which was true to legend, full of our prey.
Much more to come.