Editor's note: I'll post new stories on my Facebook page once or twice a month. If you'd like to get a new story every week, along with a lot of other content, click Subscriptions at the top right of this page. Gift subscriptions are also available!
But really, it is fading away. The public’s love of hand-painted outdoor advertising signs, once common on the side of buildings, has faded almost to obscurity. Perhaps Boise’s favorite old advertising sign is the one on the side of the Adlemann Building on the corner of Idaho Street and Capital Boulevard. The building went up in 1902 as a single-story structure, but a second story was soon added.
Many businesses have called the building home, not the least of which was Adlemann Bros, which did general auto repair and was the dealership for Stearns Motor Cars. You’ve probably seen the advertisement for the 1912 Stearns painted on the side of the building. That sign, faded though it is, was not painted in the 1910s, but in the year 2000.
Many businesses have called the building home, not the least of which was Adlemann Bros, which did general auto repair and was the dealership for Stearns Motor Cars. You’ve probably seen the advertisement for the 1912 Stearns painted on the side of the building. That sign, faded though it is, was not painted in the 1910s, but in the year 2000.
That was the year a professional organization of design and crafts people called The Letterheads held their convention in Boise. It was the 25th anniversary of the international sign industry conference.
That same group painted the 48-foot-long mural in tribute to Basque culture in Boise behind Bar Gernika, 202 S. Capital Blvd.
The Stearns sign is an homage to the original sign, which also featured a Stearns car. The current sign isn’t an exact duplicate. Here’s a picture of the original sign—or, at least, a small part of it—from the mid-60s.
That same group painted the 48-foot-long mural in tribute to Basque culture in Boise behind Bar Gernika, 202 S. Capital Blvd.
The Stearns sign is an homage to the original sign, which also featured a Stearns car. The current sign isn’t an exact duplicate. Here’s a picture of the original sign—or, at least, a small part of it—from the mid-60s.
The original advertised Adelmann Bros as distributors of the Stearns-Knight Motor Cars.
Although murals are still with us, building-sized advertisements have all but disappeared. Why?
Cost and cost per impression are two related reasons. Having a sign hand-painted is expensive. If you want it seen by thousands, your better bet is to put the advertisement on a billboard, most of which are digitally printed on vinyl today.
Another reason is the availability of lead-based paint. In 1978, paint containing a high percentage of lead was banned for domestic use and uses where it would come in contact with the public. Technically, some industrial use is still allowed, but people are wisely reluctant to use it. Newer formulations of paint without lead don’t do well in sunlight, and they don’t apply to brick surfaces as smoothly as the old paint did.
We do still find those old signs fascinating when we spot the faded lettering of a “ghost sign.” Such signs for Coca-Cola were ubiquitous in the 40s and 50s. The nostalgia is understandable. Can you imagine, though, pining for just one more listen to someone shouting about “Hot Tubs! Hot Tubs! Hot Tubs!” as heard on local television?
Although murals are still with us, building-sized advertisements have all but disappeared. Why?
Cost and cost per impression are two related reasons. Having a sign hand-painted is expensive. If you want it seen by thousands, your better bet is to put the advertisement on a billboard, most of which are digitally printed on vinyl today.
Another reason is the availability of lead-based paint. In 1978, paint containing a high percentage of lead was banned for domestic use and uses where it would come in contact with the public. Technically, some industrial use is still allowed, but people are wisely reluctant to use it. Newer formulations of paint without lead don’t do well in sunlight, and they don’t apply to brick surfaces as smoothly as the old paint did.
We do still find those old signs fascinating when we spot the faded lettering of a “ghost sign.” Such signs for Coca-Cola were ubiquitous in the 40s and 50s. The nostalgia is understandable. Can you imagine, though, pining for just one more listen to someone shouting about “Hot Tubs! Hot Tubs! Hot Tubs!” as heard on local television?
RSS Feed