Bear
Twin Falls, ID
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Not quite sure what's painted on the side of this building other than the word Bear in Twin Falls, Idaho. The mystery is really what makes this one interesting. The remaining lettering is visible enough to catch your eye, but not enough to tell the full story. Was it part of a business name, a product advertisement, or something else entirely?

Ghost signs like this can be frustrating and fascinating at the same time. Sometimes only a word or two survives, leaving the rest to imagination. This one still leaves me wondering what the full sign once said. 09-06

UPDATE: The current status of the Bear ghost sign could not be verified. It is unknown whether the painted lettering still survives today. 06-26

I C Glosz Furs
Salt Lake City, UT
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The side of this store still prominently displays the lettering for I.C. Glosz Furs. This is the kind of ghost sign that makes you stop and wonder about the business behind it. Furriers were once a common sight in downtown shopping districts, catering to customers looking for coats, collars, hats, and other luxury items. Today, signs for businesses like this are much harder to find.

The weathered lettering has survived remarkably well and continues to advertise a company that disappeared long ago. It's a nice reminder of how different downtown retail districts once looked and the variety of specialty shops that filled them. 09-06

UPDATE: The I.C. Glosz Furs ghost sign remains visible in Salt Lake City. Although the fur business is long gone, the painted advertisement survives as one of the city's more unusual reminders of an earlier era of downtown commerce. 06-26

Hyland Motor Company Hupmobiles
Salt Lake City, UT
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Here is a ghost sign treasure found in Salt Lake City. The Hyland Motor Company sign advertises Hupmobiles, an automobile brand produced by the Hupp Motor Company from 1909 to 1940.

One of the things I like about ghost signs is that they often advertise products that have completely disappeared from the landscape. While Ford, Chevrolet, and Dodge survived, Hupmobile faded into automotive history. Signs like this are sometimes the only reminder that these companies ever existed. The painted lettering has held up remarkably well over the years and provides a glimpse back to the early days of the automobile, when dealerships proudly painted their advertisements on the sides of downtown buildings. 09-06

UPDATE: The Hyland Motor Company ghost sign remains visible in downtown Salt Lake City. Although the dealership and the Hupmobile brand are long gone, the sign continues to preserve a small piece of early automotive history. 06-26

The Greenewald Furniture Co.
Salt Lake City, UT
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Here's the building and old ghost signage for The Greenewald Furniture Co. in Salt Lake City. The large painted lettering stretches up the side of the building, offering a glimpse into a time when downtown furniture stores competed for attention with advertisements painted directly onto brick walls.

The Greenwald Furniture Company was founded in 1902 and occupied this building for much of the early 20th century. Located along what was then known as West Broadway, the business was part of Salt Lake City's bustling furniture district, where several retailers and manufacturers operated within a few blocks of one another. The company remained here until the late 1920s before disappearing from the local business scene.

Today, the building survives as one of downtown Salt Lake City's many historic commercial structures. While the furniture showroom is long gone, the faded wall sign remains as a reminder of the businesses that once filled the city's streets with commerce and activity. 09-06

UPDATE: The building remains standing in downtown Salt Lake City and has been adapted for modern commercial use. It doesn't appear that this ghost sign is still on the building. 06-26

Hotel Whitman
Pocatello, ID
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The Hotel Whitman of Pocatello, Idaho was first built in 1905 and once housed the Princess Theater and Eagles Lodge. Later the building was renovated to a hotel. The Hotel Whitman was formerly called the Hotel Nicollet. 09-06

The Hotel Whitman has been a fixture in downtown Pocatello for well over a century. Originally constructed in 1905, the building has served a variety of purposes over the years, including housing the Eagles Lodge, the Princess Theater, and several hotel operations under different names.

The structure was expanded in the early 1910s and opened as the Hotel St. Marie before later becoming the Hotel Nicollet and eventually the Hotel Whitman. Along the way, the building became one of downtown Pocatello's most recognizable landmarks. The faded painted sign visible on the side of the building is a reminder of its long history serving travelers and residents alike.

After falling into decline during the late 20th century, the building was saved through a major rehabilitation effort that preserved one of downtown Pocatello's historic commercial blocks. 09-06

UPDATE: The building remains standing and has been successfully repurposed into apartments and commercial space. The historic ghost sign is still visible, and portions of the property's vintage signage have been preserved as part of the restoration. 06-26