Pocatello Electric
Pocatello, ID
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

This not-yet-ghost signage for Pocatello Electric is found in Pocatello, Idaho.

What is attention catching here is the painted lettering on the side of the building. It's weathered enough to show its age, but still bold enough to catch your eye as you pass by.

Signs like this often disappear over time as buildings change hands or get remodeled. Fortunately, this one has survived and continues to add a little historic character to downtown Pocatello. 09-06

UPDATE: Pocatello Electric remains in business today and continues to operate from downtown Pocatello. The historic painted wall sign still survives and remains one of the city's better-known ghost sign-style landmarks. 06-26

New Grand Hotel
Salt Lake City, UT
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Enjoy Coca-Cola at the New Grand Hotel. At least that's what this painted sign wants you to think.

See the old Coca-Cola advertisement painted on the side of the building. It's one of those ghost signs that has survived long after the era it was created to promote.

I also get a kick out of the old Sprite Boy character. Despite the name, it has nothing to do with the lemon-lime soft drink. He was actually a Coca-Cola mascot decades before Sprite became a beverage.

The faded paint and vintage artwork make this one of those signs that's easy to spot when walking around downtown Salt Lake City. 10-06

UPDATE: The New Grand Hotel building remains standing and has been converted into apartments. The historic Coca-Cola ghost sign survives on the side of the building and continues to be a familiar downtown landmark. 06-26

Texaco (Closed)
Scipio, UT
Photo courtesy Kenny Kanosh

This old faded Texaco sign can be found on the side of a historic building in Scipio, Utah. From a distance, it looks like it might have been an old service station, but the building actually served as a mercantile store for much of its history.

Check out the weathered Texaco star painted on the brick wall. The faded colors and worn lettering are a reminder of a time when painted advertisements were a common sight along highways and small-town main streets.

It's easy to see why travelers might assume this was once a gas station. The sign tells one story, while the building itself tells another. Together they create a fascinating piece of roadside history. 04-08

UPDATE: The historic mercantile building still stands in Scipio today, and the faded Texaco advertisement remains visible on the south wall. Although the building was never actually a Texaco station, the surviving ghost sign continues to be one of its most recognizable features. 06-26

Vico Motor Oil (Closed)
Scipio, UT
Photo courtesy Kenny Kanosh

This ad for Vico Motor Oil is painted on an old service station found along the main street in Scipio, Utah.

Check out the combination of the faded Vico advertisement and the old gas pumps still standing out front. Together they create one of those scenes that instantly transports you back to the days when independent service stations could be found in just about every small town.

The weathered sign and rusting pumps tell the story of a different era of motoring, when brands like Vico Motor Oil competed for the attention of travelers crossing Utah's highways. 04-08

UPDATE: The old service station remains standing in Scipio, though it has been closed for many years. The Vico Motor Oil ghost sign and the vintage gas pumps continue to survive, making this one of the town's most photographed roadside relics. 06-26

Levi's Overalls
Eureka, UT
Photo courtesy Kenny Kanosh

This large ghost sign for Levi's Overalls is found off this old street in Eureka, Utah. What is attention catching here is how bold the old wall advertisement still looks after all these years. The black and yellow lettering really stands out against the brick, making it one of those ghost signs that is hard to miss when passing through town.

The sign is also a great reminder of Eureka's mining days, when work clothes like these were part of everyday life. Back then, "waist overalls" referred to the denim work pants most of us would simply call jeans today. 09-08

UPDATE: The Levi's Overalls ghost sign still survives in Eureka and remains one of the town's best-known painted wall advertisements. The historic building also remains standing, keeping this old piece of main street advertising visible for future travelers. 06-26