Peeler Grain and Provision Company Building
Salisbury, NC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Some ghost signs make you stop because there's so much to see. The faded Peeler Grain and Provision Company Building lettering shares this old Salisbury building with an equally weathered Coca-Cola advertisement, creating a wall that's worth studying before moving on. 02-08
Built in 1907, the oddly shaped building was designed to follow the curve of a nearby railroad siding where rail cars once loaded and unloaded grain and feed. It originally housed the Kluttz Grain and Provision Company before later being purchased by Lewis D. Peeler, the Salisbury businessman who introduced Cheerwine in 1917. Look closely and you'll still find pieces of old Coca-Cola slogans along with the familiar five-cent advertising.
UPDATE: The building has been preserved, and the layered Grain and Provision and Coca-Cola ghost signs still survive. 08-26
Pepsi Sign
Seneca, SC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Seneca is where these ruins of an old storefront building is located. The building has a ghost of a Pepsi sign on its side. Since the word "cola" is mostly covered by an addition that in itself is ancient, the sign must go back a very long time. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 03-08
You may have to look twice before you realize what you're seeing. The faded Pepsi-Cola advertisement on this old Seneca building has weathered so much over the years that many roadside fans affectionately call it the "Pale Cola" sign. The bright colors are mostly gone, but the old lettering still manages to stand out against the brick. 02-08
Painted wall advertisements like this were once a common sight in small towns across the South. Soft drink companies competed for every bit of attention they could get, covering buildings with colorful signs that welcomed travelers long before billboards took over the highways. While most of those advertisements have disappeared, this one has stubbornly hung on despite decades of sun, rain, and changing businesses.
Pepsi Sign
Seneca, SC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
There's something about an old sign like this that makes you wonder how many people have driven past it over the years without noticing. It's not the flashiest ghost sign around, and that's exactly what makes it special. The faded paint, missing letters, and worn brick tell their own story without saying very much at all.
UPDATE: The current status of the building and the weathered Pepsi sign could not be confirmed. 08-26
W.A. Slater Clothing Company Building
Durham, NC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
If you're walking through downtown Durham, don't forget to look above the storefronts. High on the side of this old brick W.A. Slater Clothing Company Building, the faded Lemon-Kola ghost sign is still hanging around from the days when soft drink companies painted their advertisements instead of hanging plastic signs. 03-08
Lemon-Kola wasn't around nearly as long as some of the better-known soda brands, which makes finding one of its old advertisements even more fun. Introduced in the early 1910s, the drink sold for just a nickel a bottle and found its way into a handful of North Carolina bottling plants before quietly disappearing. Today, the ghost sign survives on a building that once housed the W.A. Slater Clothing Company, adding another layer of history to downtown Durham's brick streets.
It's easy to imagine this wall catching the attention of shoppers a century ago. These days, it's more likely to catch the eye of someone wandering downtown with a camera, looking for the next roadside surprise.
UPDATE: The historic building has been repurposed, and the Lemon-Kola ghost sign still survives. 08-26
Historic D.G. Fox General Merchandise Building
Siler City, NC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
You don't have to look very hard to spot the old Coca-Cola ghost sign on this downtown Historic D.G. Fox General Merchandise Siler City building. Painted high on the brick wall, it's the kind of advertisement that has probably caught the eye of travelers for generations. 03-08
The building dates back to the late 1800s and was once home to D.G. Fox General Merchandise, where local shoppers could pick up everything from produce to everyday supplies. Siler City also had an early connection to Coca-Cola bottling, making a sign like this feel right at home. Long before billboards lined the highways, painted advertisements like these welcomed customers one brick wall at a time.
Today the old store has found a new purpose, but the faded Coca-Cola lettering still gives the building plenty of personality. It's another one of those roadside discoveries that's worth slowing down for when you're wandering through town.
UPDATE: The building has been repurposed, and the Coca-Cola ghost sign still survives. 08-26
J.P. Mills Department Store Building
Mooresville, NC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Here's another Coca-Cola ghost sign that's worth slowing down for. Painted on the side of an old downtown Mooresville J.P. Mills Department Store Building, the familiar script has faded with age, but it still stands out against the brick. If you look closely, you'll notice it's hiding an even older advertisement underneath. 05-08
Before Coca-Cola claimed the wall, it advertised J.P. Mills Department Store and Selz Royal Blue Shoes, leaving behind layers of history that can still be seen today. Instead of giving the wall a brand-new paint job, the town carefully restored the sign in 2019, preserving its faded appearance while helping protect it for years to come. It's a nice reminder that ghost signs don't have to look perfect to tell a story.
UPDATE: The Coca-Cola ghost sign was professionally conserved in 2019 and continues to overlook downtown Mooresville. 08-26
Franklin Auto
Mooresville, NC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
The Franklin Auto ad is a curiosity as I have not seen such an elaborate vintage car advertisement like this anywhere else. Perhaps it was an old ghost that was restored? Franklin cars were not built in North Carolina. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 05-08
You don't expect to find an old automobile advertisement painted on a brick wall, but that's exactly what makes this Franklin Automobiles ghost sign worth a closer look. Sitting along Broad Street in downtown Mooresville, it's another reminder of the days when a painted wall could sell just about anything.
Franklin built its automobiles from 1902 until 1934 and became known for using air-cooled engines instead of the traditional radiator. The faded sign suggests that Franklin cars were once sold or serviced right here in town. Like several of Mooresville's ghost signs, it was carefully preserved in 2019, keeping its weathered appearance instead of making it look brand new.
UPDATE: The Franklin Automobiles ghost sign was preserved in 2019 and still survives. 08-26
Coca-Cola
Mooresville, NC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Here's a Coca-Cola ad, probably restored along with that from an old Livery but the black lettering on this one seem a little suspicious as it des not appear to be of the period. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 05-08
The building itself has been given a new life, but the painted Coca-Cola advertisement remains one of its best features. Fans of the television series Banshee may even recognize the building, which was used as one of the show's filming locations thanks to its authentic historic appearance.
Downtown Mooresville has become a great place to hunt for old ghost signs, and this one is another reason to spend a little extra time looking up instead of just walking by.
UPDATE: The building has been preserved, and the Coca-Cola ghost sign continues to overlook downtown Mooresville. 08-26
Peeler Grain and Provision Company Building
Pepsi Sign
Pepsi Sign
W.A. Slater Clothing Company Building
Historic D.G. Fox General Merchandise Building
Coca-Cola
