Coca-Cola Ghost Signs Haunt Walls Around Colorado

Since we told the story of the Coca-Cola ghost sign — a remnant of the past uncovered during recent renovations of 2801 Welton Street — we're seeing ghosts everywhere, several involving Coca-Cola, a company that covered the costs for many of these decade-old signs. In June, a demolition project in...

By Patricia Calhoun

December 15, 2015

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Since we told the story of the Coca-Cola ghost sign — a remnant of the past uncovered during recent renovations of 2801 Welton Street — we're seeing ghosts everywhere, several involving Coca-Cola, a company that covered the costs for many of these decade-old signs.

In June, a demolition project in Lafayette revealed the Pat and Gar's Hi-Way Bar Coca-Cola sign on the side of what had most recently been La Familia restaurant. In September, the fourteen-foot-long sign was carefully moved for storage at the local fire department while a museum is created on the site. The museum was part of the original plan — finding a genuine artifact on the site was not.Fort Collins, too, takes pride in its historic Coca-Cola sign — and won awards for its work to save it, including honors from the American Society for State and Local History, and History Colorado in 2013. The building at 220 East Mountain Avenue that's currently home of Coopersmith's was once Angell’s Delicatessen, where the sign was originally painted in 1958 by local sign-painter Dan Brown, who was paid $400 for his work. The city worked with the building's owner, preservationist Carol Tunner and sign conservationist Deborah Uhl to restore the piece.

Have a favorite ghost sign? Whether it touts Coca-Cola or some other product, leave us a comment revealing its whereabouts or send a photo to [email protected]. And don't miss this video of Lafayette's mural moving day:

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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