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Monday, May 6, 2013

Flours for Mural Monday

Yes, I spelled that right.  I know it's spring, but these shots are about flours, not flowers.

When I was leaving work in Lake Geneva the other night I was passing a building I've taken note of before because of its fading painted advertisement.   I gave the steering wheel a yank and pulled in for a quicker look.


As I was snapping the picture and admiring the Washburn Crosby's Gold Medal Flour image I noticed the other side of the building said something about Pillsbury's Best.

A quick search on the internet indicates that Gold Medal Flour originated in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the 1880's. In 1880 Washburn Crosby Co. entered the millers' exhibition in Cincinnati with their best flour and won the gold medal, which is how they got the name.   Gold Medal Flour was acquired by General Mills in the 1920's.

File:The Leading Flour-A0327-01.jpeg

So why the competing ads?  Probably this building is all that's left of Lake Geneva's history of milling.  Most don't know that the town was actually founded as a milling town, first for lumber, then flour and wool carding mills followed.



The property belongs to Dunn Lumber across the street, and a quick call today to the owner offered up the information that at one time it was called Douglas & Dunn Lumber, Coal & Feed. He added that the mural was quite stunning back in the day before it got so faded.

I'm linking up to Mural Monday as usual, head on over and see what everyone else found.
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7 comments:

  1. Billy Blue EyesMay 6, 2013 at 4:28 PM

    We call that ghost writing over the UK, there are a lot of old buildings with it on.

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  2. Travels with EmmaMay 6, 2013 at 4:38 PM

    Interesting little bit of history about Lake Geneva. Thanks

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  3. VioletSkyMay 6, 2013 at 6:25 PM

    i bet this was a beauty back in the day. It looks like the whole half of the building was painted.
    I also really like that postcard :)

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  4. Oakland Daily PhotoMay 6, 2013 at 8:00 PM

    Around here they're called ghost signs. To me they are archeological artifacts revealing themselves. Look at how much you found out about the town because of these faded relics that no one intended to preserve. Pretty exciting stuff if you ask me. Nothing like a ghost sign to transport you back in time. Thanks for contributing to this week's Monday Mural.

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  5. ErinMay 6, 2013 at 9:08 PM

    The faded paint of the mural fits the character of the building.

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  6. Larry OstbyMay 7, 2013 at 11:38 AM

    Very interesting. I grew up in Minnesota and my mother always used Gold Medal flour. The character left behind the old painted adds always presents antiquing at its best.

    Thank you for visiting my blog.

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  7. RedPatMay 7, 2013 at 12:31 PM

    Fabulous ghost signs!

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