Ghost Signs & More in Pott. Co. - the Driving Tour!

Pott. County is full of ghost signs/murals/art and you can do the driving tour!  I know we’re all needing an excuse to get out of the house, and just like cruising, you can do this from the safety of your own car!  Or you can do another family selfie tour under each one!  Fresh air is good air!

I love vintage advertising and current graffiti-type paintings and everything in between!  I love color!  And Pott. Co. has lots of it! 

I feel like Walnut’s mural tour is one of those hidden gems in Pottawattamie!  Did you know there are more than 10 ghost signs (advertising painted on sides of buildings) and murals in Walnut?  It’s true!  And with a little extra time on your hands, why not check them out?  

My husband loves the word sarsaparilla so it’s no surprise that I love the sign on Walnut's Main Street!  I’m a big fan of the Coke sign on Roberts’ Bakery, too, but I’m not gonna lie, I love going into the bakery more!  YUM!
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Shelby is also home to a vintage Coke ghost sign.  Big and proud, it’s right there next to Larry’s Auto Craft and Repair on East Street in Shelby!

​If you want picturesque, you have to check out the ghost sign in McClelland.  It’s huge and fabulous!  Kent Feeds might not be there anymore, but the sign is!  It is the backdrop to every photo of the park.   I can’t help but take pics of it on a sunny day! 

​And Underwood?  Well, Underwood has a whole new level of art!  They have hay bale art right at the intersection of Jaguar Loop Road and Railroad Highway!  They change it out occasionally and I appreciate their willingness to bring smiles!

​A little “birdie” told me you can find art all over though, not just ghost signs!  For instance, you can find cardinals all over Treynor but this little baby is right on the main drag through Treynor on Highway 92!  Bonus points for the flag next to the post office!

​Carson has a painting on the side of The Finish Line Car Wash.  Painted in honor of RAGBRAI in 2011 by Randi Henderson, Becky White, and Tami Skank, the emblem still embodies the spirit of Carson. And if you want a bonus in Carson, check out the old D & S Lumber ghost sign next to the Bar’N and Grill!

For something a little different, Macedonia is home to some fun placemaking art!  I love the little building at the end of Main Street that has been painted to look like a vintage gas station accurate down to the price of gas in possibly the 1970’s!
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Speaking of smiles, I know I’m bias but the mural on the side of the Nishna Heritage Museum in Oakland is quite a sight up close!  Although it’s probably the newest painting in the group (other than the hay bales), it is definitely historic in nature and you certainly can’t miss it!

I could go on all day about all the cool art in Pott. Co., but these are my highlights and ones you can see from your car sans mask!  I never thought I’d have to say that, but here’s to all of us finding little pieces of color and happiness in these dark times.

Keep the faith, Pott. County!