This old sign is painted on the wall of the License Commission building downtown. It is in an alley now, but I'm sure was originally facing the street. I'd never seen it before and I've never heard of Ballard's Obelisk Flour. Has anyone ever heard of it? According to the sign, it was "Always Reliable" and "Standard of the South for 50 Years." It's hard to get a good shot in a narrow alley, so here's a couple more. My apologies for the afternoon shadow from the other building.
7 comments:
Love the old handpainted signs. They pop up in the places you least expect.
I love these old signs too, but I sure don't remember Ballards flour.
You'll see these signs mostly in small towns across the country...it's hard to imagine that we've missed the "standard of the south for 50 years."
Thanks so much for visiting Ocala DP!
I wonder about the process of getting the signs on the walls--they are so good! If I can remember and have time, that would be something to find out.
I remember hearing of Ballard's Flour. Seems like it was advertised on the Grand Ole Opry.
Ballard's Obelisk Flour refers to an old flour brand originally milled in Louisville, Ky. by Ballard and Ballard Co. It was bought out by Pilsbury in 1950's. Ballard and Ballard "invented" easy bake instant oven biscuit mix - at one time they were the largest grain millery on earth. Easy access to water transportation made this business explode throughtout the South in the post Civil War /Reconstruction years. That sign / wall painting probably date to the 1930's or so.
I have a small cookie sheet that I found in Grandma's cupboard that looks like a give-away, says "Use Ballard's Flours - Standard of the South for Fifty Years."
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