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| These "Chew Mail Pouch Tobacco" signs were painted on barns all over the eastern half of United States from the 1890s to the early 1990s. According to Wikipedia, at their height in the 1960s, there were more than 20,000 barns in 22 states painted with the advertisement for the tobacco company. As a boy I used to see them everywhere, it seems. Now, almost none. (click to enlarge) |
I was driving the back roads of south central Pennsylvania and happened upon this little vignette. It is a part of the American rural landscape that has almost totally disappeared. I just love finding these kinds of scenes as they soon will be completely gone and will only exist in photographs and our memories.
What more could I ask for? Two old dilapidated barns with faded red metal roofs, lush green vegetation, a John Deere tractor in a small building in the background, all sitting before me as though someone exactly positioned them for my photograph. All I could possibly want to include is an old, white-bearded farmer wearing bib overalls and a straw hat walking from left to right in the grass! Hmmm. The new Photoshop Generative Fill could do that.....
If and when you see scenes such as this, slow down and take a good look as the next time you drive by, it may no longer be there. Even better, stop and take a photo of it for posterity’s sake.
Join me over at my website, https://www.dennismook.com.
Thanks for looking. Enjoy!
Dennis A. Mook
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Sadly these are becoming harder and harder to find with each year that passes. You are correct...it won't be long before they are only seen in photographs!
ReplyDeleteI spent years of my life pursuing scenes like this. I have enough Mail Pouch barns to make a book, but unfortunately, I think the time when people would buy such a book has passed.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Dave. I still love finding them.
DeleteI love finding them as well and have a images of ones from PA though this one looks like one I have yet to find. I was at the former factory in WV a couple of years ago to take some pics. Kind of cool that it is still in use. They make Swisher Sweets there now.
ReplyDelete