October 6, 2017
“THE PACKING SHED”
By The Walldogs
The 19th century is coming to a close and American cities have no rules about where signs can go or how big they can be (or how much lead can be added to give signs longevity). Companies from Coca Cola to Borax are becoming national institutions and neon signs are still years away, so American business relies on “walldogs” to carry it through the Golden Age of wall advertising—with “ghost signs” still evident around most of America’s large cities today. A century later, with interest in signage and murals on the rise, a group of talented sign painters formed The Walldogs, showcasing their art with 10 to 15 murals created in annual festivals staged in small towns across North America. In 2006 dozens of Walldogs swarmed Lodi, California and to help celebrate the city’s centennial with stories of the past. “The Packing Shed” on Walnut St. tells a tale of the hard work and arduous conditions born by the women involved in the town’s fruit-packing industry.