On this West Virginia Morning, Memorial Day weekend brings the return of the Vandalia Gathering at the state capitol. Also, we listen to an excerpt from the latest Us & Them. In this episode, host Trey Kay explores childhood trauma.
Iconic Company Restores Ghost Murals in Appalachia
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Long before website banners, T.V. or radio commercials, and electronic billboards there were murals. Coca-Cola Consolidated is working to restore its faded advertisements, or ghost signs, across Appalachia. Ghost signs are the murals painted on buildings at the turn of the century that are now faded disappearing. One of the largest murals, so far was unveiled last week in Hinton in Summers County. Along with the strong sentimental value to the rural residents, the signs still have a strong marketing value for the global company.
Advertisement in Hinton, W.Va. before …
Advertisement in Hinton, W.Va. during restoration …
Advertisement in Hinton, W.Va. after restoration …
Like other towns across Appalachia, Hinton now deals with a drug epidemic, empty store fronts, and a high poverty rate. Some folks in the area hope the restoration, brings revitalization to the town.
This mural was painted around 1916 in Hinton, a railroad town that by 1929 had three national banks, two hospitals, ten wholesale firms and seventy-five retail stores.
“Before there was the world famous sign in New York City in Time Square, there was the sign in Hinton, West Virginia. So you can say that that sign in New York was a rip off of the sign right here in Hinton, West Virginia,” said Lauren Steele, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Coca-Cola Consolidated.
The company has restored about 15 murals across three Appalachian states so far. Some of the locations include:
Rocky Mount, VA
Ronceverte, W.Va.
Concord, N.C.
Hendersonville, N.C.
Roanoke, Va.
Salisbury, NC
North Wilkesboro, N.C.
Mebane, N.C.
Hinton, W.Va.
Ronceverte, W.Va.
Coca-Cola plans to complete ghost sign restorations in the following towns:
Monroe, N.C.
Morgantown, W.Va.
Elkin, N.C.
Eden, N.C.
Mt. Airy, N.C.
Cherryville, N.C.
Nashville, Tenn.
Bristol, Va.
Farmville, Va.
Hendersonville, N.C.
Shelby, N.C.
Charleston, W.Va.
Camden Park (an amusement park in W.Va.)
The company expects the list to continue to grow. The mural artists are taking a break during the height of the summer heat. The next restoration project will start up in early Fall.
On this West Virginia Morning, Memorial Day weekend brings the return of the Vandalia Gathering at the state capitol. Also, we listen to an excerpt from the latest Us & Them. In this episode, host Trey Kay explores childhood trauma.
This week's broadcast of Mountain Stage was recorded on the campus of West Virginia University (WVU) at the Canady Creative Arts Center. Joining us on this episode is Ruthie Foster, Charlie Mars, The Wandering Hearts, Fellow Pynins, Rebecca Porter and guest host David Mayfield.
Early trauma affects our psychological and physical health and nearly half the children in the U.S. under 18 have experienced trauma. Research continues to help us learn more about the impact of childhood neglect and abuse. In fact, when a child experiences a traumatic event, the consequences can last a lifetime. Childhood trauma can create poor health outcomes later in life.
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