Townsend Ghost Signs Get Reprieve

As it turns out, the Townsend Hotel sign will remain after all. . . sort of.

Actually, it's being repainted. The bricks of the building have recently been treated with something, so they look nearly new. The sign will stay, but apparently it will be repainted too.

I'm not sure what to make of that. I like the idea of keeping the sign, but repainting it seems odd. Not as bad as removing it, but not as good as just leaving it alone.

Townsend "Ghost" sign to be no more.

As reported in today's Casper Star Tribune, the Downtown Development Commission has decided that the old sign doesn't comport to the building's new role of being a courthouse. So the sign will be covered.

I suppose there's something to that view, but I'll be sad to see the old sign go.

Townsend Again

These photos show the same building depicted immediately below, but with additions. This is the Townsend Building again, in the process of conversion in to a District Court House.

As you can see, the old Townsend sing, depicted below, can no longer be seen. But the painted sign on the side of the building can be. Right now, the question of whether or not to preserve the painted sign on the side is under advisement.

Updates, Changes, and Disappearing Signs

Two of the buildings depicted here no longer look anything like what is depicted below, an amazing change if you consider that these photographs are less than a year old.

Anyhow, the Townsend Building, one of the first buildings depicted on this site, has been going major alterations, as this site indicated would occur, as it is converted into a courthouse. As a result, the signs depicted on this site are no longer visible, and the building itself looks considerably different. It'll be very intersting to see how the new Townsend Justice Center develops, given as it increases the size of the building by at least a third, and converts it to a use which was never contemplated by the original designers. Suffice it to say, having the building reoccupied for the first time in nearly 30 years will itself be a major change.


Another building, the Natrona Transfer building, has also undergone some renovations, although the structure hasn't been changed. The old painted signs, however, are now gone.

We'll post updated photos on the buildings soon.

Anyhow, it's odd to think that a couple of very old buildings, whose signs had been visible for many, many, years should suddenly loose them to view in a single year. Both old buildings are showing signs of new life, so the changes aren't wholly lamentable by any means. But it does show, I suppose, how things that seem permanent are not.