We document history one image at a time.
Our particular interests are roadside motels, vintage apartment buildings, old highways, cafes, theaters, beauty shops, neighborhood markets, neon signs, and ghost signs. We especially love the early 20th century. We do historical research, photograph items with compelling stories, edit and publish articles and books, and make presentations to promote an appreciation of history in all its forms.
“History is a relentless master. It has no present, only the past rushing into the future.” -JFK
OUR NEW BOOK “VINTAGE SIGNS OF UTAH Vol. 2”
WILL BE ON SALE in OCTOBER, 2024!!!!
at The Kings English Bookshop in Salt Lake City.
Vintage Signs of Utah
Our first volume, published in 2022, contains beautifully photographed collection of vintage roadside signs throughout Utah, including historic cafes, motels, theaters, stores, and beyond. Even a few ghost signs appear! In our second volume, coming out in October, 2024, we include hundreds more vintage signs from around Utah, including a new chapter of “Gone” signs and some fun photo essays on communities where signs are preserved, such as Helper, Sugar House, and Ogden. Both volumes make a great holiday gift for the person who has everything! So many photos! So many memories! Great art! Wonderful stories about mom-and-pop businesses of the 20th Century.
MAKES A GREAT GIFT
ROADSIDE MOTELS
The mom-and-pop motels along western highways in the mid-20th century exemplified the beginnings of a tourism industry that came to define the west. We collect their postcards, photos, and stories.
VINTAGE APARTMENTS
Salt Lake City contains many beautiful examples of early apartment buildings with whimsical names and lovely architecture. We collect residents’ stories, photograph exteriors and interiors, and lead walking tours to appreciate this elegant streetscape.
We did a fun presentation at the Utah State History Conference in 2020 featuring a history of women-owned beauty shops! Check it out. The video is a little wonky with our faces on screen the whole time; you can view the slide show without commentary by clicking this button to View the PDF of the Beauty and Brains slide show.
Recent Books:
Our Historic Apartments book is available for sale at The King’s English Bookshop in Salt Lake City!!! The book documents more than 120 Salt Lake City apartment buildings of the early 20th century with photographs and stories.
Visit https://www.kingsenglish.com/ for more details!