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Uneeda Biscuit
Tony Sampas photographed this fading wall mural advertisement for Uneeda Biscuit on Merrimack Street.
Prompted by Tony’s photos, I did some quick internet research on Uneeda, which I assumed was another Lowell-based cracker such as Bradt’s. I was wrong. According to Wikipedia, Uneeda was a late 19th Century product of the National Biscuit Company (sometimes shortened to NBC and eventually becoming Nabisco) that was the first cracker to utilize the In-Er Seal packaging which consisted of the folded wax paper and cardboard box still in use today. Before that, crackers were sold loose from a big barrel. Unfortunately for our sense of nostalgia, Nabisco discontinued the Uneeda brand cracker in 2009 (although the company seems to have stopped caring for its Lowell wall mural long before that).
The word out on the street is that there’s another Uneeda Biscuit sign somewhere on Church Street. Stay tuned to Richardhowe.com.
Every time I see these great painted signs I wonder if it would be possible or a good idea to restore them before they’re (eventually) faded into nothingness. Or would that be a breach of historical standards? I would hate to lose them.
I think the best we can do is make a survey of what remains of these signs painted on brick, take photographs, and allow time and the elements to do what they will…
Tony, about 15 years ago Rachel Woo and I searched out and photographed the remaining signs. I believe we found 32 around the city. With the help of the late Ed Harley, local historian we researched all the businesses. I always intended to do an exhibit but it never came to be. I did publish a small poster with 12 of the best photos.If you would like to see them call me and I’ll bring them to the gallery.
@ d-Tension, Here is a blog on the subject od fading advertisements:
http://www.fadingad.com/fadingadblog/
@ Guy: That is wonderful to hear. I would love to see what you saved from being totally lost!
I’d love to see those old photos, too. Either my memory is wrong and I’m remembering what I was told as opposed to what I saw, or some that are illegible today were readable 15 years ago.
These outdoor advertisements have passed from the stage of being billboards of their day to being historical documents in mural form. Since there are a limited number remaining, what would it take to restore and preserve them? I wonder if building owners would approve if the funding was found?
You referred to Bradt’s Crackers as a Lowell based cracker in your Uneeda Biscuit article. I remember Bradt’s Cracker factory on Fletcher St, but cannot find any info, other than your reference, about Bradt’s. I understood that its’ recipe for the Bradt’s Cracker was ultimately sold to Sunshine Biscuit Company. Any other info?
Thanks,
Richard
I am undertaking just such a project as is mentioned in the above comments, as some of you may already know. My goal is to restore and preserve these signs digitally, as there is probably no other feasible way to do it given the amount of time, money and bureaucratic bushwhacking it would take to do so.