The last reminder of a bustling mushroom farm in Westminster has been restored to its original advertising brilliance. The Westminster Historic Landmark Board spent the past five years restoring a rusted water tank to preserve the memory of the Savery Savory Mushroom Farm at W. 110th Ave. and Federal Boulevard. The farm was owned and operated by Charles William Savery from 1923 to 1953.
The 40-foot-tall water tower and tank were essential to growing mushrooms in Colorado’s dry climate. Never one to miss a promotional opportunity, Savery had the tank painted to resemble a can of his mushrooms in 1948.
“It was a very challenging restoration project from both the technical and engineering standpoints,” says Vicky Bunsen, historic preservation coordinator for the city of Westminster.
Mark Oatis led the project’s graphics team, which included Rose Oatis, Bob Mulcahy and Bill Hueg. Once the tank had been repaired and repainted, the team re-created the original pictorial and lettering. They worked closely with Bunsen, Dave Loseman, Westminster senior projects engineer, and Westminster’s Historic Preservation Board.
Mark Oatis, the creative director of Young Electric Sign Co. in Las Veas, has 35 years’ experience in sign painting and graphic design.
“Our country has a rich history which can be read on the faded advertising signs found in many communities. These signs, with their fascinating designs and intriguing subjects, give us important clues from an earlier era. I think these ‘ghost’ signs ought to be respected and preserved wherever possible,” Oatis says.
His other works can be seen from Black Hawk and Pueblo to Jonesboro, Tenn. A high-visibility job completed in 2005 was the re-lettering on the restored Tivoli smokestack in Denver.
To ensure historical accuracy, the team investigated old photographs and used what was left of the original design as an outline. Then a paper pattern was created and the design transferred to the tank. Finally, original paint colors were used to reproduce the sign.
