United States Illinois Pontiac Allen Candy Company Historic Mural Black and White Street Scene Wall Art | Limited Edition of 10
When I wander through small American towns on old stretches of Route 66, I’m always drawn to the walls that still carry their history proudly. Pontiac, Illinois, is one of those places that doesn’t try to hide its past; it paints it right onto the brick. This black and white photograph captures the Allen Candy Company mural, a beautifully restored piece of Americana that sits just a few blocks from the heart of the historic downtown. Standing in front of it, I could almost imagine the smell of sugar drifting from an old factory door and workers loading crates into trucks headed across the Midwest.
In this image, the mural becomes the anchor for the entire frame. The hand-painted lettering, the swirling flourishes, and the illustration of an old industrial plant offer a glimpse into the commercial optimism of early twentieth-century America. Setting it against the clean geometry of the parking lot lines below creates an interesting tension: the past pressed against the present. I love working with scenes like this in black and white because it strips everything down to tone, texture, and form. The roughness of the brick, the crisp strokes of restored paint, and the faint cloud structure drifting overhead all fall into a slower rhythm that reminds me why these towns continue to fascinate me.
Pontiac has embraced its identity as a Route 66 waypoint, and you feel that while walking its streets. Murals appear everywhere—each one a moment in time captured on brick. When I was photographing this wall, I took my time stepping back, adjusting my composition, letting the lines breathe. I wanted to give the mural space so viewers could experience the message and craftsmanship without distraction. The empty parking spaces tell their own story too—they add quietness, a pause before the traffic and noise return.
Images like this resonate with me because they don’t rely on spectacle. They rely on memory. They remind us of the businesses that shaped communities long before digital storefronts and chain stores took over. I’ve always believed that travel photography isn’t just about landscapes or distant horizons; sometimes it’s about stopping in a small Midwestern town and letting a weathered brick wall tell you something about where you are.
If this atmosphere speaks to you, take a look at Route 66 Sign Pontiac Illinois.
© Dan Kosmayer, 2022
Limited Edition of 10
This photograph is released as a signed and numbered limited edition of only 10 prints in total across all available sizes combined—not 10 prints in each size.
Every size is drawn from the same edition. Whether the photograph is purchased as a small print or at the largest available size, it uses one of the 10 edition numbers.
I personally sign and number each print on the reverse, and every print is accompanied by a signed Certificate of Authenticity recording its title, dimensions, medium, edition number, and date of issue.
Once all 10 prints have been sold, the edition will be permanently closed. No additional numbered editions of the photograph will be produced in another size or format.
Premium Archival Fine Art Prints
I personally produce every photograph using archival pigment inks on premium archival paper with a subtle luster finish.
The paper provides rich tonal depth, excellent fine-detail reproduction, and a refined surface that reduces distracting glare under normal indoor lighting. It is especially well suited to both color and black-and-white photography.
Each photograph is sold as an unframed fine art print, allowing it to be framed according to the collector’s space and personal style.
Before a print leaves my studio, I carefully inspect it for color, tonal accuracy, surface quality, and overall presentation. Nothing is outsourced, and every finished print passes through my hands.
Worldwide Delivery Included
Every print is personally produced, inspected, signed, numbered, and carefully packaged by me at my studio in Haliburton, Ontario, Canada.
Worldwide delivery is included in the listed price, so there is no additional shipping charge added during checkout. I select an appropriate tracked delivery service based on the destination, print size, and current shipping requirements.
Delivery times vary by destination and may be affected by customs processing or circumstances beyond my control.
Because I also travel extensively to create new photographic work, studio dispatch may occasionally be delayed while I am away. When that happens, the print will be produced and shipped as soon as I return to the studio.
