Bensons Sign Route 66 | Limited Edition of 10
Historic Bensons Mural Along Route 66 In Pontiac, Illinois
Some places along Route 66 feel less like roadside stops and more like living history painted directly onto the walls of small-town America. This mural in Pontiac, Illinois, stopped me in my tracks the moment I saw it. Stretching across an old brick building, the massive painted advertisement for Benson’s feels like a time capsule from another era.
The sign itself is bold and theatrical. A sweeping ribbon frame surrounds the name Benson’s, rendered in thick lettering that was clearly meant to be read from a distance by passing motorists. Beneath it, the phrase “Pleasing You Pleases Us” curves across the mural like a friendly promise from another generation of shopkeepers. What makes the scene even more compelling is the artwork within the sign itself. A smiling portrait of the company founder appears beside a painted scene of a man and children working on the sign, creating a layered moment in which the mural depicts the act of painting itself. It’s advertising, storytelling, and folk art all rolled into one.
The surrounding brick wall tells its own story. Years of weather and age have softened the paint and darkened the mortar lines, creating texture and contrast that works beautifully in black and white. The tall industrial window beside the mural anchors the composition. It reminds me that these buildings were once working parts of a thriving downtown, not just nostalgic landmarks along a famous highway.
I photographed this scene while exploring Pontiac during a Route 66 road trip. Pontiac is one of those towns that embraces its roadside history with pride, and murals like this one are everywhere if you slow down long enough to look for them. Standing there with the camera, I was struck by how the sign still communicates exactly what it was meant to do decades ago: catch your eye and make you smile.
I personally sign each print and include a certificate of authenticity. The photograph is produced using archival pigment inks on museum-quality photographic paper to preserve the detail in the brickwork, lettering, and textures of the aging mural.
If you appreciate the culture, nostalgia, and roadside character that made this highway legendary, you can explore more pieces from my Route 66 wall art photography collection.
© 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.
