Bull Durham Smoking Tobacco


According to the Duke University Libraries Digital Collection, the Bull Durham brand originated during an incident at the close of the Civil War in Durham, North Carolina. Soldiers from both sides raided a farmer’s tobacco crop as they waited for surrender to complete. After returning home, the former soldiers wrote back to the farmer, Mr. John Green, asking for more of the tobacco. He obliged. The tobacco was named Bull Durham in 1868. Eventually it would become the largest selling tobacco brand in the world. Bull Durham print ads typically employed demeaning caricatures of blacks – however, the caricatures did not appear in wall advertisements.

Other side of building has “Delicious and Refreshing Coca Cola” sign next to a “Spearmint gum – Chew it after every meal” sign.

421 South Main Street, Galena IL [map]



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