Ghost sign

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article or section deals primarily with the United States and does not represent a worldwide view of the subject.
Please improve this article or discuss the issue on the talk page.

A ghost sign is a term for old advertising or signage that has been preserved on a building for an extended period of time, whether by actively keeping it or choosing not to destroy it.

1 Preservation
2 See also
3 External links
4 References

[edit] Preservation

They are found across America and in Canada.^[1] Ghost signs are also called fading ads. see Fading Ad Gallery. In many cases these are advertisements painted on brick that remained over time.^[2]

Many ghost signs still available for public view are from the 1890s to 1930s.^[2] However, ghost signs from the early 1970s have been found as well^[3]

As signage advertising formats changed, less durable signs appeared in the later 20th century and the presence of ghost signs from this second half of the 20th century is less present.^[4]

Ghost signs often offer advertising historians a glimpse into old advertising, and city historians a look into the past.

Ghost signs, while historic, often are on buildings that still are being used by other tenants. Many ghost signs are painted over.^{[citation needed]} In some cases, they have been saved.