Ghost Signs of Pioneer Square

I originally came across these signs in the autumn of 2003 as I was taking "photos" (digital) for an urban planning graduate seminar in historic preservation. The Pioneer Square Historic District is littered with these types of signs -- ads painted directly on the brick buildings. It dawned on me that they are a form of socially-acceptable, commercial graffiti. Of course, because they are now old they have acquired historic significance.

When I first noticed them, I asked the director of the Pioneer Square Community Association whether anybody was considering what to do with them. The PSCA is one of the groups spearheading historic preservation and planning within the district. The director said that he and his group were quite aware and concerned about these signs; however, nobody was certain about the best course of action. Should they be preserved as they are now? Should they be allowed to fade into history?

Granted, repainting them would seem false. And it would go against the preservation and rehabilitation strategies that District/community planners have adopted. I would tend to agree: reconstruction is a bad option for Pioneer Square. On the other hand, seeing them disappear completely seems such a sad loss. Most of them, as I found out and as the pictures show, are rather bad off. It is for this reason, then, that I took so many images and that I will take more from better angles and better conditions in the future. Until I have a greater number of better photos, I will hold off weeding the existing ones.

--Rev. Tom 25 January 2004

Goods and Sundries

Ghost Sign Image Gallery

An extensive gallery of images of ghost signs found around the District.
Photos by Tom Dobrowolsky

Map of Pioneer Square

A map showing the spatial distribution and orientation of ghost signs in Pioneer Square.

Archive Image Gallery

Archival photographs of painted wall signs either no longer in existance or not photographed by me in the present day.
Courtesy of the City of Seattle Municipal Archive.

Pioneer Square Image Gallery

Neighborhood snapshots of Pioneer Square provided to give context to the discussion of the neighborhood.
Photos by Tom Dobrowolsky

Ghosts in the Landscape: Historic painted brick wall signs

A paper, prepared for an independent study with Prof. David Levy, examining painted wall signs as documents in the contexts of outdoor advertising and historic preservation. Available upon request

Future research: Examining the materiality of painted walls: issues of painting on brick and wood substrates; discussion of paints and inks used painting wall ads; review of letter styles, hands, and typefaces; and a treatment of the processes by which "wall dogs" (wall sign painters) were taught.

All Materials ©2004 Rev. Tom Dobrowolsky
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