Seriously, Cincinnati?

 

For a city that professes to love art and to love its history, ghost signs are disappearing

at an alarming rate.

 

On the left, there's the Davis Furniture building, which is about to be torn down.  On the right, the new "Hanke Exchange" sign which covers up this:

 

 

I get it, Cincinnati.  I really do.  You own these buildings, and you don't want to advertise businesses that are no longer in existence, or aren't getting paid to advertise.  But, can't you embrace the past?  Can't you recognize these ghost signs as a tie to the past, and as their own artform?

I realize there are only two or, maybe three people in the Tri-State who see ghost signs as something worth preserving, but, just in the last year, there seems to be an acceleration of efforts to cover them up.  And I'm disappointed. 

 

Boarding House

 

Crummy photos, for sure, but it's not much more readable in person.

 

Digging Cincinnati History caught it first, along with another sign that's now safely in the hands of the American Sign Museum.

 

Worst Spelling Ever

 

On Fovrth Street.

Ain't Nuttin' Free

 

Vine, at 9th.

Any Which Way You Can

 

This has been sitting in the folder for so long, I've forgotten where it is.  It also probably doesn't help that I was on a Sunday bender when I found it.  And it's rather plain, with a hint that maybe it was never really a sign, just some out of the way art project, or meticulous graffiti.

Two for One

 

We've had this one before, and it's still not very good. 

However, in this attempt to capture that cigar sign, I noticed the faded remnants of letters running the length of the red building in the foreground.

Longworth Ghost Sign is Loooooooooooooooooong.

 

How we've gone this long without noticing this, is beyond me.

 

 

But, finally notice it, we did, while crossing the Brent Spence Bridge, as the sun was going down.

 

At more than a quarter mile in length, Longworth Hall is still one of the longest buildings in the country.

 

 

 

And it's still used, primarily as offices, although there have been nightclubs there.

 

Read some history at their website.

 

 

More Eyes Needed

 

We've featured this one before, as an "is it?" 
It's on Race, between 6th and 7th. 

Can anyone else see a ghost sign here, or is it just me?

 

I'm 98% sure, but can't seem to get a decent picture. 

Long Sought

 

I've been wanting a picture of this one for a while, but every time I go by, there's a buncha people standing in front of it.  And I'm too shy to ask them to move.   Anyway, for some reason, I always thought it was an ad for lodging or apartments or something.  Once I actually read it, I was surprised to see it was for booze.

 

It's also a candidate for the "Unnecessary Quotation Marks" blog that's out there.

 

On East McMicken, just below Vine.

Will We Lose This Too?

What's so special about this building?

Not much from this angle.  Except when you zoom in and look above the display windows.

Don't do that IRL.  It smells like urine.

So, move around to another side.

Anywhoo, it's been vacant since I've been in Cincinnati.  I can imagine business was slowing as retail in the urban core became a more and more difficult proposition.  And the riots of 2001 could not have done them any favors.

Just recently, I noticed the windows had been boarded up.  One friend suggested it's about to be torn down.  He'd heard it was too far gone to save. 

However, why board it up, if you're just going to tear it down? 

Maybe the good folks at Digging Cincinnati History, or Building Cincinnati know something.

It'd be a shame to lose all that ghost signage to the wrecking ball, but, if someone is going to renovate it, they'll likely cover up the ads anyway.  So, in the meantime, it remains a gutted, urine-soaked waste of space, with some beautiful history painted on the sides. 

(And we made the message boards, which indicate il diva is warming up her vocal chords.)

Under My Nose

 

I find many of the ghost signs you see on here while riding my bike, or walking.  This particular sign is on West McMicken, home to many great pieces of art, and a favorite route of mine since 2012.

 

I just found this sign in August, when my parents were visiting.  I was driving them around, giving them a tour of the city, and I caught this out of the corner of my eye.  I don't feel too badly about missing it before, because when I'm biking, I'm coming down the hill, and this is only visible going up.  And, it hasn't been visible from Central Parkway until recently, because they just tore down some buildings and trees.

 

Note the secondary white square, which was probably another sign that has been covered up.

 

Related Thematic Bonus!

 

I paused to get a new picture of the chimney, when my eyes focused on something closer.  And it's not the Hostess trucks.

 

At Linn and Gest. 

I can think of one other law enforcement ghost sign.  Perhaps a new theme, if I discover more?

 

And, finally, this series was not timed to coincide with the anniversary of 9-11.  It just happened that way.

West End

 

This is on Central Avenue, near Freeman.  It appears to be a more modern design than many other former stations, and one of two in our homage not included in the CFD History page.

Now a Museum

 

When it was a working firehouse, it was home to Engine Company 45, as you can see.  But that was in 1906.  Today, it houses the Fire Museum of Greater Cincinnati.

 

And of course, you're already aware that the Cincinnati Fire Department, which is celebrating 160 years, was the first paid fire department in the nation.  And if you really dig this theme, as I unabashedly do, there are many more pictures of old fire houses, including most featured here.

Now a Factory

 

At Gest and Depot.  My first thought was to label it Queensgate, but it's not. It's Lower Price Hill.

 

And although the week is over, the theme will continue into next week. 

Wonder If They Kept the Pole

 

On Spring Grove.

Now, it's office space, I believe.

Kept in the Family

This little beaut is still operational, but, under the auspices of the Cincinnati Recreation Commission.

It's on Riverside Drive, just off of Delta. 

New Week, New Month, New Theme

 

Can you guess what the theme is?

 

Actually, I see so many repurposed firehouses, I was considering starting a new blog, just for them.

 

This particular example is on the eastern edge of Downtown, but, since it's on the hillside, I'm going to call it Mount Adams.

 

We'll be back to our usual ghost signs next week.  Probably.