Forgotten Mural

Something a little different for you on this final Friday of May.

In the alleyway between Elm and Race, between 3rd and 4th, this mural sits, forgotten.

Eyes, looking out the windows, onto a fenced off courtyard.

Reader Submission

The village from which we hail is not very big.  And since starting this blog, we've been back two or three times, canvassing it each time, searching for ghost signs.

And so we were both delighted and appalled when our brother-in-law, Mr. F. Jesse sent us this finding, tucked away in the alley, behind the grocery store.

Thanks, Frank!

Marx Brothers

First featured by Visualingual, last February, and we had to have it.

Our "research" also found this.

More "research" turns up this.  I'm guessing this was their factory, and the store was around the corner on Monmouth.

Bonus: Across the street.

A Hustler, a Samurai, and a Kickboxer Walk Into a Pool Hall

Sadly, they're ejected, and must stand outside for eternity, or until they're covered.

On Elm, across from Findlay Market.

Revisiting Week Wrap Up

We're not sure if the paint job is fading, or if the light is better,

but, the signs on this building on Central Parkway, near Ezzard Charles seem to be more visible lately.

Back to new finds next week.

Monumental Revisited

We were never happy with how our previous photo turned out, and we weren't sure we could get a decent shot of it.  It's facing northwest, on McMicken, just west of Vine, so either the sun is behind it, or striking from an odd angle, with shadows.

But, we saw 5wch4r7z include it in an entry, and thought we'd give it another go.  

Checking In Again

The Metropole, after its day as a hotel, became low income housing, before it was renovated and turned into the now highly praised 21C boutique hotel.

A much better picture than what we had previously.

New York Revisited

Walking by 13th and Main the other day, there were guys working on the outside.

We asked what they were doing, and they said "installing windows".  We asked what was going in here. "I dunno.  A restaurant, maybe?"

We asked if they were going to keep the New York Cleaners marquee.  "I dunno.  Probably?"

Revisit Week Redux

Why do we revisit signs we've already collected?

Sometimes it's to get a better picture.

As in this instance, where the previous photograph was collected at night, and was a little blurry.

Sometimes, it's because we see details we didn't notice before, like here.

A whole other sign, painted above the doorframe.

Can you read it?

"Bakery and Confectionery", although it's more legible in person.

Well, That's a New One

And by "new", we mean not "new to us", but rather, a new medium.

This sign, on Elm, just north of Findlay Market, appears to be carved in wood.

Oral T. Carter & Associates

We meant to get this before the leaves returned to the tree.

And it's not our usual fair, being painted on a removable sign, and all.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Newport Continued

Looking north on Monmouth.

And perhaps outshining the Wallpaper ghost sign, is the infamous Brass Ass.

While this gentleman's club is still in business, and does not qualify as a ghost sign, they do have a lovely neon marquee worth featuring.

Whoa

Located near Weingartner Alley and 11th, in Newport, KY, and somewhat reminiscent of a recent discovery in Avondale.  Hennard is/was a used auto parts dealer.

We couldn't find anything specific about the City Stables in our research, but we did find the City Codes about the historic neighborhood, if that floats your boat.

Bonus shot: Stuck basketball.

Service in the Rear

Forbes Alley, just off of Monmouth and 9th. 

Checker Stores.

And in the front...

The Checker Store sign is on the back of the shorter buildings. 

The taller structure is labeled as the Dine Schabell Company, on the front.

The big white spot on the side is illegible.

But, we did find this.

Side note: There were tornadoes in Nebraska last night, and what caught my eye in one photo of the damage?

How the #$*& Did We Miss This?

Can you see it?

Oh, it doesn't look like much, but it's there, and we didn't see it until this week, despite looking at this building all the time.

Maybe we were distracted by all the flash and pizzazz.

There is an awful lot to see here.

Or, maybe it wasn't quite as visible as it is now.

A quick pop over to Google Streetview, and yes, you can see it, but just barely.

Perhaps, it was more fully revealed as construction crews turn this landmark into not one, but two, hotels.

School's Out Forever

The former School for Creative and Performing Arts, on Sycamore.

There was talk about turning it into a boutique hotel, but we're told those plans fell through, and now, it'll become apartments/condos.  Someday.

It's Not Great Parking

But, it is alright.

Streetcar

Note the Fred Lemon signature.  The only reference to him we could find is in the now-famous City Beat article.

On Vine, just north of the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens.

City Barns, a few of which stand today, were where they kept streetcars.

And in this case, those streetcars were horse-drawn.

Model Village

At the Cincinnati Museum Center, there is an enormous representation of a few of Cincinnati's neighborhoods.  It's a period piece, looking to be set in the 1940's, or thereabouts.  And throughout the Downtown section, there are, yes, tiny representations of what would be ghost signs.

We looked, but didn't see any that are still there today.  Those shown here are on buildings that no longer stand, IRL.