You’ve probably seen them on the side of Phenix Hall when perusing down Main Street… faded advertisements for Coca-Cola and Gold Medal Flour overlap one another and loom over passersby. These traces of an era past are known as ghost signs, and Concord has several examples tucked throughout its historic streetscape.
Ghost signs are hand-painted advertisements, lettering, and old business names that can still be spotted on the sides of historic buildings. Once a common form of advertising, these signs promoted everything from local shops and hotels to national brands. As businesses changed and newer buildings went up around them, many signs were painted over, covered by neighboring structures, or left exposed to slowly weather with time. The name is fitting: these faded advertisements linger on buildings like ghosts of businesses that formed previous iterations of Main Street (in fact, there are a few known apparitions in some Main Street businesses’ basements that may have connections to these companies). Although the exact origin of the term is murky, ‘ghost sign’ was in use by at least the early 1980s and became widely recognized after journalist and photographer William Stage published Ghost Signs: Brick Wall Signs in America in 1989.
Their survival is in part due to their composition; durable paints (often lead-based) had exceptional adhesion into brick and masonry. While years of sun, rain, and snow have softened their vibrancy, these signs now feature a distinctive patina. In a downtown filled with 19th and early-20th-century architecture, they feel particularly at home. Concord’s historic buildings and architectural details are an important part of the character of its downtown streetscape. The ghost signs above Phenix Hall, one of the best examples of this relationship between art and architecture, are easily the most well-known in Concord. In fact, in the redevelopment proposal for the block, the signs are planned to be encased in glass to preserve their longevity (their lead content means that modern codes will not allow them to remain exposed).
Today, ghost signs have become attractions in their own right. History buffs appreciate a look into the people and businesses that once shaped Concord, while artists and photographers might appreciate the aesthetic qualities and lettering techniques that were used in the past. Even if you aren’t an expert, any curious traveler can delight in the sense of discovering a message left behind by another era. You just might want to slow down and peek around; you may notice details that might otherwise be missed.
In an age of digital billboards and constantly changing advertisements, ghost signs endure as reminders of a slower, handmade form of communication. Check out a few more prominent signs around Concord’s downtown below. If you’re looking for even more history, these signs make a natural companion to our self-guided Historic Walking Tour, a roughly two-mile route featuring landmarks including the New Hampshire State House, Eagle Hotel, Phenix Hall and Railroad Square. If you’re more into the artistic merit of ghost signs, check out the Art on Main sculpture exhibit, which will lead you around the same streets!
📍 Depot Street & Low Avenue, on the side of Revival Kitchen
What might go unnoticed to the less eagle-eyed among us, this combo of signs marks what was the Treisman Brothers’ candy store – which was founded 1912 and lasted all the way through the 70s. Beneath the Romance Chocolates advertisement is lettering on a red stripe that reads Treisman Bros, Inc. Fine Candies.
📍 Depot Street, above Cheers Bar & Grille
Originally based on Main Street, Willis Thompson & Edward Hoague’s iron depot was conveniently located a stone’s throw from the old railroad station. Beneath the faded lettering at the very top of the building, you can barely make out another line which reads Adriance Buckeye Implements (which was a brand of farming equipment produced from the iron.
📍 Storrs Street, above Shaheen & Gordon
As far as ghost signs go, this is one of the more well-preserved! Boldly painted on the building over from the other Thompson & Hoague sign, this indicated another part of the entire T&H complex.
📍 Kennedy Lane, above After Thai Dessert House
Cutting across Kennedy Lane, you can find this handlettered sign which advertised another line of farming equipment manufactured by the same Buckeye Implements that was on the Thompson & Hogue building.
📍 Low Avenue, across from Angelina’s Ristorante
Another relic from the Thompson & Hogue store, this sign indicated the complex’s offices. On he same side of this building, you can also see a small yellow marking circled for visibility. This is known as a crow’s foot, which were used by surveyors in the past to mark boundary lines.
📍 Corner of North Main Street and Loudon Road
Evidence of several overlapping paintings can be seen on the side of the terminus of Main Street’s downtown section. Amongst the whitewash is an ad for Garbo’s, where Just Around [the] Corner can be seen in the bottom left of the sign. Garbo’s was a American Fare restaurant owned by George “Garbo” Garabedian which operated until 1968.
Dillon Clark is the Creative Director at the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce. You can often catch him walking downtown, visiting Concord’s restaurants, buying a sweet treat, or petting a passing dog.
Visit Concord NH is an initiative of the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce. This website and accompanying social media profiles showcase the best of NH’s Capital Region to travelers, new residents and long-time fans of Concord. Learn more about the Chamber at concordnhchamber.com.
You’ve probably seen them on the side of Phenix Hall when perusing down Main Street… read on to learn about the relics known as ghost signs and where to find some throughout the downtown.
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