Why it matters: Many of these remnants of the early- and mid-20th century are in danger of being lost, Wong tells Axios — and Seattle has no policy specifically aimed at preserving them.
Catch up quick: In 2013, Wong led a group of Seattle University students on a project to document all the ghost signs in the Chinatown-International District and Pioneer Square.
- Her group found ghost signs on more than 50 buildings across the two neighborhoods, with some buildings bearing more than one.
What they’re saying: The signs speak to modern buildings’ past occupants, says Lisa Howard, executive director of the Alliance for Pioneer Square.
- “It reminds people there were people here before us and there was commerce here before the commerce of today,” Howard tells Axios. “It gets people to look at the past in a way that they wouldn’t if they didn’t have that public reminder.”
Zoom in: Seattle’s ghost signs advertised everything from cigars to chewing gum to clothing. On the west side of Occidental Square, you can still see “Rainier Beer” painted in block letters on a brick wall…