Website preserves faded memory of Edmonton's hand-painted 'ghost signs'

Cigars, coffee, real estate and railways — goods and services of all kinds were advertised on the sides of Edmonton's brick buildings in the early 1900s.

They're dubbed 'ghost signs' for a good reason. Many can still be seen today, but just barely.

"They invariably fade beautifully over time," points out Dan Rose, a member of the Edmonton Historical Board.

"It's sort of that faded ghost of the previous owner or occupant or business that was associated with that building," Rose said.

Edmonton has them on almost every downtown block and in various states of decay.

Luba Romanko, a photographer and IT specialist in Edmonton, wants to make sure they stick around for a long time.

Romanko captures the landmark signs on a website called Hunting for Ghost Signs.

"The whole history of Edmonton has to be explained, exposed to the new generation, to the new people from different countries," she proposed. "So that they will feel themselves attached to the history."

In photos and descriptions, Romanko has immortalized ghost signs on buildings such as the Union Bank on Jasper and 101st Street, circa 1910, advertising James Richardson & Sons Ltd. and Cunard Line, as well as the Phillips Building on 101st Avenue and 104th Street, flogging Fashion Tailor's custom tailoring.

The Ukrainian immigrant remembers when she arrived in the city 20 years ago.

"We don't have anything like that in Europe," Romanko told CBC News Monday. "I didn't really know why they painted it and later on I discovered it is … advertisement. It is the landmark of Edmonton."

To restore or not to restore?

Romanko is a fan of restoring the signs to their original condition. One example is the Pepsi-Cola and Edmonton Journal mural on the Gibson Block building on Jasper Avenue.

Sprucing up weathered signs is spurring discussion among history buffs on whether they would still retain their 'ghost sign' character.

"It's a bit of an interesting debate within the heritage community," Rose said. "The essence of a ghost sign is that it's sort of that faded ghost of the previous owner or occupant or business that was associated with that building."

Rose leans toward keeping the signs as they are so they can "continue to fade gracefully."

However, some ghost signs in the city are in danger of disappearing if a building is demolished.

One slated to be torn down is Koermann Block in the Quarters, and with it, the Sweet Caporal Cigarettes sign with its motto, "The purest form in which tobacco can be smoked."

"The subject matter aside," Ross said, "as an earlier form of advertising, it's a fantastic and very well preserved example of what a ghost sign is and how they sort of conveyed their own message."

The decision to preserve a heritage building and its signage is up to the building's owner. With the approval of the city, the building can be designated a historic resource.

"The best we can [do] is try and encourage owners is see the value in their buildings, in their historic buildings, and work with them to find solutions with the city in terms of granting opportunities."

Rose said the city's heritage management unit is making a list of historic signs.

Romanko said she plans to expand the project by taking photos of ghost signs in other Canadian cities and also making them available online.