One of the nicest ghost signs in the commonwealth is located on Summer Street in Southie at the former home of the Terkelsen Machine Company, “manafacturers of spiral washing machines.”
One of the nicest ghost signs in the commonwealth is located on Summer Street in Southie at the former home of the Terkelsen Machine Company, “manafacturers of spiral washing machines.”
Mul’s Diner is a hidden gem with a vintage feel and a favorite of the locals in Southie.
Founded in 1780 and located just steps away from the Freedom Trail in Charlestown, The Warren Tavern is the oldest tavern in Massachusetts and one of the most historic watering holes in the US. It was named after General Joseph Warren, a key player in the revolution and the fallen hero of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Some famous visitors who stopped here for “refreshments” include Paul Revere, Benjamin Franklin and George Washington.
You won’t find too many vintage neon in the Back Bay area, but a couple of blocks away from Fenway Park on Huntington Ave is the Midtown Hotel, a no-frills mid-range place with a cool old-school sign.
On North Washington Street in Boston’s Italian district is this old ghost sign advertising biscuits. A chunk of the type was removed long ago so it’s difficult to conclude which company painted the ad. The only type visible above “BISCUIT” is 3 letters: “OMA”. Many years ago there was a company located about a block away called the Loose-Wiles Biscuit Company. They eventually formed the brand Sunshine Biscuits, which is still around today. They created many brands of baked goods such as Cheez-its, Animal Crackers and Hydrox cookies, but my guess is that this sign once displayed another one of their products - TAKHOMA BISCUIT.
Dana Hill Liquors is a small package store nestled under this enormous neon emblem, which may make you feel like you’re in Las Vegas instead of quaint Central Square Cambridge.
Before 1963, Government Center was known as Scollay Square and what is currently the Blue Line subway platform underground was once called Scollay Under. Recently some false walls were torn down, and the old Scollay Under mosaic tiles were uncovered, and can still be seen on the eastern portion of the platform.
The Paul Revere House sign is a simple, elegant symbol, much like the old colonial house it’s attached to. It was built in 1680, and a hundred years later it was home to the man who took that famous midnight ride. Much of the tiny dwelling in the north end is original, and for 3 bucks you can take a tour and see it first hand.
Coolidge Cleansers is one of those signs that was recently renovated, yet retains the look of the original worn out sign. The place has been renamed “Coolidge Looking Good” but for some reason they kept the old name in retro script on their facade.
Originally built in 1876 as the Dobson Building, the Modern Theatre has seen its ups and downs. Like the nearby Paramount, it fell into neglect and decay by the mid 1980s, then resurrected by Suffolk University. It reopened in 2010 as a renovated little gem of a theater with a modest 185 seats.
The space currently occupied by Samuel Adams beer maker Boston Beer Company was once the home to the legendary Haffenreffer Brewery. Many of the original buildings and remnants from when the complex was built in late 1800s are still around. The top of the smokestack that towers over the brewery has been intentionally shortened over the years for zoning reasons, so the letters HAF are missing.
Colonial Drug, established in 1947, is a family-owned old-fashioned drug store in Harvard Square and calls itself the”Hard-to-Find Fragrance Specialiste”
This classic Coke sign in Somerville is in remarkably good condition, despite the fact that no business in this building has served fried clams or pizza for years. It looks like a typical hand-painted ad, until you realize that the kid holding the bottle is really a creepy little dude who belongs in a Tim Burton movie.
Rosebud is one of those vintage American diners that will take you back to a simpler time. Built in 1941, it is housed in a restored streamlined Worcester lunch car that looks like it could roll down the tracks at any moment (if it had wheels instead of a brick base). And the awesome script neon sign atop the diner lights up bright pink just in time for supper.
Whittemore-Wright is an old tanning oil company that’s been around since 1908. Three sides of their brick factory in Charlestown is covered with painted signs, but this side is the most interesting. Before it was devoured by ivy, the sign read “Leather is your foot’s best friend.”
