Many subscribers and users of R&R’s Facebook site are aware that Rock Hill recently demolished the old Woolworth Building. In all honesty, the building was in very bad repair and the only part truly worth saving was the facade, which unfortunately was also demolished. Long before the building was constructed, it was used as an alley and parking area. Stores on either side had signs painted in the sides of their walls, some of which remain.
For weeks, as the demolition continued, more and more of a large painted sign was revealed. From our vantage point, we guessed daily what it said, was it a Coke bottle, tobacco sign, etc., and many individuals had no idea at all. Then one day a visitor walks in and begins admiring the Cremo Cigar sign and 5-cent price tag. All of us stood there aghast at this simple revelation, one that had eluded us for weeks. It just took a pair of fresh eyes to so innocently proclaim, “it’s a cigar advertisement.”
Do we not all, all too often, walk or ride by historic signs or properties without really understanding their simplicity but also their beauty. As we have recently proclaimed, “architecture is America’s finest and most prolific art form,” so perhaps we too should look more carefully at what is right in front of us. It reminds me of the individual who recently told me that he had once worked at his grandfather’s auto repair shop and often hung car keys on an old wooden board. He didn’t realize for years that the board was actually the original advertisement for the business, now a cherished memento. Be aware that old signs come in many forms and are all too often simply forgotten, as architecture is also neglected until it, too, is often razed for progress!
Please submit your images of interesting signs to R&R for posting, do include their address and history.