Portage and Main
Portage and Main 1920. Photo Credit L.B. Foote / Winnipeg Free Press archives

About the Signs

Winnipeg’s rich collection of hand-painted ads date back to the early 1880s. After incorporating as a city in 1873, industrialists and entrepreneurs from around the world moved here to be part of the city’s boom. The population ballooned from a few hundred to hundreds of thousands within a generation. And, over a century and a half later, the businesses and brands advertised on the sides of buildings still remain.

Today, the home to a majority of these signs is the Exchange District – a National Historic Site of Canada and one of the most architecturally intact, early 20th century commercial districts in North America. The area contains over 150 heritage buildings spread over 20 city blocks, with more than 125 ghost signs on their walls.

About the Site

In 2013, Matt Cohen began the process of documenting Winnipeg’s rich collection of fading ads. What started as a one-off project has blossomed into a multi-year initiative celebrating this city’s collection.

This site is an exploration of the products, services and brands advertised and the companies that called this city home. New signs are added daily, Monday through Friday, with archival photos, product shots and brand histories.

Matt Cohen discusses the intersection of paint and persuasion in his 2016 TEDx Winnipeg Talk – Hiding in Plain Sight: Uncovering History through Ghost Signs.
Painted in Light 2017 - Stobart Projection

Coverage

Winnipeg’s fading ads have garnered international attention from sign enthusiasts, media outlets and history buffs. Here are a few of the pieces written about the city’s collection.

 

Bloomberg: Your city’s ghost signs have stories to tell
Global News: Winnipeg’s ghost signs tell the story of a different era
CBC: Winnipeg ghost signs fading from existence
Winnipeg Sun: Sign, sign, everywhere a sign.
Winnipeg Free Press: Art installation returns painted ads to former glory
The Projector: Walking among ghosts