July 27, 2007

Durham’s Vintage Sign Art Lives On

Vintage Sign Preserved in Downtown’s Rigsbee Hall

Durham art transcends museum walls, with vintage signs preserved or reproduced throughout the community. Durham’s vintage signage and reproductions of vintage signage are emblematic of Durham's unique sense of place as a genuine, textured, and authentic destination.

Most recently a vintage sign was uncovered as a building was renovated as Rigsbee Hall, a new 3,500-square-foot event venue at 208 Rigsbee, which is across from the historic Downtown Post Office. The vintage Turner Brothers sign, which runs the length of the hall, was originally painted on the exterior of the neighboring building. Rigsbee is a private meeting space that will accommodate up to 200 people for corporate meetings, weddings, trade shows, exhibits, and other meetings.

Other examples of Durham's vintage sign art include restored, hand-painted signs for Wrigley's Gum, Chiclets, and Pepsi-Cola on the side of the building at 107 East Parrish Street, faded Bull Durham Tobacco and Coca-Cola on West Main Street, which is visible from Ramseur Street, the Montgomery and Aldridge Warehouse Tire sign on Foster Street, and at Brightleaf Square and the American Tobacco Complex.

In addition, vintage neon blade signs are visible at the Carolina Theatre, Home Insurance Building, Liberty Warehouse, Public Hardware, and The Book Exchange.

Values in Durham’s overarching brand include creativity, enrichment, being open and welcoming, and – even more – genuine and original. Customers for whom this is appealing can readily see this strength through Durham’s distinctive, vintage signs historic architecture and especially our vintage sign art.

Careful recognition and restoration of valuable signatures of Durham's history and architecture are crucial to the community's future growth and development as a visitor destination. The developers of The Streets at Southpoint took this into account when designing the one-million-square-foot super-regional mall. They incorporated recognizable aspects of Durham's distinct architectural image, like vintage advertisement signage and brick architectural detailing, into the state-of-the-art indoor/outdoor shopping mall.

For the locations of these and other vintage sign artworks in Durham, click here for the Durham Visual & Performing Arts Guide, or pick up a copy at the Official Durham Visitor Information Center at 101 East Morgan Street, downtown.

Durham’s Vintage Sign Art Lives On

Vintage Sign Preserved in Downtown’s Rigsbee Hall

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