Top 17 'Ghost-Sign-and-Gargoyle' Urban History Hunts to explore with curious kids on weekends - Goh Ling Yong
It’s Saturday morning. The kids are buzzing with that unique weekend energy, a volatile mix of excitement and imminent boredom. You’ve exhausted the usual suspects: the park is predictable, the cinema is expensive, and another trip to the mall feels like admitting defeat. You want an adventure—something engaging, educational, and, best of all, free. What if I told you the greatest museum you could visit is right outside your door, with secrets hidden in plain sight?
Welcome to the world of "Ghost-Sign-and-Gargoyle" hunting. This isn't just a walk; it's a mission. It's about transforming your family into a team of urban archaeologists, time-traveling detectives deciphering the clues left behind by generations past. Every city, town, and even sleepy high street is a living history book, and the faded ads on brick walls, the quirky stone faces peering from rooftops, and the mysterious iron rings on the kerb are its illustrations.
This guide is your map to that hidden world. It’s a way to unlock your kids' natural curiosity and show them that history isn’t just about dusty books—it's etched into the very stones beneath their feet. So, grab a notepad (or just your phone's camera), put on some comfy shoes, and get ready to see your neighbourhood in a whole new light.
1. The Hunt for Ghost Signs
Let's start with a classic. Ghost signs are the beautiful, fading painted advertisements you see on the sides of old brick buildings. They're whispers from a bygone era, promoting products like "Gold Medal Flour," "Coca-Cola for 5¢," or a local tailor who closed his shop eighty years ago. They are, quite literally, ghosts of commerce past.
For kids, this is a visual treasure hunt. Challenge them to be the first to spot one. Once you find one, the real fun begins. Ask questions: What were they selling? Have you ever heard of that brand? Why do you think they painted it on the wall instead of using a billboard? It’s a fantastic way to talk about how advertising, products, and even language have changed over time.
Pro Tip: The best places to hunt for ghost signs are in older downtown areas or former industrial districts. Look high up on walls that have been protected from the sun or exposed by the demolition of an adjacent building.
2. Spotting Gargoyles & Grotesques
Nothing captures a child's imagination quite like a monstrous face staring down from a building. These stone carvings are a guaranteed hit. Explain the difference: a "gargoyle" is a functional waterspout designed to drain water from the roof, while a "grotesque" is a purely decorative carving that doesn't carry water. Kids love being able to correct adults on this!
Turn it into a game of "I Spy" with personalities. Is that one smiling? Does that one look grumpy? Why does it have wings and the face of a lion? These carvings were often meant to ward off evil spirits, but they also gave medieval stonemasons a chance to show off their creativity and humour.
Pro Tip: Look for gargoyles and grotesques on older churches, universities, and grand municipal buildings, typically from the Gothic or Gothic Revival architectural periods. Don't forget to bring binoculars for a closer look!
3. Decoding Dated Cornerstones
This is one of the simplest and most rewarding hunts for younger kids. A cornerstone, or date stone, is a block on a building’s façade that's inscribed with the year of its construction. It’s a direct, unambiguous link to the past. Suddenly, a building isn't just "old"—it's from "1892" or "1931."
This hunt is a brilliant, tangible way to teach kids about time and numbers. You can create a timeline as you walk. "This bank was built in 1925, that was just a few years after your great-great-grandfather was born!" Challenge them to find the oldest building on the street or a building constructed in a significant year you've been learning about.
Pro Tip: Cornerstones are usually located, as the name suggests, near a corner of the building, often at eye level or just above. They can also be found high up over a main entrance.
4. Finding Forgotten Boot Scrapers
Before cities had paved streets and efficient drainage, roads were a messy mix of dirt, mud, and horse manure. How did people keep their homes clean? With a boot scraper! These are small, sturdy iron contraptions, usually built into the masonry next to a front door or at the bottom of a set of steps, used for scraping mud from shoes.
Finding a boot scraper is like finding a fossil from a lost world. It sparks a conversation about what daily life was like a hundred or more years ago. It’s a simple object that tells a complex story about sanitation, transportation (hello, horses!), and the very texture of a city before concrete and asphalt took over.
Pro Tip: Look for these near the front steps of 18th and 19th-century townhouses or terrace houses. Many have survived, half-hidden by flowerpots or forgotten by time.
5. Uncovering Coal Chutes
Here's another relic from a time before central heating. Coal chutes are small metal doors, either round or square, set into the pavement or at the base of a building's foundation. These were the delivery hatches where coal was shovelled down into the basement to fuel the furnace or boiler.
Kids are fascinated by these "mystery doors." Where does it go? What was it for? It’s a portal to a time when homes were heated by burning black rocks delivered by truck. It’s a detail that adds a whole new sensory layer to history—the smell of coal smoke, the sound of it rattling down the chute, the dust in the air.
Pro Tip: You'll find these on the sidewalks in front of older apartment buildings, houses, and commercial properties built before the 1950s.
6. Reading Old Street Names
Look closely at street signs, especially at older intersections. Sometimes, you can see the ghost of a previous name. It might be a faded, painted-over name on a building, or an old, embossed metal sign partially hidden behind a modern one. This is a clue that the city’s map has been redrawn.
This hunt can become a fascinating research project. Why did "Elm Street" become "Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard"? Why was "King Street" renamed "Congress Avenue"? Street names tell us about a city's priorities, heroes, and history. Discovering an old name is like finding a deleted chapter in your town's story.
Pro Tip: Pay attention to the corners of old brick buildings, where names were often painted directly onto the wall. Also, look at old maps online to see what your street used to be called.
7. Investigating Manhole Covers
Tell your kids to look down! The ground beneath their feet is dotted with artistic and historical clues. Manhole covers are often dismissed as purely functional, but many are intricately designed pieces of industrial art. They can tell you a lot about your city's history.
Challenge your kids to become "manhole cover detectives." They can look for the name of the foundry that made it, a date of manufacture, or the name of the city or utility company ("Department of Water," "Bell System"). It teaches them that even the most ordinary objects have a story and were made by real people.
Pro Tip: Pack some paper and a chunky crayon for a fun "rubbing" activity. Place the paper over the cover and rub the side of the crayon over it to capture the design.
8. The Quest for Architectural Initials
Before giant logos, many wealthy individuals or proud companies had their initials or monograms carved directly into the buildings they commissioned. You might find a stylised "M" for a merchant or "T.B. & Co." for a company long since vanished.
This is a hunt for a personal signature left in stone. It adds a human element to the architecture. Who was "A.G."? Were they proud of this building? What did they do for a living? It encourages kids to think about the people behind the buildings and imagine their lives.
Pro Tip: Look above main doorways, on cornerstones, or in decorative shields and cartouches on the facade of late 19th and early 20th-century commercial buildings and grand homes.
9. Locating Historical Plaques
Historical plaques are the "official" storytellers of the street. They are the easiest clues to find and provide ready-made history lessons in bite-sized chunks. These markers might tell you about a famous person who lived in the house, a significant event that happened on that spot, or the building's architectural importance.
Here on the Goh Ling Yong blog, we're all about making learning an adventure, and plaques are the perfect launchpad. Use them as the start of a story. Read the plaque aloud and then ask your kids to imagine what it must have been like. If a famous inventor lived there, what do you think their workshop looked like?
Pro Tip: Create a checklist of all the historical plaques in your downtown area and see how many you can find in one afternoon. Many local historical societies have lists or maps on their websites.
10. Tracing Ghostly Tram Tracks
In many cities, the age of the streetcar and tram has passed, but its memory lingers. Look for thin lines of steel running through the asphalt or cobblestones, especially around old town squares or down what used to be main thoroughfares. These are the ghostly remnants of tram tracks.
Finding these tracks is a powerful way to talk about how cities and transportation evolve. You can explain how, before most people had cars, these tracks were the arteries of the city, carrying everyone to work, school, and play. It’s a physical reminder of a city’s past rhythm.
Pro Tip: These are often most visible at intersections or where the asphalt has worn away. They sometimes disappear and reappear unexpectedly down a street.
11. Hunting for Horse Tie-Up Rings
Long before parking meters, there were hitching rings. These are iron rings, often set into the kerb or attached to a low wall, used for tying up horses. Finding one is a direct, tangible connection to the pre-automobile era.
Have your kids run their fingers over the smooth, worn metal and imagine a horse patiently waiting there 150 years ago. It’s an incredibly evocative experience. These small, humble objects tell a huge story about how different daily life was when the streets were filled with hooves instead of tires.
Pro Tip: Look for these along the kerbs in front of very old houses, pubs, or former general stores.
12. Identifying Old Fire Marks
This is a slightly more obscure but fascinating hunt. In the 18th and 19th centuries, before municipal fire departments were common, insurance companies operated their own private fire brigades. To show that a building was insured (and thus worth saving), a metal plaque called a "fire mark" was affixed to the front of the building.
These marks often feature a unique symbol for the insurance company, like a sun, an eagle, or a fire hydrant. Finding one is like discovering a secret code on a building. It opens up conversations about how communities took care of each other and how essential services like firefighting came to be.
Pro Tip: Look for these small metal plates high up on the front of 18th and 19th-century buildings, usually between the first and second-floor windows.
13. Appreciating Old-Fashioned Typography
Turn your urban hunt into a design-focused safari by looking for unique and old-fashioned typography. Look at the lettering carved into stone on a library ("Anno Domini MCMXII"), the ghost sign for a "Draper," or the elegant, curved font on an old pharmacy sign.
Encourage your kids to spot letters that look different from the ones they see on a computer screen. Point out the serifs, the flourishes, and the unique spacing. It’s a great way to develop their visual literacy and appreciate the artistry in everyday lettering. You could even have them try to sketch their favourite letters.
Pro Tip: Look for engraved lettering on public buildings, etched glass on old pub doors, and cast-iron signs.
14. Searching for Mason's Marks
This is a master-level hunt for the truly dedicated detective. For centuries, stonemasons used small, personal symbols, or "marks," to sign their work. They would carve their unique mark onto the stones they cut to ensure they were paid correctly. These marks can be simple geometric shapes, letters, or abstract symbols.
Finding a mason's mark is a real thrill. It’s a hidden signature, a personal touch from a craftsman who built your city hundreds of years ago. It’s a reminder that great buildings weren’t made by machines, but by the skilled hands of individuals.
Pro Tip: Look closely at the individual blocks of stone on very old churches, cathedrals, and castles. The marks are often small and can be found on the face of the stone. A bit of online research into common mason's marks can help you know what to look for.
15. Observing Bas-Relief Sculptures
A bas-relief (pronounced "bah-relief") is a type of sculpture that is carved into a flat surface, creating a raised, 3D picture. Many older buildings, especially banks, courthouses, and post offices, feature these panels, which often tell a story about the building's purpose.
Challenge your kids to "read" the story in the stone. A bank might have sculptures of people engaged in industry and commerce. A library might depict figures of knowledge and learning. It’s a form of public art that was meant to communicate a message to everyone who passed by.
Pro Tip: Neoclassical and Art Deco buildings from the early 20th century are hotspots for fantastic bas-relief panels. Look above doorways and along the top of the building.
16. Finding Stained Glass Signatures
This hunt might take you indoors, making it a perfect rainy-day option. Many beautiful old stained-glass windows, particularly in churches, libraries, and grand old homes, contain a hidden secret: the artist's or studio's signature.
This teaches kids to look for details and appreciate the craftsmanship of a different kind of art. The signature is often subtly worked into the design in one of the bottom corners of the window. Finding it feels like discovering the artist's secret handshake across time.
Pro Tip: Ask for permission before you go hunting inside a place of worship. Bring those binoculars again to help you spot the tiny lettering from a distance.
17. Discovering Boundary Markers
Before GPS and digital land surveys, boundaries between parishes, towns, or private estates were marked with physical objects—often a carved stone or a small metal plate set into a wall or the ground. These markers are the old-school anchors of our maps.
Finding a boundary marker makes kids think about the invisible lines that shape their world. It’s a history and geography lesson rolled into one. These markers often bear initials (e.g., "P.B." for Parish Boundary) and dates, providing yet another piece of your neighbourhood's historical puzzle. As someone who loves exploring the hidden layers of a place, I, Goh Ling Yong, find these markers to be some of the most satisfying discoveries.
Pro Tip: Look for these on the corners of old buildings, set into pavement, or on the walls of bridges. Old city maps may even show you where the historic boundaries used to be.
Your city isn't just a collection of streets and buildings; it's a multi-layered storybook waiting to be read. A Ghost-Sign-and-Gargoyle hunt is more than just a way to pass a weekend afternoon. It’s a powerful tool for teaching observation, sparking curiosity, and fostering a deep connection to the place you call home. You're giving your children the gift of seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary.
So, the next time you're looking for an adventure, don't look for the nearest theme park. Look up, look down, and look closer. The history is all around you.
What hidden histories have you and your kids discovered in your neighbourhood? Share your best finds and any hunting tips you have in the comments below
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
Stay updated with the latest posts and insights by following on your favorite platform!