HDC advisory committee approves restoration of ‘Petticoat Row’ ghost sign at 57 Main Street

The Historic District Commission’s Sign Advisory Committee recommended approval on July 15 to repaint and restore a faded “Petticoat Row” painted sign on the side of the building at 57 Main Street, directing that the restoration closely replicate documented historic photographs and remnants of the original. The committee’s action also asked that submitted colors match the existing window-and-door trim and that paint have a matte finish.

The sign application came from Shelley, an applicant and resident who documented the sign’s history and the remaining painted traces. “Repainting this marker will preserve information that I feel is very important to the history of Nantucket,” she told the committee, citing research from the Nantucket Historical Association and photos located by an NHA archivist.

The nut graf: the committee said the project matters because the faint painted sign is one of the island’s surviving “ghost signs” — painted commercial signs that, if restored, can help communicate Nantucket’s cultural and commercial history to residents and visitors.

Committee members discussed colors and visual impact before voting. Kevin Cuesta and Paul Wolf said they preferred a muted background rather than a bright white so the sign would not appear too new or contrast sharply with the building; Mark Catone and others said the proposed blue-and-white combination reflected historic evidence and would weather over time. The committee’s adopted motion directed that the restoration “replicate the documented photograph and what remnants of the original sign that are there today” and that paint sheen be matte to match the faded appearance now visible.

Shelley told the panel she had located historical photos through the Nantucket Historical Association and that building owner Bill Congdon had agreed to make a painter available once permission is granted. She also said researchers at the Whaling Museum assisted in locating image references; she cited a prospective magazine story about the marker and named several local craftspeople recommended for the work.

The committee expressed a desire to preserve the sign’s historical character rather than adapt it into a contemporary marker. Members asked the applicant to submit the chosen historic color swatches (the applicant cited Nantucket historic paint identifiers as MHC-1 and Folger blue MHC-4) and to confirm that the painter would replicate letter forms and spacing as shown in the historic image.

Next steps: the committee’s recommendation will be included with the material provided to the full Historic District Commission; the applicant said she would schedule contractors once approval and a timeline are confirmed.