Signs of the Times

At the height of its power, Syracuse was one of the largest and most populous metropolitan areas in the country. Vestiges of its long history as an old metropolis still endure on older buildings in older neighborhoods. On this page, we try to collect images of those remains before they're weathered to oblivion, painted over, sandblasted away or simply demolished.

Wink was sold in the United States in the late 1960s but discontinued soon after. The main flavorings were real grapefruit juice, orange juice and apple juice. It even included bits of grapefruit pulp. While it never caught on, Wink did and does still have vocal fans. It was sold in unusual bottles that had a narrowed and ribbed bottom half. While it's no longer sold on the mass market in the U.S., it is still made and sold in other countries, reportedly Australia, England and Canada, although it no longer seems to be connected with Canada Dry or its parent company, Cadbury Schweppes. American fans can still purchase them in rare locations and online at Popsoda.com or Hometown Favorites.

These last three signs above are no more, but not because they faded away. They have been repainted in an effort to "beautify" the North Side in lieu of new construction. The freshly repainted ads have destroyed most of their character. They are no longer stalwart reminders of ages past, but rather modern decorations that lack the patina of age. Two of them also draw attention to the vacant lots where buildings that once shielded the ads from view no longer stand.