Toynbee Tiles

Peter: 30th Aug 2006 - 13:21 GMT

ive seen these in nyc before, and always wondered what the backstory was... thanks for sharing, and thanks for that wiki link!

groovehouse: 30th Aug 2006 - 13:45 GMT

Very cool! Thanks for the photos and wiki link! I had no idea these existed!

EvilGentleman: 30th Aug 2006 - 14:37 GMT

Imagine filling all the potholes around here with tiles like this. Cool.

JJ: 30th Aug 2006 - 15:50 GMT

Excellent pics!

I'm so glad to see Toynbee Tiles here on citynoise. I heard about them a couple of months ago and came here looking for pics. I hope to see more from other cities too.

Cosmo: 30th Aug 2006 - 16:25 GMT

The tiles seem to be disappearing due to cities fixing up their old roads...I'm so glad I got these images of the Detroit ones, so far as I know no one else has published images of these. (I sent these photos to www.toynbee.net/ so the site could add them to the Detroit text, but it seems that site hasn't been updated in years.)

I hope the remaining tiles are documented before they vanish. We should get on the case. Check www.toynbee.net/ and if you live in city on the list go see if your tiles are still there. And get the photos!

Peter: 30th Aug 2006 - 16:33 GMT

also check www.resurrectdead.com

and for more photos, particularly:
www.resurrectdead.com/sightings_index_philadelphia.htm
www.resurrectdead.com/sightings_index_nyc.htm
www.resurrectdead.com/sightings_index_other_cities.htm

Cosmo: 31st Aug 2006 - 16:01 GMT

Wow, Peter, excellent find! I see from their photo gallery that there might have been a third tile in Detroit that I didn't know about. Also, there is at least one "new school" tiler out there keeping the tradition alive with new tiles in Philadelphia.

chrissy: 20th Oct 2006 - 14:43 GMT

I always walk past the one near the Hancock Building in Chicago and wondered what the story was. Thanks for the info!

EvilGentleman: 7th May 2007 - 07:56 GMT

I'm surprised this article has not been more popular. One of the best, if you ask me.

Edward: 14th Apr 2008 - 20:41 GMT

The tiles originally appeared in Philadelphia. The tagger is widely thought to live about 22nd and Walnut Streets. In philadelphia there are hundreds of the tags as well as newer ghost like creatures(think strawbery, vanilla, chocolate ghost from Scooby-doo). I think the sheer number as well as up-to date cycle in Philly, lends credence to this being the place where the tagger lives. The toynbee tags i Philadelphia get refreshed constantly.(reported cities:Philadelphia, detroit, new York, Lima, Buenos Aires, LA, San Francisco, Miami) Add 'em if you've seen them.