FNN’s Local History Piece © Saturday, January 3, 2026. Local train station collection image provided by Lonny Frost.
MANSFIELD, PA – Many may wonder about the large Wrigley’s gum ads that appear on train stations shown in old postcards and in vintage photographs of train stations. The reason is quite simple and it sheds light on the history behind a very successful brand advertising idea.
William Wrigley, Jr., around the age of 29, had a genius idea of placing large Wrigley’s gum ads on train stations in 1893 as he tried to find a way to increase the sales of his gum. Since train stations were the hub of transportation during that era, people had the time to notice the scene around them as they waited for their train. These large gum ads easily caught their attention. Wrigley’s Spearmint gum was very affordable and seemed to fit in very well with travelers who could easily carry gum with them to chew during their long trips along the rails.
The gum ads brought in more sales of the Wrigley’s gum line as the brand grew quickly and successfully over the years, thanks in most part by using the train stations as billboards. In fact, it could easily be said that Wrigley created America’s first billboards. By using the exterior walls of train stations to hang his Wrigley’s Spearmint Gum ads it helped him reach more customers and drive up his gum sales. These large ads were highly visible and they helped to build brand awareness for Wrigley’s newly launched gum in the late 1890s and the ads carried on through the early 1900s.
William Wrigley, Jr., was able to target travelers at the train stations, which allowed him to reach large audiences before more widespread advertising methods came along. During that time Wrigley built public acceptance and awareness of the Wrigley’s brand. With the ads more consumers began to ask for Wrigley’s gums, which came in two flavors, Wrigley’s Spearmint and Juicy Fruit. By 1908, sales of Wrigley’s Spearmint gum topped $1 million a year!
So the next time you see an old postcard or photograph of a train station with a large Wrigley’s Spearmint Gum ad placed on the front or side of the train station, you are looking at the first very successful and lucrative billboard ad for that brand of gum during that historic time period.
Local image information & history – Shown is a vintage image of the Canoe Camp Train Station provided by Lonny Frost. By 1875 the Tioga Railroad station was just south of the Canoe Camp Creek on the west side of the tracks. As you can clearly see in the image provided, the Wrigley’s Spearmint Gum ads hung on the front side of the station facing the incoming train tracks and one hung on the wall of the station’s platform where travelers got on or off the arriving train.
This image was taken between the late 1890’s and early 1900’s. It was stated that a Mr. Gillet was the station agent and postmaster at this particular station. Mr. Gillet ran a store in the train depot building.
