The American Matchcover Archive


A digital repository dedicated to the conservation and celebration of the American matchbook cover — a pocket-sized canvas that once served as the primary advertising medium for 20th century commerce. 

We hope to honor this everyday, utilitarian item not merely as ephemera, but as a significant artifact of graphic design history. 

Explore the Archive





Ruby Roadsides

Rich red covers offering a range of rendezvous.
Backbone Motel
Strawberry Point, Iowa
Travel Mart Station
Moorhead, Minnesota
Martin Hotel
Winnemucca, Nevada
West Wind Motel
Newport, Oregon
Winkelmann’s Lodge
White Plains, New York
Mary Joe Motel
La Porte, Indiana

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