Thursday, May 21, 2009 | 10:59 a.m.
Related Documents
The “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign is now officially etched into history.
Clark County officials announced today that the famous Las Vegas landmark has been accepted into the National Register of Historic Places.
The sign, which has welcomed visitors since 1959, was inducted into the register on May 1 after months of research and paperwork by Clark County officials. A plaque was placed at the sign today, marking its place in the registry.
“The sign is one of the few landmarks on the Strip that has lasted 50 years,” Clark County Commission Chairman Rory Reid said. “In fact, I think it’s one of the few things in this valley, other than the people, that is over 50 years (old).”
The sign reads “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada” on the front and “Come Back Soon” on the back.
Placing the sign on the National Register of Historic Places, which is part of the National Park Service, was a joint effort between state and county officials to honor the sign during Clark County’s centennial year.
In May 1959, the Clark County Commission contracted Western Neon for $4,000 to build a sign to welcome visitors to Las Vegas. The sign was designed by Las Vegas native Betty Whitehead Willis, one of the few female designers during the time. The design belongs to the Exaggerated Modern/Googie category.
Today, the sign is owned by the Young Electric Sign Company.
“They call the Strip the ‘Jewel of the Desert,’” Reid said. “If the Strip is the ‘Jewel of the Desert,’ the sign is the crown jewel.”
“I’d like to let you in on a little secret -- I’m not sure the National Park Service has recovered from the idea of having this sign registered on the Register of Historic Places,” Ron James, Nevada historic preservation officer said. “There is nothing quite like it on the register but it’s about time that we all get in step.”
The sign itself has seen very few changes in the past 50 years, except for some energy renovations made by NV Energy. In 2007, the county installed artificial turf underneath the sign and in January, 12 parking spaces where added to accommodate tourists.
Join the Discussion:
Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.
Full comments policy