Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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The "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" Sign
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The sign, just to the south of the Las Vegas Strip, welcoming visitors to the city in 2015
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 Location in Downtown Las Vegas
Location in Nevada
Location in the United States
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| Location | 5100 Las Vegas Boulevard South Paradise, Nevada, U.S. 89119 |
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| Built | 1959 |
| Architect | Betty Willis |
| Architectural style | Googie |
| NRHP reference No. | 09000284 |
| Added to NRHP | May 1, 2009 |
The Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign is a famous landmark in Las Vegas. It was put up in May 1959 by a company called Western Neon. A talented artist named Betty Willis designed the sign. She created it after a local salesman, Ted Rogich, asked her to. He then sold the idea to Clark County, Nevada.
You can find the sign in the middle of the road at 5100 Las Vegas Boulevard South. It's about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of the actual city limits of Las Vegas. Even though it's technically in a place called Paradise, most people, both locals and tourists, think of the whole area as "Las Vegas." Many people see this sign as the official start of the famous Las Vegas Strip.
Contents
Sign Design: What it Looks Like
The Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign is about 25 feet (7.6 meters) tall. It stands on two flat poles that are joined at the top. The sign itself is shaped like a diamond stretched out sideways. Its top and bottom points are sharp, while the sides are rounded.
The sign lights up from the inside. It has a border of yellow lights that flash and chase around the edge. At the very top, there are white neon circles. These circles look like silver dollars, which is a nod to Nevada's nickname, "the Silver State." Inside each circle is a red letter, outlined in neon, spelling out "Welcome."
Right at the top of the sign, between the poles, is a bright red star with eight points. This star is outlined with yellow neon lights. Its lines spread out, making the star look like it's bursting with energy.
The front of the sign, which faces south, has blue and red words. It says "Welcome" in the silver dollars. Below that, it says "to Fabulous" in a fancy blue writing style from the 1950s. Then, "Las Vegas" is written in large, red capital letters. Underneath "Las Vegas," you'll see "Nevada" in smaller blue capital letters.
The back of the sign, which faces north, is not as well-known. It has a different message for people leaving Las Vegas. It reads "Drive" on the top line and "Carefully" on the second line, both in red capital letters. The third line says "Come Back" in blue script, and the last line says "Soon" in blue capital letters. The sign's overall look is a great example of a style called Googie architecture.
Sign History: How it Came to Be
The sign was built and put in place in 1959 by Western Electric Displays, also known as Western Neon. Betty Willis, who worked for Western Neon, was the one who designed it.
Many people thought Betty Willis designed the sign as a gift to the city, meaning anyone could use its image. However, the sign has actually been owned by Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO) since the early 1960s. YESCO leases the sign to Clark County.
In 2007, Clark County added some fake grass decorated with four playing cards underneath the sign. This made the area look nicer.
In 2008, officials wanted the sign to be recognized as a historic place. On May 1, 2009, the National Park Service officially added it to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a very important landmark! On December 6, 2013, it was also added to the State Register of Historic Places for Nevada.
Sadly, Betty Willis, the sign's designer, passed away on April 19, 2015, at 91 years old. To honor her, Clark County commissioners declared May 5 "Betty Willis Day."
Making it Easier to Visit the Sign
Before 2008, it was a bit tricky and even dangerous to take photos with the sign. There was no safe place to park, and people had to cross busy roads to reach it. Even though no one had been hurt, it was becoming more risky as traffic grew.
So, Clark County decided to make it safer and easier for visitors. On December 8, 2008, they finished a project that created a parking lot with 12 spaces. There were also two spots for buses and limousines, plus a paved path leading to the sign. This was the first time people could safely access the sign!
The improvements were a big success, and the small parking lot quickly became too crowded. In April 2012, the Clark County Commission approved spending more money to add 20 more parking spaces.
On April 23, 2015, another project was finished. This added 21 more parking spots and made other improvements. They also added new crosswalks with traffic lights. This made it even safer for people to walk to the sign.
Special Moments with the Sign
The Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign has been part of many special events:
- On January 31, 2008, the sign turned red. This was to support National Wear Red Day, which helps teach people about heart disease in women.
- On March 28, 2009, the sign, along with many other lights on the Las Vegas Strip, was turned off for one hour. This was part of Earth Hour, a worldwide event to raise awareness about climate change.
- On April 28, 2010, the sign's words were changed for the first time ever! A special cover was put over it that said "Welcome to Fabulous Camp Vegas." This was for a new marketing campaign.
- On October 5, 2017, after a sad event four days earlier, 58 crosses were placed behind the sign. Each cross had a heart on it and represented a person who had passed away.
- On August 18, 2020, the sign was used for the Nevada delegation's roll-call during the 2020 Democratic National Convention. This was a unique way to show off the state during a national event.
Other Welcome Signs
The original sign is so famous that other "Welcome" signs have been put up in the area:
- In 2002, the Las Vegas City Council put up a sign that said "Welcome to Fabulous Downtown Las Vegas." It was located just inside the city limits of Las Vegas. Sadly, this sign was destroyed in 2016 when a truck crashed into it.
- On March 6, 2007, another copy of the sign was put on Boulder Highway. Casinos in that area wanted their own welcome sign. Like the original, it doesn't mark the exact city border. Instead, it shows the "understood gateway" from Boulder Highway into Las Vegas.
- In 2013, a zipline attraction called SlotZilla Zipline was built at the Fremont Street Experience. A "Welcome to Fabulous Downtown Las Vegas" sign was added to one of its towers.
Sign Souvenirs
The image of the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign is very popular and can be found on many souvenirs:
- In 2004, small replicas of the sign that light up were sold. The money raised from these sales went to help the Nevada Cancer Institute.
- In 2005, the sign's image was put on Nevada license plates. These special plates celebrated the 100th birthday of the City of Las Vegas.
- On March 1, 2012, a business opened at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. This business lets people take photos in front of a real, physical replica of the sign right at the airport.
See also
In Spanish: Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas para niños
