White Stag sign facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White Stag sign |
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The White Stag sign displaying the wording it has carried since November 2010
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| Former names | White Satin Sugar sign (1940–1957) Made in Oregon sign (1997–2010) |
| Alternative names | "Portland Oregon" sign (since 2010) |
| General information | |
| Type | neon-and-incandescent-bulb sign |
| Location | Portland, Oregon |
| Address | 70 NW Couch Street (White Stag Building) |
| Coordinates | 45°31′24.19″N 122°40′13.87″W / 45.5233861°N 122.6705194°W |
| Construction started | 1940 |
| Renovated | 1957 1997 2010 |
| Owner | Ramsay Signs (1940–2010); City of Portland (September 2010 to present) |
| Renovating team | |
| Renovating firm | White Stag Sportswear (1957) Naito Properties (1997) Venerable Properties (2010) |
The White Stag sign is a famous bright sign in Portland, Oregon. It sits on top of the White Stag Building in downtown Portland. The sign uses glowing neon lights and regular light bulbs. You can see it clearly if you are driving into downtown Portland from across the Willamette River.
Since 2010, the sign has read "Portland Oregon." Before that, it advertised different companies. During Christmas, the nose of the stag (a male deer) on the sign glows red. This makes it look like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. This special feature helped make the sign a popular local landmark. In 1977, the sign was named a historic landmark by the City of Portland. Many people see it as a symbol of the city.
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History of the Famous Sign
The White Stag sign was first put up in 1940. A company called Ramsay Signs built and owned it. When it first lit up, it advertised "White Satin Sugar." The sign showed the shape of Oregon filling up with sugar. This was a cool animation for its time!
From Sugar to Sportswear
In 1957, the sign changed to advertise White Stag Sportswear. This company made clothes and owned the building. The sign now said "Home of White Stag Sportswear." A picture of a white stag was added to the top.
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A fun tradition started in 1959. For Christmas, a red neon light was added to the stag's nose. This made it look like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. This tradition continues every year!
White Stag Sportswear moved out of the building in 1973. However, they still paid for the sign to stay lit. In 1977, the sign became a City of Portland historic landmark. It was important to the city, especially during the holidays.
The Sign Goes Dark and Comes Back
In 1986, White Stag Sportswear left Oregon completely. They stopped paying for the sign's lights in 1989. The sign went dark, which made many people sad.
Bill Naito, who owned the building, agreed to pay for the sign's electricity for Christmas. With his help and Ramsay Signs doing maintenance, the sign stayed lit through the mid-1990s.
The "Made in Oregon" Era
Bill Naito passed away in 1996. After that, there was a disagreement about who would pay for repairs. The City of Portland, led by Mayor Vera Katz, helped solve the problem.
It was decided that the sign would advertise "Made in Oregon." This was a gift shop company owned by the Naito family. The city's Historic Landmarks Commission approved this change in 1997. The sign's smaller letters were changed to "Old Town," showing where the sign was located. The Oregon outline and the leaping deer stayed the same.
The White Stag Building's New Life
In 2006, the White Stag Building was sold to a new company. They fixed up the building and two nearby historic buildings. They connected them to create a new area called the White Stag Block.
University of Oregon's Interest
In 2008, the University of Oregon became the main tenant of the White Stag Block. They wanted to change the sign to say "University of Oregon." This idea caused some debate in the community. Some people felt it was not right to advertise an out-of-town university. Others just wanted the sign to stay as it was.
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The city and the university agreed on a compromise: the sign would just say "Oregon." However, another part of the plan, putting the university's "O" logo on a nearby water tower, was not approved. Because of this, the university decided not to pay for the sign anymore. Its future became unclear.
The City of Portland Takes Over
With no one paying for it, Ramsay Signs turned off the sign in October 2009. People worried it might be taken down. City leaders, like Commissioner Randy Leonard, worked to save the landmark. They thought about changing the sign to say "Portland Oregon."
The sign was lit again for the Christmas season in 2009. Ramsay Signs' president paid for the electricity.
A New Chapter for the Sign
In September 2010, the Portland City Council decided to take ownership of the sign. Ramsay Signs gave the sign to the city. The city agreed to pay for its maintenance and electricity.
A local property owner, Art DeMuro, donated money to change the lettering. The sign was changed to "Portland Oregon" just in time for Thanksgiving 2010. On November 26, 2010, the newly changed sign was lit up for the first time. This made sure the famous sign would continue to shine brightly for Portland.
Honors
In 2011, Ramsay Signs won an award for their work on the redesigned sign. They received First Place in a design competition for their historic reproduction work.
Images for kids
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The sign at night with its current wording and the red "Rudolph" nose lit for the Christmas season
