Though the face of Las Vegas is constantly changing and updating itself, the sign just south of the Strip that welcomes visitors to Las Vegas looks the same today as it did when it was first created nearly half a century ago.

The landmark was created in 1959 by Betty Willis for Clark County, Nevada. Willis and her family were one of the first in the Las Vegas valley, arriving by horse-drawn wagon in 1905. Willis’ father, Stephen Whitehead, was employed as Clark County’s first assessor. Willis studied at an art school in LA before returning to Las Vegas where she began work as a commercial artist, drawing showgirls in advertisements for various Las Vegas businesses in the 40’s. She was approached in 1952 by a local salesman who suggested she design a sign to welcome visitors to the city. She spent seven years on the design (which includes a nod to Nevada’s nickname as “the Silver State” with seven silver dollars to back the seven letters of the word “Welcome”). Willis received $4,000 for her work.

The sign hasn’t always been in the same spot – as the Strip has grown the sign has been moved further and further south. Drive by it any time of day and chances are good you’ll spot a group of people – from teenagers to wedding parties – loitering in front of it, waiting for their picture to be taken. There is no parking provided at the sign so visitors usually stop at a nearby parking lot and dodge traffic to make it to the median that the sign sits on.

The sign is currently owned by Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO) which leases it to Clark County, but the design was never copyrighted as per Willis’s wishes and is in the public domain (which is why you see it on every knick knack and souvenir on the Strip!). The lights from the sign are now removed occasionally and offered as commemorative souvenirs by OfficialLasVegasLight.com, who donate a portion of the proceeds to benefit local charities.

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Post from: The Las Vegas Adventurer