What are your favorite state welcome signs?

[CrossCountryRoads]

Just curious to see which ones you guys like the most and why.

[corco]

All I know for certain is that this one is the best in the country. I don't think any explanation is needed.



When I was little I really liked the Ohio arch on I-70

[Ian]

West Virginia's is pretty nice

[geocachingpirate]

West Virginia's is pretty nice

I was going to say that, but particularly at the WV/VA I-77 border.  I rode that today or ''yesterday'' 12:27 AM and the double wrong-way concurrency.

[WNYroadgeek]

"Welcome to Hawaii, how'd you get here in a car?"

"Entering Ohio, watch out for Drew!"

"Welcome to Rhode Island. Thanks for visiting Rhode Island!"

(skip to 1:36)

[Darkchylde]

Colorado's are my favorite, even today.

[huskeroadgeek]

Colorado's are my favorite, even today.

I assume you are talking about the "Welcome to Colorful Colorado" signs. I like those too-very retro-looking, I think they are an older design that they brought back after they used a more modern-looking "Colorado: Mountains and More" design for awhile.

As an aside, does anybody know if there are any other states besides Kansas and New Mexico that have signs indicating you are leaving the state? Those are the only ones I recall ever seeing.

[SteveG1988]

Vintage one i found, dates to 1951-1964ish (construction on the twin span would have started around then)

[jeffandnicole]

Vintage one i found, dates to 1951-1964ish (construction on the twin span would have started around then)

I'm guessing this sign would've been found around US 13 in Delmarva.

Kinda funny that the Welcome sign's main announcement is how long it's going to take to get the hell out. 

[vdeane]

And in the second smallest state (by land area) no less.

[CrossCountryRoads]

Colorado's are my favorite, even today.

I assume you are talking about the "Welcome to Colorful Colorado" signs. I like those too-very retro-looking, I think they are an older design that they brought back after they used a more modern-looking "Colorado: Mountains and More" design for awhile.

As an aside, does anybody know if there are any other states besides Kansas and New Mexico that have signs indicating you are leaving the state? Those are the only ones I recall ever seeing.

Ohio has one on the I-70 arch heading westbound that says "Thank you for visiting".  I think I saw one in Oregon as well that said "Leaving Oregon" but I'm not certain.  I would have to look back at my video footage to find out.

[agentsteel53]

has any other state made one like that, including a route number?

[agentsteel53]

I think I saw one in Oregon as well that said "Leaving Oregon" but I'm not certain.

I think there is one like that on either the US-97 or US-197 bridge to Washington.

[sp_redelectric]

I think I saw one in Oregon as well that said "Leaving Oregon" but I'm not certain.  I would have to look back at my video footage to find out.

At one time they used to also paint it on the road - "WELCOME TO OREGON" entering, and "COME BACK AGAIN" leaving.

Oregon's welcome (and leaving) signs leave me less than impressed...just a green and white sign with the state outline, and the hideous use of FHWA Type E.  That is - if there's even a sign.

[CentralCAroadgeek]

I think I saw one in Oregon as well that said "Leaving Oregon" but I'm not certain.  I would have to look back at my video footage to find out.

At one time they used to also paint it on the road - "WELCOME TO OREGON" entering, and "COME BACK AGAIN" leaving.

Oregon's welcome (and leaving) signs leave me less than impressed...just a green and white sign with the state outline, and the hideous use of FHWA Type E.  That is - if there's even a sign.

The new Oregon welcome sign, a cutout in the form of the state, (apparently only on I-5 north) is much nicer compared to the plain green-on-white ones...

(Pic by me in July 2012)

[agentsteel53]

I like that new Oregon!

it was installed between February and July, because when I last drove that way (2/4/2012), the sign was still the old green rectangle.

[hobsini2]

Here are the ones for Wisconsin and Illinois.



Wisconsin:
Number 1 is the standard one used on none freeway state routes.
Number 2 is the one that I really like and wish that they would keep.  These were usually at the rest area at the border about a mile in to the state.
Number 3 is the newest one that is used at some of the rest areas at the border.

Now Wisconsin also puts Welcome to Wisconsin engraved on bridge overpasses at the state line.

Illinois:
Number 4 I loved the picture design.  This was used in the late 80s to about 9 years ago.
Number 5 is the current one used.

[kphoger]

As an aside, does anybody know if there are any other states besides Kansas and New Mexico that have signs indicating you are leaving the state? Those are the only ones I recall ever seeing.

These are very common at state lines in México.  In fact, I'd say it's more common to have one than not.

Coahuila's "welcome" and "leaving" signs are a bit conceited, if you ask me.

The "welcome" sign translates to  At last, I made it to Coahuila.


The "leaving" sign translates to  Coahuila ends here.  Oh well, what can you do about it?*



*  Ni modo is an idiom which can mean whatever, no way, oh well, c'est la vie, and so forth.

[deathtopumpkins]

I'm pretty fond of New Hampshire's old freeway welcome sign:

[Not my pic]

Though the new one they unveiled last September is not nearly as nice, IMO:

[Also not my pic]

[Darkchylde]

Colorado's are my favorite, even today.

I assume you are talking about the "Welcome to Colorful Colorado" signs. I like those too-very retro-looking, I think they are an older design that they brought back after they used a more modern-looking "Colorado: Mountains and More" design for awhile.

As an aside, does anybody know if there are any other states besides Kansas and New Mexico that have signs indicating you are leaving the state? Those are the only ones I recall ever seeing.

Yes, the 'Welcome to Colorful Colorado' ones, specifically.

[motorway]

Of course they're not states, but I've always been intrigued by the county welcome signs on UK motorways (well, most of them don't actually make any reference to "welcoming" the traveler), as they often try to capture some of the spirit of the county the way state signs do...

For example,
Cornwall: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Cornwall,+UK&hl=en&ll=50.637962,-4.316554&spn=0.007866,0.019591&sll=41.434362,-74.002533&sspn=0.074387,0.156727&oq=cornwall,+&hnear=Cornwall,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=50.638059,-4.320463&panoid=a6vy9aMlKKFTybQukeJaTA&cbp=12,203.93,,1,2.4

Devon: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Cornwall,+UK&hl=en&ll=50.637377,-4.318078&spn=0.007866,0.019591&sll=41.434362,-74.002533&sspn=0.074387,0.156727&oq=cornwall,+&hnear=Cornwall,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=50.637541,-4.321837&panoid=CN_lRzGqNXY7sevzNw_Pxw&cbp=12,38.12,,0,4

Lancashire: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Lancashire,+United+Kingdom&hl=en&ll=54.166454,-2.607193&spn=0.232347,0.626907&sll=51.813709,-0.414734&sspn=0.494117,1.777039&oq=lancashire&hnear=Lancashire,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=11&layer=c&cbll=54.166652,-2.738385&panoid=FXrzdKA_56kIwiBq1L-MOw&cbp=12,167.67,,1,1.38

Rutland (smallest non-metropolitan county in England, cute motto "much in little"): https://maps.google.com/maps?q=lincolnshire,+United+Kingdom&hl=en&ll=52.758737,-0.347443&spn=0.480364,1.253815&sll=52.749594,-0.840454&sspn=1.935223,7.108154&hnear=Lincolnshire,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=10&layer=c&cbll=52.759097,-0.60935&panoid=u320JmqGXjmq31qCw6WwNg&cbp=12,134.58,,1,6.54

Essex: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Essex,+United+Kingdom&hl=en&ll=52.060512,0.188141&spn=0.244014,0.626907&sll=51.220647,0.604248&sspn=2.002424,7.108154&oq=essex,+United+Kingdom&hnear=Essex,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=11&layer=c&cbll=52.060596,0.187796&panoid=qAzdXrT7nBa0KKmjOwIn6w&cbp=12,192.14,,1,6.45

Then again, there are also some unfortunately boring ones... https://maps.google.com/maps?q=worcestershire,+United+Kingdom&hl=en&ll=52.012783,-2.120957&spn=0.000961,0.002449&sll=51.655519,-1.428223&sspn=1.983453,7.108154&hnear=Worcestershire,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=52.012881,-2.120939&panoid=Lh8T5FKm2MKpKsqcsdesbg&cbp=12,354.75,,0,6.18


As far as the closest "state" equivalent of the US, though, I'd say I like the Scottish welcome sign on the A1 entering from Northumberland: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=kent,+United+Kingdom&hl=en&ll=55.806749,-2.043277&spn=0.000877,0.002449&sll=51.244725,-1.560059&sspn=1.000667,3.554077&hnear=Kent,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=55.806612,-2.043238&panoid=nyJTlnyxK-_EAyFNNkBpYA&cbp=12,342.36,,1,-2.27

[ghYHZ]

How 'bout Provinces.........

[kphoger]

How 'bout Provinces.........

↑ ↑ ↑  My favorite so far.  ↑ ↑ ↑

[1995hoo]

How 'bout Provinces.........




....

I really like that one. Every time I've entered Nova Scotia I've arrived via ferry from Maine or from Newfoundland, so I've never seen this. Very distinctive.


As for ones I've seen, on a football trip to Laramie I enjoyed the juxtaposition of Wyoming's sign with the plain Colorado sign across the road (these were taken at the state line on US-287 on August 31, 2007). I think what I found all the more amusing is that Colorado's sign refers to "Colorful Colorado" but is a very plain white-on-brown with no color of its own.

Our football team got their arse kicked, but other than the game that was an outstanding trip.

[PHLBOS]

I couldn't find a photo of such and certainly not a favorite by any stretch of the imagination but back in the 70s, along every highway that crossed the MA state line; motorists were greeted with a Massachusetts Gun Law sign that was typically at least twice the size of any adjacent Welcome To Massachusetts sign.