MILWAUKEE – This morning, to celebrate National Bobblehead Day, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled the first bobble featuring the landmark “Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas” sign, which is located in the median at 5100 Las Vegas Boulevard South, just to the south of the Las Vegas Strip. The limited-edition bobble is being released in conjunction with National Bobblehead Day, which is celebrated annually on January 7th. We’re celebrating starting today with dozens of new bobblehead releases including this new bobble. The special edition bobble is being produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum.
The colorful bobble features a replica of the mounted sign on a circular green base just like the decorative artificial turf that is found below the actual landmark. The front of the sign reads “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada,” while the back reads: “Drive Carefully Come Back Soon.” The bobble is currently available exclusively through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The bobbles, which are expected to ship in February, are $30 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.
Funded in May 1959 and erected soon after by Western Neon, the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign has been a fixture in the median at 5100 Las Vegas Boulevard South ever since. The 25-foot landmark, which cost $4,000 to build, was designed by Betty Willis, an employee of Western Neon. Officially nominated by the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office, the National Park Service approved the designation of having the sign listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 1st, 2009. It was added to the State Register of Historic Places on December 6th, 2013. Some consider the sign to be the official end of the Las Vegas Strip. However, the sign, like most of The Strip, sits in Paradise, Nevada, and is located roughly 4 miles south of the actual city limits of Las Vegas.
Popular among tourists, the classic roadside pole design is mounted offset on two flat poles which are joined by a crosspiece at the top. The poles extend above the top of the sign. The sign is a horizontally stretched diamond shape, with the top and bottom angles pointed while the side angles are rounded. It is double backed, internally lit, with a border of flashing and chasing incandescent bulbs outside around the perimeter. In a nod to Nevada’s nickname as “The Silver State,” across the top of the sign are white neon circles, designed to represent silver dollars. The circles each contain a red painted letter, outlined in neon, which together form the word “Welcome.” Crowning the sign, located between the two poles and just under the crosspiece is an eight-pointed, red-painted metal star outline with yellow neon.
The intersecting vertical and horizontal lines of the star extend over and wrap around the frame that is created by the two poles and the crosspiece, which give the star a dynamic, explosive appearance. The south side of the sign reads “Welcome” inside the silver dollars with “To Fabulous” in blue, in a 1950s-style cursive underneath. The words “Las Vegas” are on the next line in all red, all capitalized, and large, almost filling the width of the sign. Under “Las Vegas” is the word “Nevada in blue, all capitalized, in a much smaller font. On the back or north side, which is less frequently photographed, the sign reads “Drive” on the top line and “Carefully” on the second in red capital letters, with “Come Back” in blue on the third line, in script, and Soon” all capitalized in blue on the fourth line.
“We are excited to unveil the first bobble of the iconic ‘Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas” sign – one of the most historic Las Vegas landmarks,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “The sign has gained so much popularity, it has become a go-to stop for tourists. This bobble will be a must-have for Las Vegas natives, residents, and visitors!”
About the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum:
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, which is located at 170 S. 1st St. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, opened to the public on February 1st, 2019. The HOF and Museum also produces high quality, customized bobbleheads for retail sale as well as organizations, individuals, and teams across the country. Visit us online and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.