Welcome to West Virginia - Wild and Wonderful - Falling Waters, West Virginia
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N 39° 35.239 W 077° 50.852
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"Welcome to West Virginia - Wild and Wonderful" is the greeting on a sign at the Interstate 81 southbound Welcome Center's north parking lot in Falling Waters, West Virginia.
Waymark Code: WM14XWA
Location: West Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 09/09/2021
Views: 1
"Welcome to West Virginia - Wild and Wonderful" is the greeting on a sign at the Interstate 81 southbound Welcome Center's north parking lot in Falling Waters, West Virginia.
The metal sign is about two feet tall by six feet wide and braced by a pair of galvanized posts within a small landscaped garden. Its white and yellow text is superimposed over a panoramic photograph of green mountains. The state seal appears centered along the right edge. A solid white border surrounds the entire perimeter.
"Wild and Wonderful" became the state's slogan in early 1970 after former Governor Arch Moore used the phrase during an August 1969 speech. The Times West Virginian reported in September 2007, "The 'Wild Wonderful West Virginia' slogan was added to the state’s welcome signs in 1975 and was available on license plates the following year. It was plastered on the state’s welcome signs until 1991, when Gov. Gaston Caperton had the slogan removed. [In 2013,] Gov. Joe Manchin put up new 'Open for Business' welcome signs, which proved unpopular with residents."
The original phrase was added to updated highway "Welcome to West Virginia" signs following a statewide vote in September and October 2007 in which citizens cast 110,000 votes to choose "Wild and Wonderful" over "Almost Heaven" and "The Mountain State". (Source: The Daily Athenaeum)