Well, the Blogging Challenge is winding down. It has been a wild and wacky challenge for me.
Through the month I have provided readers with a wide variety of wonderful signs which I wandered upon during the year. As I do with all of my posts, I try to be witty and wry in my presentation. I hope that I have brought out the wanderlust in my readers as well. This post will be all about Welcome Signs. Please now enjoy my special edition of W Signs from my travels over the years. Enjoy the Read. Enjoy the Ride.
Welcome Signs Everywhere!
Welcome to my happy place…traveling everywhere
I love feeling welcome in places! Perhaps one of my bigger “collections” of place signs along the highways of America are the Welcome signs to states, communities and places. Here are just a few of the dozens and dozens have wandered upon in my travels. This post features welcome signs taken from 2005 to present. Want everyone to feel Welcome.
Welcome to my Welcome Blog PostWelcome to Oklahoma
Welcome to Carew Tower Sign in Carew Tower Elevators, CincinnatiWelcome to Henry, IllinoisWelcome to Kentucky, home sweet homeWelcome to Dime Box, TexasWelcome to Zelienople-Harmony, PennsylvaniaWelcome to Kingston, WashingtonWelcome to Punkyville, Kentucky… near Falmouth, Kentucky
We all know who is really Nice! Nice, CA
Welcome to Nevada sign in Denio, NevadaWelcome to Leavenworth, WashingtonWelcome to Shiner, TexasKabetogama Lake – Voyageurs National Park, MinnesotaWelcome to Gauley Bridge, West VirginiaWelcome to Cave City, Kentucky… gateway to Mammoth Cave National ParkWelcome to Tonica, IllinoisWelcome to the Monongahela Incline in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaWelcome to Millersburg, OhioWelcome to Butte, MontanaWelcome to Big Stone Gap, VirginiaWelcome to Dublin, OH, Home of Wendy’sWelcome to Estill County, KentuckyWelcome to Santa Claus, IndianaWelcome to West, TexasWelcome to Alligator, MississippiWelcome to Silver Gate, MontanaWelcome to Choteau, Montana signWelcome to Metropolis, IllinoisWelcome to the Rockpile Museum in Gillette, WyomingWelcome to Council Bluffs, IowaWelcome to New Mexico at Raton PassWelcome to Damascus, VirginiaWelcome to Wyoming sign on US 30Welcome to What Cheer, IowaWelcome to Winner, South Dakota – Pheasant Capital of the WorldWelcome to Hope, Arkansas – birthplace of Bill ClintonWelcome to PittsburghWelcome to Viborg, South DakotaWelcome to Hell, MichiganWelcome to Peculiar, MissouriWelcome to Sisters, OregonWelcome to Yellville, ArkansasWelcome to Boring, OregonWelcome to Earth, TexasWelcome to Vulcan, Alberta sign in KlingonWelcome to Mystic Seaport, Mystic, ConnecticutWelcome to Seymour, Wisconsin Home of the HamburgerWelcome to Pella, IowaWelcome to Montana in West YellowstoneWelcome to Clallam Bay and Sekiu, WashingtonWelcome to Stanley, IdahoWelcome to Colorado at WY 789 and CO 13Welcome to Bemidji, MinnesotaWelcome to Crawford, NebraskaWelcome to Sharkheads in Biloxi Beach, MississippiWelcome to Salem Sue in New Salem, North DakotaWelcome to Paris, Tennessee Catfish – they claim to be the Catfish CapitalWelcome to Real Goods, a great store in Hopland, CaliforniaWelcome to Kountry Korner’s Krazy Kreatures in Kingston, WashingtonWelcome to Orr, MinnesotaWelcome to Mena, ArkansasWelcome to White Castle, LouisianaWelcome to New Hampshire in Sept 2015 – State #49!Welcome to Gourdough’s Donuts in Austin, TexasWelcome to Vermont, near Brattleboro on Vermont Hwy 142 — the 50th state I visitedWelcome to KansasWelcome to Alvin, Texas, hometown of Nolan RyanWelcome to West VirginiaWelcome to Kensington District of Toronto, Ontario
Welcome to Whitetop, VirginiaWelcome to Delaware…first time since 1986. Visited in 2016 during Christmas HolidayWelcome to Heini’s Cheese Factory in Charming, OhioWelcome to Uranus, MissouriWelcome to Hopkinsville, KY for the Solar Eclipse 2017Welcome to Egg Harbor, WisconsinWelcome to Huntsville, TexasWelcome to Wilsall, Montana (with the Welcome Bird on top of the sign!)Welcome to Crookston mural in Crookston, MinnesotaWelcome to Cokeville, WyomingWelcome to Gregory, South DakotaWelcome to Mars, PennsylvaniaWelcome to Talent, OregonWelcome to Pascagoula, Mississippi, Birthplace of Jimmy BuffetWelcome to Waterville, WashingtonWelcome to Canonsburg, PennsylvaniaWelcome to Ketchikan, Alaska … from my wifeWelcome to the Guitar Walk at Cavanaugh Park in Walnut Ridge, ArkansasWelcome to Dienner’s Country Restaurant in Amish Country, Ronks, PennsylvaniaWelcome to Granbury, TexasWelcome to North DakotaWelcome to Hugo, Oklahoma… home of the country’s only cemetery dedicated to Circus PerformersWelcome to North CarolinaWelcome to Papa Joe’s Oasis, Crescent Junction, UtahWelcome to Hochatown, OklahomaWelcome to Doolittle, MissouriWelcome to Nitro, West VirginiaWelcome to Hipp Station of the Holmes County Rails to Trails in Millersburg, OhioWelcome to Pierre Part, LA, home of the TV Show Swamp PeopleWelcome to the Oyster Capital of the World, South Bend, WashingtonWelcome to the Corn Palace…Mitchell, South DakotaWelcome to Sweet Home Alabama with some of my grandchildren in early 2017Sumoflam in Floodwood, MinnesotaWelcome to Luling, TexasWelcome to Washington, PennsylvaniaWelcome to Jackson, Wyoming!!A giant troll sculpture greets you at the Mount Horeb, Wisconsin Welcome Center. Created by Wally KellerWelcome to Oacoma, South DakotaWelcome to the Seattle WaterfrontWelcome to Hemingford, NebraskaWelcome to Saco, Montana, birthplace of 1960s newscaster Chet HuntleyWelcome to Nekoma, North DakotaWelcome to Jackson Center, Ohio. Home of AirstreamWelcome to Rabbit Hash, KentuckyNicholson, Pennsylvania’s welcome sign features the famous ViaductWelcome to Chelsea, MichiganWelcome to Lost Springs, Wyoming Population 1 in 2007. Population 4 in 2017.Welcome to Chinook, MontanaWelcome to Dallas, South Dakota where the main street goes under the water towerWelcome to Buffalo, WyomingWelcome to Salida, ColoradoWelcome to Swedesburg, IowaWelcome to Steubenville, Ohio, a small town full of murals and historyWelcome to Montana on US Route 2 heading westWelcome to MissouriWelcome to Salt Lake City, UtahWelcome to Walnut Ridge, Arkansas…home of the Rock N Roll HighwayWelcome to Wall, South Dakota, home of Wall Drug. Now you know where the heck it is.Welcome to Many, Louisiana Not just a few here!Welcome Sign in Indianapolis, IndianaWelcome to Gold Bar, Washington Gateway to the CascadesWelcome to Virden, ManitobaWelcome to SaskatchewanWelcome to Vulcan, Alberta Sept 2007 (look for me…)Welcome to Beachville, Ontario…birthplace of BaseballENJOY!
Like what you see? Well, there is lots more! I currently have two books about offbeat and quirky places to take on your road trips. You can see both of my books at http://amzn.to/2ks6fQZ. Working on Book 3, coming in late Spring 2019!!
In 2018 I will feature a random (yet alphabetical) selection of photos I have taken from my nearly 20 years of back roads travel in the United States and Canada. I may even throw in a few random shots from other trips to Japan, Mexico and the Philippines. My theme is called America’s Back Roads: A Grab Bag of Places in Pictures.
Home on the Range, North Dakota
Home on the Range sign in North Dakota
Hammering Man – Seattle, Washington
The Hammering Man by Jonathan Borofsky
Ho-Hum Motel – West Yellowstone, Montana
Ho-Hum Motel in West Yellowstone, Montana
Hillybilly Hot Dogs – Lesage, West Virginia
Yes, they do have a Website!!Order Rite Cheer at Hillbilly Hot Dogs in Lesage, WV
Happy, Kentucky
Happy in Happy, KY
Hell, Michigan
Direction to Hell from Pickney, MIWelcome to Hell
The Great Hodag – Rhinelander, Wisconsin
With the famed Hodag in Rhinelander, WI
Himeji Castle – Himeji, Japan
Visiting the famed Himeji Castle in 1987
Harlan Sanders Cafe – Corbin, Kentucky
Sanders Cafe in Corbin, KY. Birthplace of the KFC Special RecipeThe Colonel and Me at Sanders Cafe
Hipp Nursery – Haubstadt, Indiana
Martini bearing pink and white elephant pair at Hipp Nursery in Haubstadt, IN
Harry Truman Mural – Independence, Missouri
A mural of Harry Truman on a Law Office in Independence, MO painted by David McClain. Truman was born in Independence
Horsetail Falls – Multnomah County, Oregon
Horsetail Falls in Oregon
Hung Dong Supermarket – Houston, Texas
Of course, you can always come across unique shop names, like this one in Houston. I hear they have great sausages!!
Apple Valley Hillbilly Garden and Toyland – Calvert City, Kentucky
Hillbilly Garden Car – Calvert City, KYSigns at Hillbilly Garden
Henry’s Rabbit Ranch – Staunton, Illinois
Henry’s Rabbit Ranch – Staunton, IllinoisRich Henry and Sumoflam with their rabbit at Henry’s Ra66it Ranch in Staunton, IL
Hiawatha Statue – Ironwood, Michigan
Hiawatha Stands 50 feet tall in Ironwood, MI
Heini’s Cheese Shop – Charm, Ohio
Heini’s Cheese Shop – Charm, Ohio
Home of Sliced Bread – Chillicothe, Missouri
Chillicothe, Missouri – The Home of Sliced Bread
Hell’s Half-Acre – Powder River, Wyoming
Hell’s Half Acre Sign in Wyoming off of US Route 20/26Hell’s Half Acre in Wyoming
Sam Houston Statue – Huntsville, Texas
77 Foot Tall Sam Houston Statue in Huntsville, Texas
Hope, Arkansas
Made it to Hope, AR
Horse Farm Country – Central Kentucky
Horses graze in the fall on a Woodford County farm near Versailles.Mare and foal jaunt on a farm in Lexington, KY
Hurts Donut – Frisco, Texas
Hurts Donut in Frisco, TexasWanna Hurts Donut?
Hyak Ferry – Bremerton, Washington
Riding the Hyak from Bremerton Terminal in WashingtonA flock of seagulls on the deck of the Hyak
Harvey Jackson Mural – Kemmerer, Wyoming
Harvey Jackson mural on a corner in Kemmerer, WY
Hershey, Pennsylvania
My children at Hershey Chocolate World in 1990sGranddaughter Joselyn gives Grampz a Hershey Kiss at Hershey’s Chocolate World
Hung Far Low Chinese – Portland, Oregon
Hung Far Low – Famous Chop Suey and Famous name – Portland, Oregon
Hurricane, West Virginia
Hurricane, West VirginiaA Wall Mural in Hurricane, WV
Horse Capital of the World – Versailles, Kentucky
A mural on a water tower in Versailles, Kentucky
Hamtramck Disneyland – Hamtramck, Michigan
Windmills and Whirlygigs at Hamtramck Disneyland in DetroitA menagerie of oddball and offbeat things all over the roof, side of the house and the yard – Hamtramck Disneyland
Hutch’s on the Beach – Hamilton, Ontario
Hutch’s on the Beach – Hamilton, Ontario
Hopi Indian Reservation – Walpi, Arizona
While working in Arizona I made over 100 trips to Walpi on the Hopi Indian Reservation in Northern Arizona
Hippos of Hutto, Texas
Greetings from Hutto, home of the HipposOne of the many Hippos in Hutto, TX
Hells Canyon – Oregon
Hells Canyon Scenic Byway, OregonHells Canyon in northeast Oregon is actually wider and deeper than the Grand Canyon
Hippie Joe’s Gas – Upper Lake, California
Hippie Joe’s Gas in Upper Lake, CA
History of the Niagara Peninsula – Welland, Ontario
A portion of a massive mural on the side of a shopping mall. Entitled “History of the Niagara Peninsula” by Heinz Gaugel
Hi-Line Theatre – Rudyard, Montana
Hi-Line Theatre in Rudyard, Montana – operating since 1949
Hatch, New Mexico
A&W Family in Hatch, NMA fiberglass Uncle Sam in Hatch, NM with a famous Hatch Green Chile in hand
Hop Bottom, West Virginia
Hop Bottom, WV
Hot Box Cafe – Toronto, Ontario
Hot Box Cafe – Toronto, Ontario
Hugo, Oklahoma
Welcome to Historic Hugo, OKA building made of petrified wood in Hugo
If you like what you see, you may want to check out my book: Less Beaten Paths of America: Unique Town Names, available on Amazon. My second book, Less Beaten Paths of America: Quirky and Offbeat Roadside Attractions, will be available in late April or early May 2018. Click on the photo below for more details or to get a copy of the book.
Traveling this great country brings me joy! You can see this thru the myriad selfies I take while on the road.
I make it a point to take selfies for posterity sake. First of all, it proves I was there. Secondly, it provides a record for my family to see where I’ve been. Lastly…it shows my joy of being on the road!
Jolly Sumoflam! In Jolly, TX
It makes me Jolly.
We all know who is really Nice! Nice, CA
It makes me Nice.
I found Novelty in Ohio
Travel is always a Novelty
Wherever I go I try to Endeavor,
Made it to Hope, AR,
To have Hope
Finding Success in Missouri
And find Success
Sumoflam at Friendship Post Office in Arkansas
Being on the road has helped find Friendship
Meeting a Friendly guy outside the Friendly, WV Post Office
And to be Friendly
Chunky, MS
And perhaps even Chunky
Welcome to Earth, Texas
It has brought me down to Earth
Township of Moon, PA
Zipped me to a Township named Moon
At the Starship Enterprise in Vulcan, Alberta 2007
Or by a Starship in Vulcan
And found Prosperity in PA
And to even find Prosperity
Santa Claus, IN
Heck…I even found Santa Claus!
Though I try to be Real Quiet about it,
Sumoflam and Big Fish in Bena, MN
I find that I have some Big Fish stories
Sumoflam at “Fisherman’s Dream” on Enchanted Highway in North Dakota
Maybe even Bigger Fish Stories
Willie the Walleye in Baudette, MN
Indeed, Giant Fish Stories
The Beef House in Covington, Indiana
I have found The Beef
Say “Cheese!” – You’re in Wisconsin!
But also found the cheese
Giant Macaroni in Champaigne, IL
And even a Macaroni to go with it!
Sumoflam with the cow that wears pink glasses
Those big cows are moooving
Salem Sue in New Salem, ND – the World’s Largest Holstein Cow (Yes, that’s Sumoflam under the Udders)
But they can be Udderly huge
Big Bull in Minnesota
And that is certainly no Bull
Giant Pheasant in Gregory SD
I have gotten joy at the feet of a big bird
Giant Sandhill Crane in Steele, SD
And maybe even a bigger bird
Sumoflam at Pheasants on the Prairie on Enchanted Highway in North Dakota
Ok, perhaps even giant birds!
One of my favorite shots…Alligator, MS
I have become a big Alligator
Baby Gator at Gator Chateau in Jennings, LA
But have held a small one
Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, NY 1990
Travel gives me Liberty
Sumoflam with Big Sam Houston towering behind him in Huntsville, TX
And helps me to stand at the foot of giants
The iconic Route 66 roadside attraction known as Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, TX
I have had many out of car experiences
Sumoflam at Carhenge in Alliance, NE
And I have been surrounded by cars
At Magnolia Market in Waco, TX – Home of the TV Program Fixer Upper
I have learned to be a Fixer Upper
Sumoflam with old Nash at Antique Archaeology in LeClaire, Iowa (home of American Pickers)
And an Antique Archaeologist
Voodoo Doughnut in Portland — lost my selfie
I’ve enjoyed some Voodoo doughnuts
Sumoflam at Carlo’s Bake Shop in Hoboken, NJ
And other baked goods from coast to coast
Sumoflam at Wonderland Rd. in Upton, KY
And have found the road to Wonderland
The Yellow Brick Road near Dayton, OH
I even found the Yellow Brick Rd.
A street with No Name in Millersburg, OH
A road with No Name
Finding Uncertainty in Uncertain, TX
May lead me to be Uncertain
Corner of This Way and That Way in Lake Jackson, TX
But whether I go This Way or That Way
Okay, Oklahoma in 2012
I’ll always be Okay
Winner Winner..no chicken dinner, just the name of a town in SD
Which makes me a Winner when I travel
Sumoflam at Top of the World on the Beartooth Highway in Wyoming
Well, the Blogging Challenge is winding down. It has been a wild and wacky challenge for me.
