Like many cities, we have graffiti everywhere, but no one has ever vandalized the welcome sign before in the memory of anyone I reached, and it seems likely that this may not have ever happened before.
Take that in for a moment:
Since the sign was first created to greet tourists in 1959, no one has put graffiti on it despite the countless alcohol-soaked tourists who must have posed with the welcome sign over the years. I don't even think a fraternity has ever stolen it as a prank. This is one bit of Las Vegas history that no one has suggested replacing or taking to the Neon Boneyard (though it gets moved south occasionally to keep pace with the growth of the Strip). The welcome sign is the one link with old Vegas that remains totally relevant in 2009.
I guess my surprise is that kids don't scribble their initials on the sign more often, because it is so accessible and popular. But until Monday, the Betty Willis design has received nothing but respect from tourists and locals. I always smile when I drive past it going to and from work.
Buffet photographer Sarah Gerke was out there this morning, and most of the scribbled initials left by the vandals had already been removed. But there is still some graffiti you can see in the lower left corner of the photo. A cleaning crew should finish restoring the sign today, according to the Review-Journal, which also has a shot of the more extensive graffiti, since removed, placed on the sign.
I should say I have almost never seen the sign alone no matter what hour I drive past it. I always see tourists who are posing with the sign, or wedding parties gathered there. But at 3 or 4 in the morning, you just have to trust that no one wants to do something like this, as there is nothing stopping them.
My worry is that if this begins to happen more often the welcome sign will not remain as accessible as it is now. This is a tiny sign somewhat defenseless 24/7 on Las Vegas Boulevard. But it is also a crucial part of the Vegas experience. It demarcates nothing in reality as it sits on no real border, but that makes it an even more perfect greeting to the Strip's fantasy kingdom.
Sad that someone(s) thought this was a cool thing to do.
