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Seeing a Different Kind of Golden Arches in Reno, Nevada

September 21, 2011 at 11:07 AM | by | Comments (0)


It may not be as famous as the Golden Arches, but here’s an arch we always wanted to see: “The Biggest Little City In The World” on Virginia Street in Reno.

We always wanted to go to Reno to check it out as a grubby Vegas but were sold on the idea when we came across a postcard from the 1940s of Reno, with old cars passing under this glorious arch. And we knew we really had to go.

The Reno Arch was built in 1926 in advance of the Transcontinental Highways Exposition the following year, but it was only in 1929 that the slogan was coined, after a competition (the winner got $100 for inventing the phrase).

Another Reno nugget: according to Wikipedia, “I’m going to Reno” used to stand for “I’m off to get a divorce.” And that probably still stands, in a way – if your spouse whisked you off to Reno on a romantic break, you’d probably be heading the same way. Paris it aint - either the French or Vegas versions.

This one is the third arch, built in 1987, but it's still an awesome sight. And it's not half bad in the daytime either, although there are a few friendly homeless people hanging around it. If you like retro Vegas, you’ll like the arch.


Btw, the enviro-fans will be pleased to know that the arch is lit with energy efficient LED bulbs. They replaced the old incandescent ones in 2009.

Photos: Julia Buckley for Jaunted

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