By SALINA POST
Salina Post proudly presents Flashback Friday in partnership with the Smoky Hill Museum. Enjoy a weekly tidbit of local history from the staff at Salina Post and the Smoky Hill Museum as we present "Salina-Flashback Fridays."
In 1916, Salina Boosters, a group dedicated to promoting Salina that eventually joined forces with the Salina Chamber of Commerce, organized a submission contest for the best slogan. The group had plans to build an arch and put the selected slogan on the arch. The winner was to receive a prize of $10. Over 250 slogans were submitted including:
The Gateway to an Empire
Hub of the Prairies
Heart of the Wheat Belt
Portal of Prosperity
Buckle on the Golden Belt
The Metropolis of the Smoky Valley
The slogan selected was “Salina, Your Opportunity.” The sign was erected at 12th and Bishop Streets near Union Station. It was equipped for illumination with 1200 colorful bulbs. The sign was powered by Salina Power and Gas Company. The first time it was illuminated was Saturday, March 17, 1917 at dusk.
Hundreds of Salinans gathered at the Union Station grounds to see the sign illuminate for the first time. There were also plans to replicate the sign to put more in the downtown area.
More lighted arched signs did not come to fruition; however, the sign became a popular landmark in Salina.
This iconic sign was used for many years to come – the 1943 City Directory described the slogan:
“Salina’s slogan, Your Opportunity, typifies the commercial phase of life in Salina, for there is indeed a splendid opportunity for all who are seeking a location in which to work and prosper.”
While it was torn down in 1954, the Smoky Hill Museum had a replica made specifically for its gallery.