The Long Way
Elko County

Wendover Will

West Wendover, Elko County, Nevada. Mechanical neon cowboy sign; Year-round.

Details

Map. West Wendover, Elko County, Nevada. Larger map
Where
West Wendover, Elko County, NV. No street address stated. Directions
When
Wendover Will Nevada illuminates every night around sunset and remains lit until sunrise the following morning.
Getting there
Located on Interstate 80, West Wendover is the easternmost stop along the 400-mile Cowboy Corridor road trip.
Fees
requires no admission or fees to access.
Access
There are no immediate parking places beneath Wendover Will, but you can temporarily park on either side of Wendover Will and jump out for a quick pic.
Walk-in or reserve
Walk-in; no reservation required.
Phone
(775) 664-3138
Website
travelnevada.com
Managed by
City of West Wendover.
Established
1952.

A six-story mechanical neon cowboy decked out in 1,184 feet of neon tubing, straddling the Utah-Nevada state line in West Wendover and waving road trippers over the border into Nevada.

Notable Events

  1. 1926In 1926 he established a service station in the area to help travelers on what is now the I-80. intermountainhistories.org
  2. 1931With gaming legalized in the state of Nevada in 1931, State Line Service grew into the State Line Hotel & Casino, which until its sale in 2002 was on record as the single longest-held casino license. hmdb.org
  3. 1951In 1951, construction began on the electric light pole as the Young Electric Sign Company converted it into Wendover Will. intermountainhistories.org
  4. 1991When the town of West Wendover incorporated in 1991, Will took a prominent place on the city seal. lasvegassun.com
  5. 2002In 2002 the State Line Hotel and Casino was sold and renamed the Wendover Nugget; soon afterward Will was taken down and put into storage. americanheritage.com
  6. 2002In 2002 the Stateline changed ownership and Will was donated to the town, which moved him to a better location and restored him. lasvegassun.com
  7. 2004Restored and re-erected in 2004, Wendover Will once again stands tall representing the heritage of the community as "this is the place" "where the west begins". hmdb.org
  8. 2005The monument was dedicated by the City of West Wendover in loving memory to founding community members William "Bill" and Anna Smith, with support from the State of Nevada, Young Electric Sign Company, and others. hmdb.org
  9. 2023YESCO, retained by the City of West Wendover, refurbished the sign, replacing 1,184 feet of neon tubing with LED lighting, repainting to the original color scheme, and installing new base letters including illuminated "Downtown" pan channel letters. yesco.com

People

  • Josephine Thaut, West Wendover mayor at the rededication of the restored Will.
  • William "Bill" Smith, Namesake; established the service station that grew into the State Line (1926).
  • Pat Denner, Designer of Wendover Will and of Las Vegas' Vegas Vic.
  • Jeff Young, YESCO executive vice president at the 2023 refurbishment.

Sources

  1. travelnevada.com/arts-culture/wendover-will
  2. travelnevada.com/cities/west-wendover
  3. yesco.com/yesco-refurbishes-iconic-wendover-will-sign-with-led-technology
  4. hmdb.org/m.asp?m=75211
  5. intermountainhistories.org/items/show/737
  6. lasvegassun.com/news/2016/aug/27/wendover-will-retro-neon-cowboy-greets-visitors-to
  7. americanheritage.com/where-theres-will-theres-wendover