Ever since Brigham Young looked down on the Salt Lake Valley and said, "This is the place," Utahn's have been fascinated with slogans for the Beehive State.
Well, another opportunity is in the offing as the Utah State Centennial Commission launches an attempt to find a logo and slogan to grab public attention as Utah nears its 100th birthday on Jan. 4, 1996.The competition this fall will be open to all Utahns, but the commission will give the effort a boost by working with the state PTA organization to get schoolchildren involved. The commission will consider working with libraries to coordinate entries from adults.
Max J. Evans, state Historical Society director and commission chairman, said entries will be screened at the local level, with county winners selected to compete at the state level in the fall. Evans said cities and towns will be encouraged to use the efforts of local citizens in conjunction with local centennial activities. It has also been suggested that competition entries be used in various fund-raising activities such as the sale of calendars and T-shirts.
The commission hopes to use the winning slogan on centennial license plates that will be offered to Utah motorists beginning next year. The commission will receive a premium for each set of plates sold to finance commission-sponsored activities. The commission also plans to license the use of the logo and slogan to produce additional revenue.
The commission is also considering a proposal to begin a series of observances centered on historically important events leading to Utah's statehood. These would be on 100th anniversary dates in the years 1990 through 1995 to help generate interest and focus attention on the Jan. 4, 1996, centennial date.
At an April 12 meeting, the commission also will review a proposal to offer first family certificates to Utahn's who can show their ancestors settled in Utah before statehood.