Bristol Virginia-Tennessee Slogan Sign
Encyclopedia
The Bristol Virginia-Tennessee Slogan Sign is a landmark in the twin cities of Bristol, Virginia
and Bristol, Tennessee
, USA. The sign is positioned over State Street, a roadway along the border
separating the two states. In 1988, the landmark was added to the National Register of Historic Places
. Although the landmark is technically located in both Tennessee
and Virginia
, the National Register considers the location as Tennessee.
. The street has since been renamed as State Street.
According to the Bristol Historical Association's booklet The Historical Bristol Sign, the Bristol Gas and Electric Company donated and erected the sign atop a hardware store in 1910 to advertise the city. The sign originally contained the lighted slogan
PUSH! - THAT'S BRISTOL referring to the hopes of continued growth and future prosperity for the two cities. In 1915, the sign was moved to its current location. In 1921, a contest was held in order to select a new slogan. The winning slogan, A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE, has remained the slogan ever since.
Bristol, Virginia
Bristol is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Washington County, Virginia, Bristol, Tennessee, and Sullivan County, Tennessee....
and Bristol, Tennessee
Bristol, Tennessee
Bristol is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 26,702 at the 2010 census. It is the twin city of Bristol, Virginia, which lies directly across the state line between Tennessee and Virginia. The boundaries of both cities run parallel to each other along State...
, USA. The sign is positioned over State Street, a roadway along the border
Border
Borders define geographic boundaries of political entities or legal jurisdictions, such as governments, sovereign states, federated states and other subnational entities. Some borders—such as a state's internal administrative borders, or inter-state borders within the Schengen Area—are open and...
separating the two states. In 1988, the landmark was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. Although the landmark is technically located in both Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, the National Register considers the location as Tennessee.
History
In 1901, the center of Main Street was officially designated as the state line separating Tennessee and Virginia by the United States CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
. The street has since been renamed as State Street.
According to the Bristol Historical Association's booklet The Historical Bristol Sign, the Bristol Gas and Electric Company donated and erected the sign atop a hardware store in 1910 to advertise the city. The sign originally contained the lighted slogan
Slogan
A slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a political, commercial, religious and other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose. The word slogan is derived from slogorn which was an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic sluagh-ghairm . Slogans vary from the written and the...
PUSH! - THAT'S BRISTOL referring to the hopes of continued growth and future prosperity for the two cities. In 1915, the sign was moved to its current location. In 1921, a contest was held in order to select a new slogan. The winning slogan, A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE, has remained the slogan ever since.