The State of Oregon is the one, of only a few states which does not have a motto on its regular-issue license plate. From 1959 to 1964, Oregon displayed the motto “Pacific Wonderland.” Back, in those days very few states had mottos. As a kid growing up in California I still remember enjoying looking at license plates and their designs.

One of the earliest plates I can remember was from Illinois, “Land of Lincoln.” My neighbors were from Louisiana, “Sportsman's Paradise.” And, I will never forget New Mexico, “Land of Enchantment,” Montana, “Big Sky Country,” Minnesota, 10,000 Lakes, and Colorado, “Colorful Colorado.” And, Alaska, though I don't remember a motto way back then, I will always remember their dark blue plate with bright gold stars forming the Big Dipper. (And, by the way, this year, 2009, marks the Golden Anniversary of Statehood - 50 years - for Alaska and Hawaii.)

A license plate can say a lot about a state. Or, it can say nothing, as, in the case of Oregon. The lack of a motto might be because, in all honesty, Oregon's biggest fear, for decades, was California. In, fact in the 1970's the state removed the “Welcome To Oregon” signs at our borders, replacing them with “Oregon Welcomes You - Enjoy Your Visit,” and exit signs that said “Leaving Oregon, Thank You For Visiting.” Yea, it was visit, but, don't stay. Well, like it or not, the Californians finally got here. We tried to explain to the Californians, “don't say anything.” Californians, well, there's a lot of them, with, I guess, more relatives, like there's over 30 million of them, and we're still less than four million. I know they tried not to say anything, but, someone said something to someone, as, the next blast of people came from the east.

When it rains here, and it does rain, and rain, and rain, and rain. Did I mention it rains here? Average rainfall in Portland is around 45 inches a year, 130 inches in the north Coast Range, and just north of us, up in the tiny hamlet of Forks, Washington its 200+ inches a year. Locals know how to dress for wet weather. I tell folks I put on eight layers of clothes and hope the water doesn't soak past seven, and, it usually works. You can always tell the newcomers, they all use umbrellas - funny, huh?

What most people don't know is 2/3 of Oregon is a high plains desert. Only the 1/3 west of the Cascade Mountains experiences massive rainfall. The Cascade mountains, well, instead of rain, it snows, and snows, and, snows, and then snows some more. And, then, it snows again! The high plains desert area are really cold in the winter. I had to change a tire once on U.S. 97 near La Pine. It was so cold my lug nuts stuck to my fingers! And, no, I didn't stick my tongue to the lug nuts and fingers!

So, there's a little bit about Oregon. And, I think we're long overdue for a state motto on our license plates. I would like to see the return of “Pacific Wonderland.” Hell, we've got new signs erected on our borders that say Welcome To Oregon, again. And, we're not a very well-kept secret anymore (thanks California). So, why not, a license plate motto?

Another suggested motto for the plate is “Heart of the Northwest.” I like this one too. But, “Pacific Wonderland” will always be my favorite. I'm sure it has something to do with my memories of picking blackberries, being gouged by the blackberry thorns, being chased by yellow-jackets, squishing the berries and eating ice cream covered in berries in those magical days of my youth, inside the Pacific Wonderland, Oregon.

How well do you know the States' License Plates? From History.com is The License Plate Game.

Try it, and have some fun!

While doing research for this piece I stumbled into a list of state license plate mottos from the website of the "Township of Grace Gazette."

Their motto? “Get all of Yesterday's News Today!” It's a pretty funny site, and their list of state mottos (not the real mottos) I found pretty funny. I hope you, too, will find some humor in their list.

Here's the list:(1)

Alabama
Hell Yes, We Have Electricity
(We have the electric chair)

Alaska
11,623 Eskimos Can't Be Wrong

Arizona
But It's A Dry Heat

Arkansas
Literacy Ain't Everything

California
By 30, Our Women Have More Plastic
Than Your Honda

Colorado
If you don't ski, don't bother

Connecticut
Like Massachusetts, Only the Kennedys Don't Own It Yet

Delaware
"What did Dela Ware?"

Florida
this motto was omitted

Georgia
We put the "Fun" in Fundamentalist

Hawaii
Haka Tike Mou Sha'ami Leeki Toru
(Death to Mainland Scum, Leave Your Money)

Idaho
More Than Just Potatoes
Well, Okay, Not More, But the Potatoes Sure Are Real Good

Illinois
Please don't pronounce the 'S'

Indiana
Two Billion Years Tidal-Wave Free

Iowa
We do amazing things with corn

Kansas
First of the Rectangle States

Kentucky
Five Million People; Fifty Last Names

Louisiana
We're not ALL drunk Cajun wackos, But that's our Tourist Campaign

Maine
We're Really Cold, But We Have Cheap Lobster

Maryland
If You Can Dream It, We Can Tax It

Massachusetts
Our Taxes Are Lower Than Sweden's

Michigan
First Line of Defense Against the Canadians

Minnesota
10,000 Lakes....and 100,000,000,000,000 Mosquitoes

Mississippi
Come Visit and Feel Better

Missouri
Your Federal Flood Relief Tax Dollars at Work
Montana
Land of the Big Sky, the Unabomber, Right-Wing crazies and very little else

Nebraska
Ask about our State Motto contest

Nevada
Hookers and Poker!

New Hampshire
Go Away and Leave Us Alone

New Jersey
You Want a ##$%##! Motto?
I got Yer ##$%##! Motto Right Here !

New Mexico
Lizards Make Excellent Pets

New York
You have the right to be silent,
You have the right to an attorney...

North Carolina
Tobacco Is a Vegetable

North Dakota
We really ARE one of the 50 states

Ohio
Home of Lake Erie and the Mistake by the Lake (Cleveland)

Oklahoma
Like the Play, Only No Singing

Oregon
It's ORYGUN

Pennsylvania
Cook with Coal

Rhode Island
We're not REALLY an Island

South Carolina
Remember the Civil War? We Didn't Actually Surrender

South Dakota
Closer than North Dakota

Tennessee
How-dy The Minnie Pearl State

Texas
Si Hablo Ingles!

Utah
Our Jesus Is Better Than Your Jesus

Vermont
Sweet and Sticky

Virginia
Who Says Government Stiffs and Slackjaw Yokels Don't Mix?

Washington State
Help! We're Overrun by Nerds and Slackers!

Washington, D.C.
Wanna be Mayor?

West Virginia
One Big Happy Family...Really!

Wisconsin
Come cut the cheese

Wyoming
this motto was omitted to keep the list in PG-13

If you see an out dated plate design or wish to suggest an additional, just drop me an message or make comment here on HUB.

In future articles I'm thinking about one entirely about license plate frames, but, I'm not sure how to begin on this one. Another interesting look would be to highlight those small year-stickers, or license plate tags, as, they are called by some. Regardless of the next selection, I'll aim for more fun on this colorful subject, license plates!

Here are the pictures of the license plates of all 50 states and D.C.

Websites used for research:
Wikipedia
http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_slogans

(1) This list is from “License Plate Mottos” at TownOfGrace.com:
http://www.townofgrace.org/Daily%20Features/Retired/Plate-State%20List.htm