The arch is a prominent feature of downtown Reno and for most of its history has featured the city's motto, The Biggest Little City in the World.

When none of the entries proved acceptable, a prize of $100 was offered, and awarded on March 14, 1929 to G. A. Burns of Sacramento for the winning slogan: “Reno, Biggest Little City in the World.” With the move to neon lighting in 1934, the slogan was thought to be outdated and was replaced with the single word "RENO" in green neon letters.

Spanning across the intersection at Virginia Street and Commercial Row is Reno's iconic landmark—the Reno Arch. This welcoming landmark branded Reno, NV as the “Biggest Little City in the World” and is popular for selfies and group photos on …

Thanks to an entrant from Sacramento, the saying, “The Biggest Little City in the World,” was adopted to accompany the arch and debuted on June 25, 1929. However, in 1934, several residents complained about the slogan, and a new minimalist arch was installed that read “Reno” in …

Jan 5, 2025 · Reno is in a beautiful valley near the Sierra Nevada mountains in Nevada. In 1929, because there was so much to do, the city was given the nickname, “The Biggest Little City in the World.” Today, Reno is home to about 265,000 people.

Aug 1, 2017 · The nickname caught on, and when the City held a contest in 1929 to adopt an official slogan, it was no surprise that the “Biggest Little City in the World” was the victor. The phrase was added in neon to the arch that had been installed over Virginia Street just a …

Apr 11, 2019 · This month, KUNR is featuring stories about Reno's iconic neon in a series called Sparked: Northern Nevada’s Neon. In this installment of Time & Place, historian Alicia Barber explains how the shifting popularity of neon has been reflected locally in the evolution of Reno’s most celebrated landmark.

Dec 23, 2015 · Reno, Nevada: 1926 Reno Arch. Reno's downtown "Biggest Little City in the World" neon welcome arch has been replaced several times. This is the first one, built in 1926 and moved here in 1995.

May 31, 2022 · Reno (/ˈriːnoʊ/ REE-noh) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about 22 miles (35 km) from Lake Tahoe, known as “The Biggest Little City in the World”.

The iconic Reno Arch is a fabulously retro neon sign spanning Virginia St that proclaims Reno as 'The Biggest Little City in the World.' Loved by locals and visitors alike, it was first erected in 1926 at a different site; the present arch is the third incarnation of the sign installed at this location, and has been there since 1987.