For the first time in over 25 years, Pennsylvania license plates are getting a major overhaul, marking a new chapter in the state’s rich design history, writes Asha Prihar for The Morning Call.
The new version will feature the Liberty Bell with a mix of red, white, and blue for the upcoming semiquincentennial.
Over the past 119 years, Pennsylvania has introduced numerous license plate designs, including whimsical motifs and award-winning styles.
The state started issuing plates in 1906. These were made from porcelain in an array of colors. By the mid-1920s, the colors of the state flag – blue and yellow – became common in the designs.
A long format that lasted for decades included a number displayed atop a silhouette of Pennsylvania.
In the 1970s, the commonwealth started incorporating phrases such as “Bicentennial State, ’76.”
In 1983, as part of a tourist initiative, the state added the phrase “You’ve Got a Friend in Pennsylvania” at the bottom of its plates.
A decade later, Pennsylvania started allowing issue-oriented offerings, such as the plates that included an image of an owl that supported the state’s Wild Resource Conservation Fund.
Read more about why Pennsylvania’s license plates are getting a major overhaul in The Morning Call.
