Sign of the times …a photo at the Forks sign
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, September 9, 2025
In June I got a message on Facebook asking about who designed the logo on the Forks sign. So I thought, I don’t know, I asked people and they didn’t know …But what I finally came to understand was the person who had messaged me wasn’t wanting to know who …they were the who…
She wrote back, “I know who designed it. It was me, but “Google” doesn’t know it. How can I get that info to Google?”
I explained that since the sign went in before social media etc. Google probably didn’t have any way of knowing. Google does not know everything…
She wrote back … “I guess I just want whoever Googles the question “Who designed the Welcome to Forks sign” to know that I did. It’s a pretty famous sign and I’m proud of it!”
The who I was talking to was Mary Donovan, and I had not recognized her name which prior was Mary Engel Springer.
Today if you Google the Forks sign you can see photos and stickers and replicas and shirts all with the Forks sign, but nowhere does it say Mary designed the logo.
In 1986 Forks city council member Rich Hsu made a motion that there should be a logo contest for welcome signs at both entrances to town. It seems that eventually the Forks Chamber became involved and a contest was held.
Mary recalls sitting at her kitchen table and drawing many designs. “I wanted to include everything that means what the West End is, so in the design you can see the water ..with fish and the ocean and rivers, logging is represented with the tree and the logging truck.” In the end Mary’s design won and she thinks she won maybe $75.
The first sign went up on the north entrance in June 1989 but not where it is today, it was at the point of the property where Evergreen 76 is today. The south sign was installed in February 1990, it also is not where it first was. The south end sign was eventually moved near the south entrance to the Timber Museum and Visitor center. The North end was was moved several times. First it was just below the Outfitters sign and then Twilight fans started scrambling up the side of the hill to get photos …then city workers hacked a trail to make it easier …According to City attorney Rod Fleck “When Nedra was Mayor, and the Twilight buzz just started, people were climbing up to take pictures. So, Dick Martin and Dave Zellar cut in a trail to the sign! Then it was agreed with WSDOT that we could move it to where it is now. I am going to think that occurred in 2007/8.”
In addition to Mary’s logo design the signs were made with the help of Olympic Corrections Center as well as some design help from the Young Women’s group at the LDS church. Many individuals and businesses also contributed time and materials.
It is hard to say how many have stopped to get a photo with the welcome signs. But, it is not just Twilight fans …one day I saw a fuel truck driver pull his big rig to the side of the road and get out and take a photo, well I guess he could have been a Twilight fan. Last Saturday at 7 a.m. there were already three cars lined up to take photos.
So for the record and for Google purposes please note that Mary Engel Springer Donovan designed the now famous Forks sign logo and it is a really great design!
Christi Baron, Editor
