bronze sidewalk plaque

Three Walks of Fame You May Not Know [Part 1]

The Hollywood Walk of Stars may be the most famous embedded tribute trail, but it is certainly not the only walk of fame of its kind. In fact, many cities, institutions and community groups across the country have installed their own permanent sidewalk medallions.  Other countries have their share of footpath tributes, too.  From a studio that prides itself in the fabrication of bronze walk of fame installations, here are some Walks of Fame that you might not know of:

FARGO WALK OF FAME

FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA

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Started by a local businessman after a visit to LA’s Hollywood Walk of Stars, visiting celebrities were asked for their hand and footprints.  Roadside America says, “Any walk of fame that draws no distinction between George W. Bush and Jimmy "J.J." Walker is worth a visit. Remember, if global warming drowns our coastal cities and destroys civilization as we know it, future generations will rely on the Fargo Walk of Fame to teach them who was important in our time.”

MISS AMERICA ROSE WALK

ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY

The Miss America walk was one of the first bronze imbedded quote projects I saw on the East Coast in the 1990’s.  Today, I wonder what has become of the strangely appealing walk which featured quotes from the annual reigning Miss Americas.  The quotes presented on the plaques gave more than a glimpse into the pageant, they served as a timeline of cultural history - what was important in each era was spoken in the rhetoric of the time. - Jennifer Andrews, President of Masterwork Plaques

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Mary Ann Mobley Rose Walk panel [/caption]

An article by the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the collection of bronze plaques featuring Miss America Quotes embedded in the sidewalk are part of the “clutter that's left over after a bad relationship” after the beauty pageant dumped Atlantic City for Las Vegas.  "I just don't understand why, in a town that was brought so much by the pageant, people are willing to just forget such a legendary piece of Atlantic City history," said Robert Marks, whose late father, Albert A. Marks Jr., was chairman and executive producer of the Miss America Pageant for twenty-five years.  "Do we forget the Rat Pack when we talk about Atlantic City history and remove Frank, Dean and Sammy from everything just because they eventually moved to Las Vegas? That pageant kept this town alive during some lean times. She deserves more respect than that.”

THIS RAISES AN INTERESTING QUESTION:

WHAT DETERMINES WHETHER A WALK OF FAME WILL STAND THE TEST OF TIME?

CANADA WALK OF FAME

TORONTO, CANADA

Gordie Howe's star on the Walk of Fame as of April 2009. Damage can be seen on the bottom left corner

Gordie Howe's star on the Walk of Fame as of April 2009. Damage can be seen on the bottom left corner

One reason we suspect certain walks of fame can remain for later generations is based on their material. Fame trails are not only in the United States, and they’re also not only made of bronze. In Canada, specially commissioned insets to recipients such as John Candy and Shania Twain have become a popular tourist attraction in Toronto, and the Canada’s Walk of Fame announcements are the number one Canadian recognition event.

Although the permanent tribute plaques have been a hit with the public, they certainly haven’t been a hit with the project’s maintenance department. Faced with harsh weather conditions, the inset granite panels have chipped and worn significantly and have needed frequent replacement. Bronze’s longevity underfoot is one of the reasons we recommend it to our clients over granite when planning similar projects.

Can't get enough Walks of Fame?  Check out PART TWO of WALKS OF FAME YOU MAY NOT KNOW

Thoroughbred Walk of Champions: Custom Bronze Plaques

THOROUGHBRED WALK OF CHAMPIONS, ARCADIA, CA

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 The newly installed Thoroughbred Walk of Champions was inaugurated with a festive community ceremony a few weeks ago on Huntington Drive near the Santa Anita Racetrack in California.  Spearheaded by local volunteer fundraisers, the walk of fame features an initial 67 custom bronze plaques set into the sidewalks. This bronze inset Walk of Fame will be expanded over future years to continue to commemorate the long history of horse racing in Arcadia and the West Coast.

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CREATE A CUSTOM WALK OF FAME!

Each bronze inset recognizes a different horse, jockey, trainer, owner or other notable who has made significant contributions to California racing.  Listed inside the decorative horse shoe are the accomplishments and awards of each honoree.  Sixty of the 67 installed panels commemorate Cornerstone Champions, representing the deceased jockeys and horses.  These cornerstone champion plaques feature a small cornerstone emblem in the lower right corner of the plaque in addition to the birth and death dates of the honoree.  The remaining seven plaques honor the 2014 living inductees, which will be added to yearly.  

Among many distinguished guests was Jockey Laffit Pincay, Jr., shown with his honorary bronze inset at the opening ceremony above.  In addition, the devoted volunteer fundraising committee was introduced and congratulated for the successful project for Downtown Arcadia that will be enjoyed for years to come. (Sandy Snider, Gail Marshall, and Beth Costanza are shown below with the inaugural bronze dedication plaque commemorating Santa Anita park).

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As proven by this great project, Walks of Fame featuring custom bronze plaques can be a long-lasting source of pride for a community. 

Walk of fame projects:

  • Work in series, guiding visitors through a section of town.

  • Are expandable in future years.

  • Promote tourism.

  • Promote community pride and local interest.

  • Are educational and honor individuals and events.

  • Commemorate donors and aid in fundraising campaigns.