Vintage license plates do more than identify vehicles, they tell stories. Those short phrases stamped along the bottom weren’t just decoration. They were deliberate statements of identity, pride, and purpose.
Before websites or even billboards, license plates were one of the most visible ways a state spoke.
Here are three iconic slogans — and why they still resonate.
Vacationland (Maine)
Maine adopted “Vacationland” right as road trips became a national pastime. The message was simple: escape.
Forests, lakes, cool summers, and quiet coastlines. The slogan sold a feeling more than a place. It worked so well that Maine still uses it today, making it one of the longest-running license plate slogans in the country.
Older Vacationland plates often show heavy wear, and that patina only adds to their charm.
Land of Lincoln (Illinois)
Illinois chose history over scenery.
“Land of Lincoln” honors Abraham Lincoln, who spent much of his adult life in the state. The slogan emphasized unity, character, and civic pride during a time of national change.
The Lone Star State (Texas)
Few slogans are as confident as “The Lone Star State.”
Rooted in Texas’ history as an independent republic, the phrase represents independence, strength, and self-identity.
License plate slogans captured how a state wanted to be known at a specific moment in time. Collecting plates preserves that history along with the miles, weather, and years that shaped it.
