Wisconsin License Plates

[wanderlusting]

My god you aren't kidding about that. That is the worst state quarter design that exists. What's sad, is that there were other earlier designs that were much more appealing, and didn't involve farms, milk, cheese, or cows.

Ain't that the truth? It looks like the cow is going to eat the cheese, and it looks like the corn is growing right out of the cheese. What's worse is that national attention was brought to the state quarter because of a minting error. People all over the country were examining their WI state quarters to see if they had the rare one. It was embarrassing.

[JoshB]

Our qaurter is pretty dull. I think the license plates are the real problem though.

[wanderlusting]

The problem lies with the way WI promotes itself in general, on license plates and coins and in other areas too. It needs to change. The motto on the coin says "Forward", but we're not moving forward. I'm not saying we shouldn't take pride in our dairy history. I'm just saying there's so much more to us than cheese. I wasn't trying to change the topic on your thread. Sorry if you thought that.

[JoshB]

No worries wanderlusting. I get exactly what you mean.

[JoshB]

Can anyone tell me where I would have to go in order to get a contact number to someone at the DOT, to try and have them hold a contest? I think it would be cool to allow high school kids to design plates and submit there ideas.

[shannonM]

yes i agree they are quite bland but at least they changed them i remember the red was fading from the sun and they changed it to black.

[JoshB]

This thread is back from the dead!

lol jk Shannon, I see your new here. I wish the state could go in the direction of a northwoods or driftless area style plate.

[MrBiloxi]

Originally Posted by JoshB

CD members,
If you ask me, I think Wisconsin plates are kind of bland. I liked the sesquincentenial (Spelling?) plates. I thought about maybe trying to design a new plate that has to do with a certain region of the state. Maybe one called the friends of Devils Lake or something? I see states like North Carolina and Tennessee have tons of license plates offered. Any ideas for new plates?

Back in the early 80's, or maybe before (we've had the current design so long, I can't even remember when it started) there was a guy on a local Milwaukee radio station (maybe Gordon Hinkley), I think it was WTMJ, but I may be wrong, who started promoting the idea of changing the yellow and black plates. Somehow, it turned into a state contest, (during Tony Earl's administration) and the winning design is what we've been looking at for nearly 20 years. I remember seeing all of the designs in the contest printed in the paper back then too.
I do not know why we keep the same design for so long, but its ridiculous. I don't think its a money issue either. I just moved back to WI from MS, and even they, the poorest state in the nation, change there's every 5 years. The current one is really cool with the Biloxi Lighthouse on it...with a sun backdrop...the symbolism is to depict Biloxi growing out of the destruction of Katrina. Anyway, we were going to change WI plates a few years ago to yellow and black again, with a neat north woodsey theme on it, but the legislature decided against it. One of their irks was it didn't have the hokey "America's Dairyland" slogan, and, at the time, you could go to WDOT site and vote on the design, and apparently not enough people voted in the new designs favor. Consequently, they just choose to make the Wisconsin Bolder and letters in black.
I would contact the WDOT and call the local talk radio stations to see if the guy from way back when is still around, maybe he could help?
I think this is a great cause and thread, and if we can reach a point of critical mass, we can finally get rid of those ugly plates and get new ones that tell the real WI story...which is far more than cheese, milk and a stupid barn and silo.
Let me know how I may be of any assistance...and lets get this thing going!!

[JoshB]

Mr.Biloxi, Do you know what position in the WDOT we would need to contact? I would love to have a new plate soon.

[wigirl920]

Josh, I don't know how far this would get you, but here's a mailing address:

Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Hill Farms State Transportation Building
4802 Sheboygan Avenue
P.O. Box 7910
Madison, WI 53707-7910

I poked around on their site and while they have a bunch of different email addresses, they're all for specific purposes.
Contact Us - Wisconsin Department of Transportation

Just for the heck of it...special license plates: Special license plates - Wisconsin Department of Transportation