Description
What is this pin?
A small enameled metal pin shaped like the brown wooden entrance sign at Scotts Bluff National Monument. The design uses the standard NPS arrowhead-era look: brown background, white “Scotts Bluff National Monument” lettering, and the National Park Service shield. Made by L.W. Bristol Classics, a family-run manufacturer in Bristol, Tennessee that produces lapel pins, patches, and hiking medallions for parks around the country.
The reverse has a brushed metal finish. A tack pin and clutch on the back let it sit flat on a hat brim, jacket lapel, daypack strap, or lanyard.
About the sign series
This pin is one of three Scotts Bluff sign pieces BHPFA carries, all from the same artwork:
- Scotts Bluff Sign Pin (this item, approximately 1″ x 1/2″, lapel pin)
- Scotts Bluff Sign Patch (sew-on or iron-on patch)
- Scotts Bluff Sign Hiking Medallion (larger, designed for hiking sticks and walking staffs)
L.W. Bristol Classics produces sign-shaped souvenirs for National Park Service sites across the country. The format is consistent enough that collectors can line up pins from different parks side by side and have them read like a row of trailhead signs.
Specifications
- Pin size: approximately 1″ x 1/2″ (die-cut sign shape)
- Weight: 0.2 oz (pin only)
- Construction: Enameled metal, colored design on front
- Reverse: Brushed metal finish
- Backing: Tack pin with clutch
- Manufacturer: L.W. Bristol Classics (Bristol, TN)
- Country of origin: Unknown, needs HQ verification
About Scotts Bluff National Monument
Scotts Bluff National Monument sits in the western Nebraska panhandle near Gering, on the south side of the North Platte River. The bluff rises about 800 feet above the plains. For decades it was the most recognizable landmark on the Oregon Trail, the California Trail, and the Mormon Pioneer Trail. Wagon trains coming up the Platte saw the bluff from miles out and used it to track their progress west.
The monument was proclaimed in 1919 and protects roughly 3,000 acres. Today visitors can drive the 1.6-mile Summit Road to the top, hike close to four miles of trails (including the Saddle Rock Trail from the visitor center to the summit), and see the William Henry Jackson art collection at the visitor center. Jackson photographed and painted the bluff while traveling the trails in the 1860s and 1870s; his work is part of why the place became a monument.
Who is this for?
Visitors. If you drove the Summit Road, hiked Saddle Rock, or stopped at the visitor center, this pin marks the trip in a small wearable form.
Sign-pin and park-pin collectors. The brown-sign format is one of the most collected styles in NPS memorabilia. Collectors building out the Oregon Trail or western-Nebraska section of the country pick this up alongside Agate Fossil Beds and Chimney Rock pins.
Gift buyers. On a presentation card, it works as a small gift, stocking stuffer, or add-on to a larger order. No wrapping needed.
Frequently asked questions
What does the design show?
The pin is a miniature of the brown National Park Service entrance sign at Scotts Bluff. White “Scotts Bluff National Monument” lettering with the NPS shield on a brown background. Same look you would see when you drive into the park.
How big is the pin?
Approximately 1 inch wide and 1/2 inch tall, in the die-cut sign shape. About the size of a standard small lapel pin.
How does it attach?
Tack pin back with a removable clutch. Push the post through fabric, then slide the clutch onto the post. Works on hat brims, jacket lapels, lanyards, daypack straps, and vests.
Is there a matching patch and hiking medallion?
Yes. The same sign artwork is available as a Scotts Bluff Sign Patch and a Scotts Bluff Sign Hiking Medallion. The patch fits jackets, packs, and Junior Ranger vests; the hiking medallion is sized for walking sticks and staffs.
Can I get my Passport stamped at Scotts Bluff?
Yes. Scotts Bluff National Monument is an NPS site, so it has a Passport to Your National Parks cancellation stamp at the visitor center. BHPFA also sells the Passport to Your National Parks Classic Edition if you are building a stamp collection. Other BHPFA partner sites with Passport stamps: Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, and Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.
What other Scotts Bluff items does BHPFA carry?
Beyond the sign series, BHPFA carries Scotts Bluff books, maps, postcards, and apparel at the monument visitor center store and online. Browse the Scotts Bluff store section for the full lineup.
Does buying this support national parks?
Yes. BHPFA is the official nonprofit partner of Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Scotts Bluff National Monument, and Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, as well as the Black Hills National Forest and Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands. Proceeds from every purchase support education programs, conservation projects, and visitor services at these sites.
Related Scotts Bluff items
- Scotts Bluff Sign Patch (same sign artwork as a patch)
- Scotts Bluff Sign Hiking Medallion (same sign artwork, sized for walking sticks)
- Passport to Your National Parks Classic Edition
- Browse the full Scotts Bluff store
