We took the bait and posed with the famous Portland, Oregon sign. Tourists. What can we say?

The sign, which is an integral part of the city’s skyline, was first illuminated in October, 1940. It was originally an ad for sugar, reading “White Satin Sugar” inside the state of Oregon. A decade later, it was animated to show the state fill up with sugar.

In 1957, the sign changed to advertise White Stag, a clothing company that owned the building. A silhouette of a stag was added, along with the words “Home of White Stag Sportswear.” At Christmas, a red nose was added to mimic Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer — a tradition that has continued throughout the years.

White Stag left the building by 1973, and by 1977, the sign was designated a City of Portland historic landmark. The sign was changed to read “Made in Oregon” from 1997-2010. In 2010, the city took over ownership of the sign and the lettering was changed to “Portland, Oregon.”