People approaching the Lake Murray dam now have a 50-foot reminder of where they are.

The Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board officially unveiled Nov. 3 the new “Welcome to Lake Murray” sign at the intersection of North Lake Drive and Lake Murray Boulevard on the Irmo side of the dam.

In recent weeks, finishing touches were made to the sign, which spells out its message in four-foot-tall letters with a backdrop of splashing water, including landscaping and the completion of a patio that includes engraved bricks that were sold to help pay for the landmark. The sign is about 10-12 feet wide and 55-60 feet long.

Before construction started,  Miriam Atria, president and CEO of the Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board, told the Chronicle that the sign would be entirely paid for by the organization, with money it generates by selling ads on its website and in its publications and through the gift store at its Lake Murray Country Visitor Center on North Lake Drive. Proceeds from the pavers, which went for $200 each, will go toward upkeep for the landmark.

“We have had over 350 families purchase engraved brick pavers,” Lake Murray Country Board Member Susan O’Cain said at the ribbon cutting. “We currently have a waiting list for phase two of brick sales. And there is plenty of room at the landmark site for hundreds more.”

Among those on hand for the ceremony were state Reps. Paula Rawl Calhoon, Chris Wooten and Chip Huggins, who cut the ribbon twice to make sure the tourism board got a good picture.

“What a wonderful asset we have with this wonderful landmark and destination of Lake Murray,” Huggins said. 

He presented the tourism board with a resolution congratulating it on installing the landmark.

The sign has long been a point of emphasis for Atria, who was sick and unable to attend the ceremony. Beyond paying for it, making the landmark a reality required getting permission from Dominion Energy, the state Department of Transportation and Lexington County.

The tourism board said it wanted to have the sign ready to go when Lake Murray hosted the Black Bass World Championship fishing event Oct. 16-22, and while not every detail was complete at that time, the letters and backdrop were in place to welcome anglers to the lake, the first place in the U.S. to host the competition.

“For years we never have known that Lake Murray needed some iconic welcome feel to it, signage,” Atria told the Chronicle in June.