U-Haul unveils new Wyoming SuperGraphic celebrating the Powell expedition
Powell Expedition Unveiled During 2008 River Festival
On August 22, 2008, the U-Haul Company of Utah (Co. 720), along with the U-Haul Media and Public Relations Department, joined with the Green River Chamber of Commerce to unveil the newest SuperGraphic representing the state of Wyoming. More than 130 years after the first gathering on Expedition Island to watch the voyagers of the Powell Expedition embark on a journey into the unknown American west, residents of Green River, Wyoming gathered again, only this time to pay tribute to Major John Wesley Powell, as he and his voyagers now explore on the sides of U-Haul moving vans.
The official SuperGraphic unveiling event took place during the 7th Annual River Festival at Expedition Island, the park that marks the location where the Powell Expeditions began down the Green and Colorado Rivers in 1869. Marketing Company President (MCP) Mike Kemp, U-Haul Company of Utah (Co. 720), presented plaques to a large number of dignitaries representing the state of Wyoming, as well as to people from the Green River Chamber of Commerce and the Sweetwater County Museum who are involved with educating the public about John Wesley Powell and his exploits. Recipients included United States Senator John Barrasso; Senator John Hastert, Wyoming; Senator Stan Cooper, Wyoming; and from Green River: Mayor Hank Castillon; Councilman Angelo Kallas; Councilman Tom McCullough; Councilman Dan Beckermann; Janet Hartford, executive director, Green River Chamber of Commerce; and Mark Nelson, Sweetwater County Museum.
After the unveiling, everyone had fun trying to find Sammy U, the official U-Haul mascot hidden in the Wyoming SuperGraphic. Then everyone presented with a plaque was invited to sign the SuperGraphic on the truck and pose for photographs. After the unveiling, guests enjoyed the 7th Annual River Festival, a celebration of the many things residents of Green River do on and around the river.
To learn more about John Wesley Powell and his amazing journeys into the American west, please visit uhaul.com/supergraphics.