Welcome to U-t-i-c-a

Utica has a new place for tourists to take pictures.

The village unveiled a public art display that spells out the town’s name, using the outline of Illinois in place of the “i” and featuring a bald eagle flying across the “c” and “a.”

The display is at the corner of Clark (Route 178) and Canal streets on the southeast corner of the new Village Hall and Starved Rock Country Welcome Center.

The Utica Village Board approved the purchase of the sign in February, not to exceed $15,216, with the understanding Mayor David Stewart would seek the matching funds to defray the costs to the village.

While the bald eagle is representative of the U.S., the Bald Eagle Weekend at Starved Rock State Park in late January also is one of the area’s biggest draws.

The display is across the street from another photogenic display — a large Adirondack chair with Utica written on it.