It is said that Love is eternal. To prove this Lovelock, Nevada has a unique way for lovers to express their love. Lovers Lock, situated in a park behind the historic round Pershing County Courthouse, was publicly unveiled on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14. “Lovelock is a unique town with an ingenious idea to capitalize on its name,” Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, NCOT chair, said. “Engraving a heart-shaped lock and adding it to the chain is a fun way to say, ‘I was here,’ and symbolically declare one’s love. Someday we hope to see locks throughout the town as travelers continue to add their own sign of love to the chains.”
The Chinese tradition of symbolically locking one’s love by fastening a lock on a chain began high in the Yellow Mountains, where miles of lock-laden chains snake through the landscape. Lovelock, which has a Chinese history dating back to its turn-of-the-century mining and railroad heyday, embraced the concept to give visitors a new reason to stop.
“Who would expect to discover such a unique, international attraction in the wide open spaces of Nevada?” Bommarito said. “Locking your love is a beautiful sentiment, and we hope it will entice travelers to leave a lasting symbol at Lovers Lock, and then stay and see what else this picturesque high desert town has to offer.” Lovelock’s other attractions include its unusual round courthouse, built in 1919, still used, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Travelers headed out on Interstate 80 across Nevada can visit the small, rural city of Lovelock, located 93 miles east of Reno’s newest attraction, Lovers Lock Plaza, where they'll discover a unique way to pay tribute to their devotion by follow an ancient Chinese tradition and symbolically “locking their love” by affixing a lock to a chain encircling the city’s newest attraction. This is an especially romantic idea for couples celebrating a special occasion.
Trip Planning
To plan your romantic escape, view current events, attractions, and getaway options available visit the Travel Nevada website.
By Melody Schubert