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I have been coming to this park for years and never really knew about this so I thought it was interesting!
In Small altoids tin. Happy caching!
The History of the Blue Star Memorial Highways Project
The Blue Star Project began back in the early 1940's when one garden club in New Jersey wanted to honor the young men and women who had so ably and willingly served their country in World War II. Being gardeners, they didn't want a cold stone or bronze monument, but a warm, living memorial of plants and trees, which would beautify its surroundings - for this memorial honors the living, as well as those who gave their lives.
These ladies persuaded the New Jersey Legislature to dedicate a six mile stretch of Highway 22 in 1944 as a memorial drive to our Armed Forces, and, through subscriptions of $1.00/tree, lined both sides of the highway with 6,000 native Dogwood trees. What a breathtaking sight that must have been each spring and fall!
This project was the seed of our nationwide project, which continues to this day. The New Jersey Highway Department official these ladies worked with was Spencer Miller Jr., who, as speaker at the National Council of State Garden Clubs' 1945 Convention, described the project and proposed a national network of dedicated highways. It was enthusiastically adopted, and a design for the marker, based on the Blue Star Service Flag, displayed in the homes of families with member in the Armed Forces, was created.
A committee of National Council Ladies worked with the highway officials of every state and developed a national highway network which had at least one highway through each state, and began working with the state legislatures to get them dedicated. Meanwhile, garden clubs across the nation got busy raising funds to purchase the markers (only $100.00 each at the time!), and working with local highway officials to get them placed. There are now over 70,000 miles of dedicated highways, including Alaska and Hawaii.
The project mission, to honor World War II veterans, was later enlarged. In 1951, the policy was extended to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served their nation, are now serving, or will serve in the future.
There are now three types of markers: the Memorial Highway Marker, found alongside roadways and at rest stops; the Blue Star Memorial Markers found at veterans' hospitals, national cemeteries, etc.; and Blue Star By-Way Markers which can be placed in any appropriate garden setting
Colorado was the first state to formulate and undertake a Blue Star Memorial project for development under the capable leadership of Ruby Neal, who chaired the project for 25 years. Colorado's first dedicated highways were U.S 40, U.S. 24, U.S. 85, and U.S. 87. The first marker was dedicated at the Utah border at Dinosaur, Colorado in 1947. Others followed at our borders near Cheyenne, Wyoming, Cheyenne Wells, Colorado, and at Raton Pass. All are still in place. Altogether, 23 more markers have been dedicated, many in the 50's, 60's, and 70'. Sadly, three of them have disappeared and several have been vandalized.
It is a great honor for a highway to be designated "Blue Star", and it is the wish of NGC and the CFGC that the fact should be recognized and appreciated by all persons concerned with such highways. The Blue Star Memorial Marker is appropriated in every respect to present the efficiency and dignity of the nation's highways.
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