Blue_Star_Memorial_Highway

Blue Star Memorial Highway

Blue Star Memorial Highway

U.S. highway designation


Blue Star Memorial Highways are highways in the United States that are marked to pay tribute to the U.S. armed forces. The National Council of State Garden Clubs, now known as National Garden Clubs, Inc., started the program in 1945 after World War II. The blue star was used on service flags to denote a service member fighting in the war. The program has since been expanded to include Memorial Markers[1] and Memorial By-ways (since 1994).[2] These markers are used in National Cemeteries, parks, veterans facilities, and gardens.

Blue Star Memorial Highway marker on Interstate 81 northbound near New Market, Virginia

List

Alabama

  • Scenic Highway 98, Baldwin County starting at MontroseDaphne city line and traveling north through Montrose
    • Sponsored by the Montrose Garden Club
    • Dedicated April 18, 2015 in a ceremony held at Knights of Columbus Hall
  • US 31 just north of Prattville

Alaska

Marker in Anchor Point, Alaska

Arkansas

  • I-30; Marker is at the Arkansas Welcome Center on East-bound I-30 just outside of Texarkansa.
  • There also is a marker at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro Ar,
  • Interstate 55 at the Arkansas Welcome Center in Blytheville AR. Mile marker 68 southbound.

California

Colorado

Delaware

Florida

Perry, Florida

Georgia

Brunswick, Georgia
  • I-75 at the Georgia Welcome center near Ringgold.
  • I-75 at the Georgia Welcome center in Lowndes County.
  • I-75 at the Georgia Rest area in Cook County.
  • I-75 at the Georgia Rest area in Dooly County.
  • I-75 at the Georgia Rest area in Monroe County.
  • I-75 at the Georgia Rest area in Turner County.
  • I-95 at the Georgia Welcome center near Savannah.[9]
  • SR 13 (Buford Highway) between Rest Haven and Buford
  • SR 13 (Buford Highway), Cornelia
  • Lumpkin Street near the University of Georgia, Athens
  • Covington (Hwy 36) Monticello Street SW at Church Street
  • In front of the Thomas County Courthouse, Thomasville
  • Along GA27/US341 in front of the Appling County Public Library, Baxley, Appling County
  • Along GA37 in Fort Gaines, Clay County
  • Along GA35/GA133 in Moultrie, Colquitt County
  • In Riverfront Park, Albany, Dougherty County
  • In Marshes of Glynn Overlook Park, off US 17, Brunswich, Glynn County
  • Along US19 in roadside park, Mitchell County
  • Along GA18/US41 in front of the American Legion buildings in Forsyth, Monroe County
  • Along GA153 in Ellaville, Schley County
  • Along GA38/US84 in front of the Screven City Hall, Screven
  • Along GA3/GA30/US19 in Americus, Sumter County
  • Along US1 in roadside park, Toombs County
  • Along GA4/US1/US23 in Ware County
  • Along US341 in Jesup, Wayne County
  • In Georgia Veterans State Park, Crisp County

Illinois

  • IL 43 (South Harlem Avenue) at the intersection of Will County Route 74 (West Laraway Road) in Frankfort in 1980.[10]
  • 95th Street & Cook Avenue in Oak Lawn; Across from Oak Lawn Village Library.[11]
  • 95th Street & Spaulding Avenue in Evergreen Park.[12]
  • Illinois Route 43 (North Harlem Avenue) at the intersection on North Avondale Avenue (approx. 6300 North)
  • East Lake Ave., Glenview Blue Star Memorial Highway and Woods.

Indiana

2/21/1950 Terre Haute H1
2/21/1950 Centerville H1
12/11/1950 G.C. of Indiana H3
8/12/1953 Indiana State G.C. ?
5/3/1971 Indiana G.C. H2
1/7/1974 Garden Clubs of Indiana H1
6/7/1978 Garden Clubs of Indiana H2
7/16/1979 G.C. of Indiana, Inc. H1
7/16/1979 G.C. of Indiana, Inc. – Southeast District H1
9/28/1979 G.C. of Indiana, Inc. – Northwest District H1
5/12/1980 G.C. of Indiana, Inc. – Central District H1
12/18/1982 G.C. of Indiana, Inc. – Southwest District H2
4/18/1985 New Castle G.C. B1
4/18/1985 Brown County G.C., Nashville, IN B1
12/9/1987 Hobart G.C., Hobart B1
4/29/1991 Southbend G.C., Southbend H1
6/20/1991 G.C. of Indiana, Inc., Pendleton H1
4/3/1992 G.C. of Indiana, Inc., Indianapolis B1
5/31/1996 Plainfield G.C., Danville B1
2/13/1997 Marengo G.C., Hardinsburg B1
3/9/1998 G.C. of Indiana, Inc., Indianapolis B1
8/24/1998 Dyer G.C., Dyer B1
1/18/1999 Dirt Diggers G.C., Paoli B1
1/28/1999 Flower Lane G.C., Columbus B1
3/4/1999 G.C. of Indiana, Inc., Hardinsburg H1
3/22/2000 G.C. of Indiana, Inc. B1
1/8/2001 Peru G.C. B1
6/12/2002 Come into the Garden B1
5/19/2003 Terrace G.C. B1
7/21/2004 Cultivating G.C. H1
2/10/2005 G.C. of Marion H1
5/6/2005 Central District of IN H1
10/11/2005 G.C. of Indiana, Inc., District II B1
12/22/2008 Vale of Paradise, Valpariso H1
7/13/2009 Portage G.C., Gilbert Park, Portage, IN B1
1/10/2012 Westwood G.C., VFW Post 1114, Evansville B 1
4/30/2012 G.C. of Indiana, S. Dan Jones Rd., Avon H 1
6/22/2013 Gibson County Fairgrounds, Princeton/Green Thumb Garden Club of Princeton, Inc. M1
8/1/2013 Lincoln State Park, Lincoln City/

Christmas Lake Village GC

B1
9/14/2013 Black River Rest Area on I-64 near Griff, Princeton/

Green Thumb GC of Princeton, Inc.

H1
9/14/2013 Gibson County Fairgrounds, Princeton/

Green Thumb GC of Princeton, Inc.

M1
6/1/2014 Veterans Memorial Park, 303 W. Henry St., Syracuse/ Syracuse-Wawasee GC B1
11/1/2014 Eastside Park, Eastside Park Dr., Washington/

Washington Arts & Flowers GC

B1
11/9/2014 Courthouse Square; Hwy 46-Greensburg/

Give un Take & Greensburg Nightbloomer GC's

H1
7/1/2015 Hobart Historical Society, 706 E. 4th St., Hobart/

Hobart Garden Club

B1
3/2/2016 200 W. Main St., Winamac IN/Iris‐Elm GC BBy‐Way/1
4/11/2016 Civic Center, 200 Block Main St., Sullivan IN/Sullivan County Garden Club IN BBy‐Way/1
4/20/2016 9301 Madison‐Crown Point, IN/North West District/ The Garden Club of Indiana, Inc. BMemorial/1
4/19/2016 1 Matter Park Circle, Marion IN/

The Garden Club of Marion IN

BBy‐Way/1
6/16/2016 Corner of Manor Ave. & Ridge Rd., Munster IN/ North West District; Munster Garden Club BBy‐Way/1
6/16/2016 R.L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, 1481 W 10th St., Indianapolis IN/ The Garden Club of Indiana; Indiana's2016 Bicentennial BMemorial/1
4/12/2017 Wellfield Botanic Gardens, Elkhart IN/The Four Winds Garden Club BBy‐Way/1
7/23/2017 Gateway Drive/HWY 50 East along sidewalk(east)/ Washington Arts & Flowers Garden Club Bhighway/1
7/23/2017 Crown Point Courthouse Square – Corner of Court & Joliet St – SW of Lake County Court House, Crown Point IN BBy‐Way/1
5/5/2019 Clay Township Government Center, 10701 Twp. Gov. Center, Indianapolis IN 46280/Broad Ripple Garden Club BHighway/1
Fall/2020 Boonville Courthouse, Courthouse Square, Boonville, IN/ Boonville GC, The Garden Club of Indiana, Inc BBy‐Way/1
5/31/2021 Wolf Lake Memorial Park, 2324 Calumet Ave., Hammond, IN/ The GC of IN, Inc, NW District GMemorial/1

Iowa

Kansas

Smith Center Garden Club National Garden Clubs Roadside Park

Kentucky

Louisiana

More information Date, Location ...

Maine

The history of Blue Star Memorial Highways in Maine, according to Maine Garden Clubs:

• 1946 — Garden Club Federation of Maine adopts program.

• 1947 — U.S. Route 1 designated as Maine's Blue Star Memorial Highway. This covered 546 miles from Fort Kent to Kittery.

• 1957 — U.S. Route 1 and U.S. 1-A, starting at the junction of Route 1A and 1 in Stockton Springs and extending via Bangor and Brewer to the junction of Route 1A and 1 in Ellsworth, are designated as Blue Star Memorial Highways.

• 1972 — U.S. Route 2, including Skowhegan, and state Route 3, are designated Blue Star Memorial Highways. This gave Maine 952 miles of Blue Star Memorial Highway.

• 1974 — State Route 157 and U.S. Route 201, from the junction of Route 1 at Brunswick to the Canadian border near Jackman, is designated a Blue Star Memorial Highway, giving Maine a total of 1171.6 miles of designated highway.

• 1981 — The new entrance to Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Augusta is designated a Blue Star Memorial Highway.

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Nebraska

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

A paved blue star and historical marker at the southbound I-95 Welcome Center in Pleasant Hill, NC
I-77 rest area, near Mooresville, NC
Milepost 41 Westbound Buncombe/Henderson County Rest Area (dedicated on July 18, 2008).[22]
Milepost 68 Westbound Welcome Center.[22]
Milepost 82 Westbound McDowell County Rest Area.[22]
Milepost 136 Eastbound Catawba County Rest Area.[22]
Milepost 364 Duplin County Rest Area (dedicated on April 6, 2005).[22]
Milepost 105 Southbound Welcome Center (dedicated on July 21, 2006).[22]
Milepost 181 Southbound Welcome Center.[22]
15th Avenue Place SE, in Hickory.[22]
New Hamlet Senior Center, in Hamlet (dedicated on October 18, 1984).[22]
Hay Street at Freedom Memorial Park, in Fayetteville (dedicated on March 3, 1956).[22]
Milepost 282 Northwest Visitor Center (dedicated on September 14, 2010).[23][24]
Near City Hall towards Camp Lejeune, in Jacksonville (dedicated on May 27, 1984).[22]

Oklahoma

  • Blue Star Memorial By-Way, dedicated by the Dogwood Garden Club of Red Fork, Oklahoma to recognize military personnel for their service to the United States of America and the many service men and women have passed through Tulsa during their time in defending the country. Location: Route 66 Historical Village, 3770 Southwest Blvd, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Oregon

Milwaukie, Oregon
Milwaukie, Oregon
  • Blue Star Memorial Rose Garden, Veterans Administration Healthcare System, Roseburg, Oregon. Location: Interstate 5, Garden Valley Blvd exit, west on Garden Valley. left(South) on Centennial Dr.-VA Roseburg entrance. Blue Star Memorial is located on the corner of Centennial Dr & NW Veterans Way.
  • Washburne Wayside, Highway 99W, north of Junction City.[25] Blue This marker is no longer here. The State sold the land and the marker was removed.
  • Corvallis, Oregon on 99N, to the left of the entrance ramp on to road leading to I5
  • Santiam Pass, Oregon Hwy 20 at Tombstone Wayside.
  • Albany, Oregon, Waverly Park, Albany (28) Located right off I-5 and the entrance to Albany, Dedicated June 1, 1991.
  • Alsea, Oregon, Alsea Memorial Garden (29) BWM Located in Alsea, close to OR Hwy 34, Dedicated June 21, 1991.
  • Albany, Oregon, Linn County Veterans Memorial (63) Located in Albany's Timber Linn Park, off I-5, Dedicated May 17, 2008.
  • Lebanon, Oregon, Edward C Allsworth Veteran's Home (81), Dedicated July 20, 2017
  • Milwaukie, Oregon, Milwaukie Bay Park, On 99E
  • Ontario, Oregon, Oregon Trail Rest Area on I-84 West exit 377

Pennsylvania

At the Sideling Hill rest area
Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker - Media PA

Rhode Island

  • Dedication held on October 8, 2013. Portsmouth Free Public Library, 2658 East Main Road, Portsmouth, Rhode Island
    (First Town in Rhode Island to place a Blue Star Memorial Marker.)

South Carolina

Milepost 0 Eastbound Welcome Center.[29]
Milepost 92 Eastbound Kershaw County Rest Area.[29]
Milepost 89 Southbound Welcome Center.[29]
Milepost 0 Northbound Welcome Center.[29]
Milepost 103 Southbound Welcome Center.[29]
At the northbound I-95 South Carolina Welcome Center in Hardeeville, South Carolina.
Milepost 4 Northbound Welcome Center.[29]
Milepost 194 Southbound Welcome Center.[29]
At York Street and Richland Avenue intersection, in Aiken.[29]
West end of the Gervais Street Bridge, in Columbia.[29]
On South Carolina State Capital grounds, in Columbia.[29]
Near Sesquicentennial State Park entrance, north of Columbia.[29]
At Hampton Park, in Camden.[29]
SC 151 intersection, in McBee (dedicated on April 14, 1953; rededicated on May 23, 2011); it was the sixth established blue star in the state.[30][31]
Near North Carolina state line, in Chesterfield County.[32]

Tennessee

Virginia Blue Star Memorial Highway.

Texas

  • Tarrant County - FM 1220 (Boat Club Road) just south of WJ Boaz Road
  • U.S. 59 from Houston to Texarkana (designated 1976)
  • FM 3188 from State 94 to its end at Camp Olympia in Trinity County (1983)
  • U.S. 271 from Paris to Gladewater (1978)
  • U.S. 287 from the Anderson-Houston county line to the Johnson-Ellis county line (1976).
  • U.S. 385 from Big Bend National Park north to the Oklahoma state line north of Dalhart (1976).
  • State 155 from Palestine to Linden (1975)
  • U.S. 77 from the Oklahoma state line at Gainesville to Denton, then via other highways the New Mexico state line (1947 and 1953).
  • SS 496 at Avondale from its junction with U.S. 287 southeasterly via Saginaw, Fort Worth and Kennedale to its junction with U.S. 287 in Mansfield (1988)

Virginia

Milepost 0 Northbound Carroll County Rest Area (dedicated on May 30, 2005).[35]
Milepost 0 Northbound Greensville County Rest Area.[36]
  • U.S. Route 1 in Fairfax County[37]
  • Virginia State Route 3 in Lancaster County (effective on July 1, 2011).[38][39]
  • U.S. Route 301[clarification needed] from the Maryland State Line to Business U.S. Route 301 north of Bowling Green; thence via Business U.S. Route 301 to U.S. Route 301 south of Bowling Green and via Richmond, Colonial Heights, Petersburg and Emporia to the North Carolina State Line. (General Assembly 2-24-48) [40]
  • U.S. Route 15 in Fluvanna County, on the campus of Fork Union Military Academy.
  • U.S. Route 17 in the City of Chesapeake, running south from Route 64 down to the North Carolina border. The highway was dedicated on May 24, 2017.

Washington

  • Old Pacific Highway, Vancouver, Washington. Oldest and newest (having been removed, restored and re-dedicated) Blue Star Memorial Highway Memorial Marker in state of Washington. Located at Covington House.
  • Gateway Park, Interstate 90, Otis Orchards. Rest stop and park on the Washington side of the Idaho/Washington state line on Interstate 90. Sign located East of the buildings toward the car parking.
  • Green Lake Park, N. 69th Street and Aurora Avenue North on the west side of highway in Seattle. Restored Blue Star Memorial Highway Memorial Marker.
  • Veterans' Hospital on Beacon Hill, Seattle. New Blue Star Memorial Marker dedicated on August 5, 2016, at the garden main entrance to the hospital by the Greater Seattle and Chinook Districts of the Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs and affiliate of the National Garden Clubs, Inc.
  • Gee Creek Rest Area, I-5 at Ridgeview, Washington by Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs

Long Lake Garden Club in Port Orchard maintains a Blue Star marker at Retsil Veterans Home and Hospital in Port Orchard

  • Hwy12 Mossyrock Dam North Recreational fishing area parking lot. What 3 words address ///absence.outwit.misled
  • Hal Ramaley Memorial Park in Oak Harbor, WA. The Oak Harbor Garden Club maintains a Blue Star Memorial By-Way sign within the park.

Wyoming

Routes in Wyoming designated as Blue Star Memorial Highways include Interstate 25 (markers at Southeast Wyoming Information Center, exit 4, and at Chugwater Rest Area, exit 54), Interstate 80 (marker at Ft. Steele Rest Area, exit 228), I-25 Business Route through Douglas (marker near downtown on Yellowstone Highway), U.S. Route 85 (marker at Mule Creek Jct. Rest Area, mile marker 196). Blue Star Memorial markers are also located in Cody, Riverton and Worland.

See also


References

  1. Lysiak, Jennifer (January 21, 2011). "Contract still in the works for LVAC". Metrowny.com. Archived from the original on January 28, 2013.
  2. Unrine, George; Laird, Judy. "Blue Star Memorial Highways & Byways". California Garden Clubs, Inc. Archived from the original on November 20, 2010.
  3. Morris Communications, The Milepost, 59th edition, page 635, ISBN 978-189215421-7
  4. "2008 Named Freeways, Highways, Structures and Other Appurtenances in California" (PDF). California Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
  5. "U.S. 40 (Colfax) in Denver, Colorado - Blue Star Memorial Highway Markers on Waymarking.com". www.waymarking.com. Retrieved January 2, 2011.Marker at Abbie Duston Roadside Park.
  6. "History and Current Status of: The Blue Star Memorial Highways". National Remember our Troops Campaign. Archived from the original on January 6, 2015. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  7. "List of Designated Roads in Florida" (PDF). Florida Department of Transportation. September 12, 2019. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  8. "Blue Star Locations by State". National Garden Clubs, Inc. 2012. Retrieved September 20, 2014.
  9. "Blue Star Memorial Program". National Garden Clubs. Archived from the original on May 25, 2014.
  10. "Evergreen Park Blue Star Memorial Highway". The American Legion. March 27, 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  11. "New Home for Blue Star Markers". INSIDE. Iowa Department of Transportation. January 2009. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  12. Barkley Regional Airport
  13. "MN Blue Star Markers". mngardenclubs. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  14. "North Carolina Memorial Highways and other Named Facilities" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 19, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
  15. "NCDOT: NC Blue Star Memorial Marker Locations". Archived from the original on May 22, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
  16. "The Record". Archived from the original on July 3, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
  17. "Tarheel Guardsmen December 2010/January 2011" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 23, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
  18. Visited.
  19. "Blue Star Memorial HighwayHistorical Marker Database". Blue Star Memorial Highway. Retrieved July 15, 2009.
  20. "Waymarking.com". Waymarking.com. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  21. "South Carolina Garden Club - Blue Star Memorial Program". Archived from the original on November 10, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
  22. "The South Carolina Garden Club, Inc". Archived from the original on March 25, 2012. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
  23. Tennessee Code, Title 54, Chapter 5, Part 10, Section 54-5-1001
  24. United States Geological Survey (1991). White House, Tennessee (Map). Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  25. "Virginia.org". Virginia.org. Archived from the original on July 8, 2009. Retrieved July 15, 2009.
  26. "Flickr: Blue Star Memorial Highway - Skippers, Virginia". July 30, 2010. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
  27. Virginia DOT Press Release Archived January 16, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, October 4, 2005
  28. "SB 780: Recordation and Grantor Taxes" (PDF). Retrieved December 27, 2011.
  29. "Designated Interstate and Primary Route Numbers, Named Highways, Named Bridges and Designated Virginia Byways (Route Index)" (PDF). Virginia Department of Transportation. May 14, 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 1, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2022.

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