Blue Star Memorial Markers

 THE  PROGRAM

Have you ever heard of the National Garden Clubs Blue Star Memorial Marker program or have you seen Blue Star Markers along highways or in parks?

The history of The Blue Memorial Marker program is that it originated with a garden club in New Jersey in 1944 and soon after NGC adopted the program.

This nationwide living memorial projected a ribbon of dedicated highways across the country in every state with markers at appropriate locations such as state lines, entrances to towns, intersections and rest areas.  A blue star should be the centerpiece of the memorial sign.  This was chosen because it symbolized the blue star on the World War II service Flag, which hung in so many homes of service men and women as a tribute.

Garden Club members immediately responded to this program.  The first step in placing a marker was to petition the state legislature to designate a section of highway in that state as a segment of the Blue Star Memorial Highway.

The State Legislature designated U.S.1 as Florida's first Blue Star Memorial Highway in 1947.
Our first Blue Star Memorial marker was dedicated on May 30, 1949 in Key West’s Bay View Park.  U.S. I was officially dedicated as Florida’s only Blue Star Memorial Highway on March 17, 1950 in Wayside Park a few miles north of St. Augustine.

Nine years later, the Florida Legislature authorized the Chairman of the State Road Department (now the Department of Transportation) to designate other highways, also, as Blue Star Memorial Highways.
This was done as a result of a request, by resolution, by Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc.

Upon approval, garden clubs could then buy a marker and plan the landscaping at the memorial site.  NGC policy favored naturalistic plantings of diversified indigenous trees and shrubs to blend with the existing landscaping at the location.  The site would have to meet with the approval of the state highway commission and the highway department.  When completed, the Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker, with the appropriate plantings, would identify the memorial route.

While it originally began to honor World War II veterans, it enlarged its mission.  In 1951 it expanded to include all men and women, who had served, were serving or would serve in the armed forces of the United States.

Through the years three different types of Blue Star Memorial Markers have been adopted.  They are The Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker which can be placed along dedicated highways.  The second is the Blue Star Memorial Marker which can be placed on other than dedicated Highways, such as National cemeteries or Veterans Medical Centers.  The third is the Blue Star Memorial By-Way Marker which is a plaque intended for garden settings, such as parks and civic and historical grounds.

These markers have been placed on highways from the Atlantic to the Pacific, including Hawaii and Alaska.  Garden club members can be proud of them for they not only honor our service personnel but they utilize appropriate plantings being sensitive to the landscape needs of the area.  It serves to remind us of the stature  and the vision of NGC to embrace such a meaningful project.
   
After what has happened recently in our nation it was very timely to place a Blue Star Memorial Marker.   Watch for Blue Star Markers as you travel the country.  It's just another great program sponsored by National Garden Clubs.
       
The Current list of U.S. Highways designated as Blue Star Memorials now includes: U.S. 1, 17, 19, 41, 90, 92,  98.