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Blue Star Memorial Highways
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Molly Tenney, FFGC Chairman
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"BLUE STAR MEMORIAL HIGHWAYS"
Endorsed by Florida Federation in 1945
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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
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