Blue Star Memorial Highway A tribute to the Armed
Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana
Marker Inscription
Blue Star Memorial Highway A tribute to the Armed Forces that have defended the United States of America sponsored by Vale of Paradise Garden Club of Valparaiso, In. in cooperation with Commissioners of Porter County, Valparaiso, Indiana
Erected by National Garden Clubs, Inc.
The Story
Blue Star Memorial Highways began in 1945 as a garden-club tribute to armed-forces members, named for the blue-star service flags families displayed for those in uniform. This Valparaiso, Indiana marker was sponsored by the Vale of Paradise Garden Club with the commissioners of Porter County. It connects a northwest Indiana community to a coast-to-coast tradition of remembrance.
Why it matters
It reflects the grassroots civic tradition of honoring military service, carried out town by town across America.
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Blue Star Memorial Highway – Jasper County
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Sponsored by the North West District of the Garden Club of Indiana with the state highway commission, this Blue Star Memorial Highway marker honors the armed forces that have defended the United States. The program dates to the mid-1940s, when garden clubs began planting tributes to World War II servicemembers before widening the honor to all who have served. The blue star recalls the service flags families placed in their windows during wartime.
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