Blue Star Memorial Highway
Vancouver, Clark County, Washington
Marker Inscription
Blue Star Memorial Highway. A tribute to the Nation's Armed Forces who served in World War II. Sponsored by Wash. State Federation of Garden Clubs in cooperation with State Department of Highways
Erected by National Garden Clubs, Inc.
The Story
This marker belongs to the earliest wave of the Blue Star Memorial Highway program, founded in 1945 and here dedicated specifically to the nation's armed forces who served in World War II. The blue star echoes the service flags families displayed in their windows, one for each member in uniform. Sponsored by the Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs with the state highway department, it stands near the Columbia River at Vancouver.
Why it matters
As one of the program's original World War II tributes, this marker captures the moment a grateful home front turned its highways into lasting memorials to those who served.
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Related events
- ยท World War II
Themes & tags
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