Blue Star Memorial Highways pays tribute to the US Armed Forces. The National Council of State Garden Clubs started the program after World War II, according to Wikipedia. The blue star was used on service flags to denote a servicemember fighting in the war. The marker on the roadside park in Smith Center is on a huge rock facing the highway and denotes the Smith Center Garden Club. {{more}}
The roadside park has picnic tables under a covering, water, and barbecue pits. There are no restroom facilities.
Kansas began constructing roadside parks in the 1930s in the days before fast-food restaurants and convenience stores. This is according to Kansas Cyclist on the web, Randy Rasa, editor/ webmaster at Kansas Cyclist.
On the website of gcamerica.org explains: The Blue & Gold Star Memorials Program honors all men and women that serve in the United States Armed Services. This program began with the planting of 8,000 Dogwood trees by the New Jersey Council of Garden Clubs in 1944 as a living memorial to veterans of World War II. In 1945, the National Council of State Garden Clubs adopted this program and began a Blue Star Highway system that covers thousands of miles across the Continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii. A large metal Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker was placed at appropriate locations along the way.


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