MYSTERY ANSWER

The meaning of Blue Star Memorial Highway goes back a half century. During World War II, the blue star was a symbol placed in the homes of families who had a son or daughter serving in the military.

In 1945, the National Council of State Garden Clubs suggested the idea of a Blue Star Memorial Highway program to honor service men and women. The memorial highway would also encourage roadside beautification.

The system began with one east-west and seven north-south highways. Garden clubs along the way were invited to participate. Each club purchased the memorial plaque for its county or region. Texas Garden Clubs joined the program early. The Texas Highway Department agreed to install and landscape the memorial sites.

Cass County would have two memorial highways. These two are U. S. Highway 59 from Houston to Texarkana and State Highway 155 from Palestine to Linden. The U.S. 59 memorial marker for Bowie County is on the west side of U.S. 59 close to Lake Wright Patman.

The marker for State Highway 155 was placed in 1976 by Linden Garden Club, Cass County Historical Society and the WWI Veterans and Ladies Auxiliary The site chosen was two miles west of Linden City limits.

Joe W. Lovelace of Linden was master of ceremonies for the Oct. 31, 1976, installation. County Judge Bennett Hill welcomed guests who included Kim Dowd, Lori Rich and Toni Cates of the Linden-Kildare High School Band providing music; Fred McClung of the historical society leading the Pledge of Allegiance; and prayer by Rev. John Birkelback of the Linden United Methodist Church.

Congressman Sam B. Hall Jr. gave a history and purpose of the memorial highway marker program. Then, Mrs. Ted Eders, president of the Linden Garden Club, presented the marker to the state. Mr. and Mrs. M. D. Humphrey unveiled the marker. Mrs. Bill Curry, Mrs. Virgil Hawkins, Mrs. Ola Hall and Mrs. B. H. Hooten were also present.

In coming years, the Blue Star plaques began to include rest areas, scenic turnouts and road-side parks.

Some years later, a better plan was needed for the Highway 155 marker. The speed limit had risen along this highway from 55 to 70 miles per hour. There was a property owner s drive directly across from the memorial turnoff bringing safety concerns. Some damage occurred to the site and marker, perhaps by people turning off here for reasons other than to read the marker The land owner, the local history society and the Linden Garden Club all agreed upon a plan to move the memorial marker to the Cass County Courthouse where it will more likely be seen. The land owner agreed to pay for the cost of refurbishing the marker itself. TxDOT would take down and re-install the marker.

Often there are individual histories connected with each Blue Star marker. Cass County’s marker would seem to encourage this remembrance.

In this 1978 Cass County Sun newspaper photo, boys of Den 2 Pack 39 of the Cub Scouts help beautify the Blue Star Memorial Highway site on Highway 155. Led by Lynn Foster, scouts included David Doss, Brent Foster, Scot Madden, Alan Foster and Darin Hill.