Adopt A Highway

Missouri lawmakers gave final approval to legislation that would rename the "Mark McGwire Highway" in St. Louis the “Mark Twain Highway”. The bill needs the signature of Gov. Jay Nixon to become law.

This reminded me of our famous battle with the KKK over a section of highway 55 just south of the city.

They had been fighting since 1994 to adopt a section of the highway to keep clean and post their name in the process.

The MO Department of Transportation said it could refuse the use of federal money to subsidize racial discrimination.

A U.S. District Court judge ruled Missouri’s stance was unconstitutional. The 8^th Circuit Court of Appeals confirmed the finding. The state had to erect the signs announcing the KKKs sponsorship of that portion of Highway 55.

The MO Legislature voted to name that part of the highway the “Rosa Parks Highway.”

The U.S. Supreme court declined to hear Missouri’s appeal.

The Klan never cleaned their section of highway so MO threatened to drop them from the program. A Klan rep just beat the deadline by picking up bags, reflective vests and a safety video from the state. The Klan still wouldn't clean their section of highway so they were dropped from the program.

They’re currently trying to adopt a section of highway 21 near Potosi.

A few years ago I noticed a section of highway 67 in Hazelwood had been adopted by the John Birch Society.

What a strange form of advertising!