WV 10 ~ Oceana, West Virginia
N 37° 41.342 W 081° 37.347
17S E 445120 N 4171495
A Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker along highway WV 10 in Oceana sponsored by Hemlock Hills Garden Club in cooperation with Oceana Women's Club and West Virginia Garden Club, Inc.
Waymark Code: WMVJAF
Location: West Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 04/24/2017
Views: 4
A Blue Star Memorial Highway marker was unveiled during Veterans Day ceremonies in Oceana, located across from the Veterans Memorial in Gilliland Park.
The Blue Star Memorial Highways project serves as a tribute to the armed forces that have defended the United States and those currently serving.
The National Garden Clubs is the parent organization for national project, which dates back to 1944 when the New Jersey State Council of Garden Clubs beautified a six-mile stretch of U.S. 22 from Mountainside to North Plainfield.
The Blue Star, taken from the blue star in the service flag, was chosen as the symbol because it was used during World War II on flags and homes of families that had a son or daughter in the service.
"Oceana Woman’s Club sponsored the project with donations from members as well as Oceana First Baptist American Baptist Women’s Ministries, First Century Bank, Hometown Auto/NAPA, Robert Toler of Autrey and Toler, Devonna West of Westside Pharmacy, Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Short, Sons of the American Revolution, Daughters of the American Revolution, Dr. F.P. Short, Dean’s Auto Repair, MountainHeart, Goodson’s Supermarket, and Belcher’s Cleaners."
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"The first West Virginia Blue Star Marker was dedicated in Weirton on May 27, 1970. It was lost during road construction in 1972. Gauley Bridge Garden Club voted to place West Virginia’s second Blue Star but was vetoed by the D.O.H. Vesta Van Meter and Beulah Hash dedicated the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Blue Stars in 1986 (on the new interstates) and won the NGCSC Award. Van Meter loaned this chairman her invaluable award book to copy. Huntington, Charleston, and Princeton dedicated #5, #6, and #7. The first seven were large markers. Also, Ann Sampson installed the Princeton Blue Star as a wall mount, which was the first of its kind in West Virginia.
Mary Booker, Roadside Development/Blue Star Chairman under Ann Sampson (1991-93) received a wonderful gift from Mrs. Carl Michael, a former West Virginian in Sun Valley, CA, in honor of her father. Mary requested that five garden clubs sponsor Blue Star Memorials in the December 1992 issue of WV Garden News, and Huntington Garden Club was the first to respond. Mrs. Michael gave another gift under Patty Hudson/Sandra Walters (1993-95). Mary Frances Snyder/Jane H. Lundblad (1995-97) completed the dedication of the Mrs. Carl Michael Blue Stars with the exception of the Emma Scott Garden Club of Elkins. Judy Guye, mayor of Elkins, noted that it was not dedicated until 2000 because of Corridor H Road difficulties. Approximately 14 Blue Star Markers were placed with this gift from 1993 until 2000."
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