On Saturday Morning, 11/11/2023, at 10:00am, Veterans Day was celebrated, at Wausau, Florida
Shared History by: Lucinda Simonson
I’d like to share with you the history of our Blue Star Marker here in Wausau.
In January, 2011, at the monthly Wausau Garden Club meeting, Geraline Tharp brought up the idea for a Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker in Wausau, to honor her brothers and others who had served in World War II. The club voted to pursue the project and enlisted the assistance of the Wausau Development Club. The National Federation of Garden Clubs provided information about the process and procedures to obtain the marker. Then a publicity and fund- raising campaign was held and over $1300 was raised for the project.
In July, the club was notified that the legislature had designated Highway 77 from Hwy 22 north to Interstate 10 as a memorial highway. John and Shirley Walsingham provided a space on a corner of their property at Glen Ave and Hwy 77 to place the marker. On November 11, 2011 the marker was dedicated in a ceremony involving Vernon ROTC, local veterans, community officials and garden club members. When plans to four lane Hwy 77 were finalized DOT determined the marker had to be removed from its location. It was put in storage in March 2018. The club approached the city council and requested them to provide a new location for the marker. It was temporarily located near the north boundary of this lot. After the construction of the new firehouse and the relocation of the Possum Monument the Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker was moved to this hopefully permanent location.
