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FHWA By Day

A Look at the History of the Federal Highway Administration
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October 21
1966 The U.S. Postal Service issues a 5-cent Great River Road stamp, the first time a highway is honored by a commemorative stamp. In 1938, Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes initiated review of a midcontinental parkway along the Mississippi River. Under Public Law 81-262, signed August 24, 1949, BPR and the NPS studied the feasibility of the idea. Their joint report, Parkway for the Mississippi, was released on November 28, 1951. It concluded that a "Blue Ridge Parkway" type facility would be prohibitive in cost, duplicate existing highways, and miss many of the most scenic locations along the river, which are preempted by existing highways, railroads, towns, and cities. Instead, the report recommended a modified parkway or scenic road using existing highways for the most part.
IMAGE: 5-cent Great River Road stamp.
A commemorative U.S. postage stamp is issued.
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