|
|
Texas Capital Chapter 1919 Austin, Texas
e-mail:
|
|
|
|
THE PURPLE HEART TRAIL
|
 |
|
Background Information
The Purple Heart Trail was established in 1992 by the Military Order of the Purple Heart to be a symbolic trail throughout all 50 states to commemorate and honor all men and women who have been wounded or killed in combat while serving in the U.S. armed forces. The Purple Heart Trail originates in Mount Vernon, Va., and traverses the United States to California. More than 20 states have implemented the trail, including Hawaii. The trail has also been implemented in Puerto Rico and Guam.
Texas Trail
A ceremony establishing the portion of Interstate 35 in Texas as the Purple Heart Trail, the first Purple Heart Trail in the state, was conducted on Saturday, September 3, 2005 at 10 a.m. in Laredo, Texas. State Senator Leticia Van de Putte (District 26) sponsored the bill (SB678) to establish the Purple Heart Trail in Texas.
Other than it taking a while for all the signs to be put up at selected locations on I-35 between Gainesville on the Red River and Laredo on the Rio Grande, nothing much has changed until 2011. Two additional segments were added to the “Texas Purple Heart Trail” by the latest (82nd) Texas legislature upon their passage of Senate Bill, SB-1311, which was then signed into law by Texas Governor Perry on June 17, 2011, bearing an effective date of September 1, 2011. Those two segments are IH-40 across the Texas Panhandle; and the major route from San Antonio to South Padre Island (that portion of IH-37 from its intersection with IH-35 in San Antonio, to State Highway 77 near Corpus Christi, then following 77 south to State Highway 100, and then Highway 100, to Park Road 100, and Park Road 100 for its length on South Padre Island). Texas Department of Transportation, TxDOT, is requiring $25,212 for 16 new signs to mark the two new segments, and again the Military Order of the Purple Heart (Department of Texas) is responsible for raising the money for this purpose. Although donor pledges have been made, at present zero actual dollars have been received and to reiterate what has already been said above, yes, donations are welcome at any time in any amount.
More about the IH-40 segment across the Texas Panhandle: Interstate-40 spans the nation from North Carolina to California and all the other states along that route have previously designated their segments of IH-40 as a Purple Heart Trail. So, now a ceremony is being planned for sometime in March 2012 officially placing our first Texas sign on IH-40 in the Panhandle and thus completing the last link in what will be a coast-to-coast National Purple Heart Trail.
About the segment to South Padre Island: A ceremony is being planned to officially recognize that opening in January 2012.
What's Next? ACTION ITEM
The Military Order of the Purple Heart Department of Texas will fund the purchase of highway signs similar to those shown at the top of this page which should be placed every 100 miles on the entire length of I-35 in Texas and the additional sections added in 2011. The Texas Department MOPH has suggested a $5 "donation" from each member to fund this project, as well as help from other generous donars. Please help with this effort and send your contribution to Ray Diaz, MOPH 1919, 612 W. Annie St., Austin, TX 78704-4102. Please be sure to annotate your check with "Texas Purple Heart Trail". You can contact any of our officers about donating to this project.
|
|
Updated 12-23-2011 |
