Pine to Palm

You might ask, what’s the Jefferson Highway? In Clarke County, it’s known as Highway 69.

“We’re putting our support behind the effort to designate the Jefferson Highway as a heritage byway,” said Ty Wheeler, city administrator/clerk, during a Jan. 6 Osceola City Council meeting.

Historic significance

One hundred years ago, the Jefferson Highway was envisioned as the “north-south equivalent” to the Lincoln Highway, which was the first east-west transcontinental route.

In Iowa, the old Lincoln Highway is known as Highway 30.

The proposed highway would also commemorate the Louisiana Purchase and honor the president who was responsible for America’s westward expansion.

Construction on the highway began in 1916 with the route running through Manitoba, Canada, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana. A later route variant added Arkansas.

By 1926, the Jefferson Highway’s identity fell into the fate of the number system. The highway evolved into many federal highways: U.S. Highways 2, 10, 65, 66, 69, 71, 73 and 80. Interstate 35 also makes up a good portion of the former Jefferson Highway.

Heritage byway

Starting with the Jefferson Highway Association Centennial this year, there is a push to commemorate the 2,300 mile route from Canada to New Orleans, La.

An application is in process to identify the old Jefferson Highway, which is also nicknamed the “Pine to Palm Highway,” as an official Iowa Heritage Byway. The designation will acknowledge the historical significance to the early days of transportation development and to mark the route.

Upon designation, the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) will lead an effort to place Iowa Byway signs specific to the route and provide initial costs for development and installation of the signs.

Once initially installed, the DOT will maintain or replace the signs along state route sections. Cities and counties along the route will maintain or replace signs on sections within their jurisdiction.

Pine to Palm signage would be placed along the road in Clarke County near the DOT.

Road condition

However, during the council meeting, there was a concern about honoring a historic highway that needs better repair work.

“That’s a disgrace, as far as I’m concerned, to call that a heritage highway and leave it in the condition the shoulders are,” said Councilman Dan Hooper. “You know, that’s pathetic to even think about bringing tourists and visitors down through there and saying this is our Highway 69 heritage highway.”

There was a murmur from another councilman, “It isn’t what it used to be.”

“Maybe this designation will help secure more resources for the reconstruction of the highway itself,” Wheeler added.

At the end of the discussion, the council did unanimously approve the resolution to endorse the application to the DOT for the designation of the Jefferson Heritage Byway as a State Heritage Byway.

“We’re really just saying we support the effort,” Wheeler said.