[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 64 (Wednesday, May 8, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E615]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        RECOGNIZING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GREAT RIVER ROAD

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                             HON. RON KIND

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 8, 2013

  Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to celebrate the 75th 
anniversary of the Great River Road; one of our Nation's most historic 
and extensive scenic byways.
   Spanning nearly 3,000 miles from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, the 
Great River Road traces its origins back to a time when Franklin 
Roosevelt was President and the automatic transmission was the cutting 
edge of automotive technology. In 1938, governors from 10 States came 
together to form the planning commission for what was initially 
envisioned as a continuous national parkway extending along the entire 
length of the Mississippi River. Over the next two years the U.S House 
of Representatives Committee on Public Lands held hearings to authorize 
a feasibility study of the parkway concept. While popular, the idea was 
soon overshadowed in the wake of the Second World War.
   More than a decade passed before a feasibility study was finally 
completed by the Bureau of Public Roads in 1951. Finding the 
construction of an entirely new parkway to be too expensive, the study 
offered an alternative proposition; the development of a scenic route 
built from the existing network of rural roads and highways that 
meandered and crisscrossed the Mississippi River. This route, now known 
as the Great River Road, is a testament to the cooperative effort of 
States and the Federal Government working together with local 
communities to preserve the many historic features and natural beauties 
of the Mississippi River Valley.
   Today the Great River Road offers travelers not just a leisurely 
scenic drive but a unique and lasting journey through diverse 
communities and landscapes; from charming river towns to lush forests, 
from bluffs to the delta, from big city to sprawling rural vistas. The 
Great River Road is truly a national treasure. It is with great pride 
that I rise today to commemorate the 75 years of hard work and 
dedication that have gone into developing and preserving the Greater 
River Road so that it will continue to serve as a gateway to the rich 
heritage of the Mississippi River for future generations.

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