Jefferson Davis Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jefferson Davis Park |
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Jefferson Davis Park
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| Type | Roadside park, Memorial park |
| Location | Ridgefield, Washington, U.S. |
| Operated by | Sons of Confederate Veterans, United Daughters of the Confederacy |
| Open | 24 hours |
| Status | open |
| Website | https://scvpacnw.wordpress.com/jefferson-davis-park/ |
Jefferson Davis Park is a small, private park located near Ridgefield, Washington. It features granite markers from the Jefferson Davis Highway. This highway was named after Jefferson Davis, who was the president of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War.
The park is run by a group called the Sons of Confederate Veterans. They see the park as a way to honor Jefferson Davis. However, many people have different feelings about the park. Some find it meaningful, while others believe it is not appropriate. The park has faced controversy and has been damaged several times. Some groups have asked for the flags at the park to be taken down.
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Park History
In 2006, a group called the Sons of Confederate Veterans wanted to keep a stone marker honoring Jefferson Davis on public land in Vancouver, Washington. When they were not able to do this, they bought a piece of land in 2007. This land was next to Ridgefield, Washington, and close to the busy Interstate 5 highway.
The park officially opened in April 2008. At the park, you can see the Vancouver stone marker. Several versions of the Confederate flag fly over the markers, including the Bonnie Blue Flag.
Another stone marker from Blaine, Washington, was also moved to this park. Efforts to remove this marker from public land began in 2002. This happened after people found out that the highway was never officially named after Davis by the state of Washington.
About the Jefferson Davis Highway Markers
In 1913, a group called the United Daughters of the Confederacy started a project. They wanted to name a route across the southern United States as the "Jefferson Davis Highway". Later, this highway was extended to include U.S. Route 99 along the West Coast.
Stone markers were placed at both ends of the Washington State part of U.S. Route 99 in 1940. These markers honored Jefferson Davis. However, the state never officially approved this naming. The markers were later removed from public land. Their future was uncertain until the Sons of the Confederacy bought the land for Jefferson Davis Park.
In 2016, the Washington State Legislature voted to rename part of U.S. Route 99. They asked the state transportation commission to call it the "William P. Stewart Memorial Highway". This was to honor William P. Stewart, an African-American volunteer during the Civil War. He later became an important person in the town of Snohomish. In May 2016, the transportation commission agreed to this renaming.
Vancouver Marker Stone
In 1998, an official in Vancouver, Washington, quietly moved the Jefferson Davis Highway marker. It was taken from near Covington House and placed in a cemetery shed. Four years later, this action became a topic of discussion.
The marker was moved two more times. Eventually, it was placed in Jefferson Davis Park. The park owners wanted to give the marker a permanent home there. One of its temporary homes was at the Clark County Historical Museum in 2002. Also in 2002, the marker was approved to be added to the county's historical register. It was re-approved in 2007 when it moved to its current site. However, in October 2017, a decision was made to remove the marker from the historical register.
Blaine Marker Stone
The marker stone in Blaine, Washington, was removed in 2002. This happened because State Representative Hans Dunshee and city officials found out that the highway was never officially named after Davis by the state. Both the Blaine and Vancouver markers are now located in Jefferson Davis Park.
In 2002, the Washington House of Representatives voted to remove Davis's name from the road. However, a committee in the Washington State Senate later stopped this proposal.
