American Legion maintains white markers despite challenges
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LAKE COUNTY — The roadways of Montana are dotted with small, steel white crosses that serve as a solemn reminder that travel can sometimes turn treacherous and deadly, but the group responsible for placing them there wants to make sure the markers themselves don’t turn into a road hazard.
Local American Legion officials install and maintain scores of white markers across Lake County as part of a larger state program, but say the common habit of loved ones memorializing the markers can cause concerns for safety.
“People do not need to change the integrity of the white marker program by painting them or decorating them, or putting names on them,” said Homer Courville Adjutant for the St. Ignatius American Legion chapter. “They are not a memorial. We replaced five on Highway 93 in the last three years and two on Highway 200 because people hit them. It’s becoming, instead of a safety program, maybe a road hazard. I wouldn’t want one of the those white crosses coming through the window.”
The St. Ignatius chapter maintains more than 30 crosses on Highway 93, Highway 200, and Highway 212. American Legions across the state manage the White Marker Fatality Program, which has planted the markers at sites of fatal crashes for the past 60 years to raise awareness about safety.
Courville said people connected to crash victims usually contact the local chapter in the area to have the markers installed. Some require major yearly maintenance because of proximity to corrosive snow melt chemicals sprayed during winter. Others just need a coat of paint. But every year, Legion members find that most of the markers have been memorialized.
Courville said it’s okay to leave some kind of decoration at the site, but that it should be at the base of the marker, and not so ostentatious as to distract drivers.
American Legion chapters try to have yearly maintenance on the markers done by Memorial Day, but the Polson chapter had volunteers out during the first week of June, trying to tidy up some of the almost 80 markers the group maintains in the area south of the Flathead County line, down to Pablo, and over to Elmo and Niarada. The American Legion Riders maintain a separate group of crosses on the eastern shore of Flathead Lake.
“We are always looking for volunteers to help out,” Polson chapter Adjutant Jeff Nelson said. “It probably takes about 50 man hours to go around and sand them off and repaint them.”
Nelson said that when his group removes memorial material during maintenance, the crew tries to leave the loved ones’ momentos at the base of the marker.
“They are a reminder for safety,” Nelson said. “It just lets people know that someone has passed away here and to be mindful.”
Ronan chapter’s Adjutant Glen Sharbono said people can contact their local American Legion Chapter or the Montana State Highway Department to get crosses installed. He is also working with the county government to see if the markers can be documented by GIS technology so a map can be created. He asked that anyone with questions about Ronan area markers contact him at 406-210-2607.
