Lady Bird Rest Stop

Most highway rest areas don’t get more snazzy than restrooms and vending machines, but the stop along I-95 south in Dale City, VA has a special monument to commemorate her visit - a large stone that is painted a deep blue hue. The dedication ceremony took place on May 11, 1965.

This was the same year the Highway Beautification Act (also known as Lady Bird’s Bill) became law. The act called for controls on outdoor advertising along interstate highways, and the removal or obscuring of junkyards along these major roadways to improve aesthetics.

Mrs. Johnson, the first First Lady to engage directly with Congress, also worked tirelessly to raise awareness regarding the importance of maintaining National Parks.

She rolled out a platform of beautification both locally in the D.C. area and on several trips to other areas where she performed other dedication similar to the one in Dale City, and spoke out against damming the Grand Canyon and called for preservation of California redwood trees.

Lady Bird Johnson was quoted as having said “Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” The bluebonnet, state flower of Johnson’s native Texas, was one of her favorites, and the striking blue color of the monument reflects the dazzling colors with which Ms. Johnson painted the landscape through her beautification initiatives.