Eisenhower's Legacy: Colorado's Infrastructural Influence

Have you ever noticed that many Colorado infrastructures are named after President and First Lady Eisenhower? Why?

I-25 in Colorado is part of the Eisenhower Interstate System.Photo byPublic Domain and Colorado Martini Publishing LLC

I-25 is part of Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways

In the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1973, Congress named a transcontinental highway after Dwight D. Eisenhower, to commemorate the route of the extraordinary U.S. Army's 1919 convoy.

Since many of today’s highways were not in existence in 1919 (as can be seen in the pictures below), the Eisenhower Highway does not follow a single highway. Instead, it follows the following combination of highway segments that roughly follow the 1919 convoy route. They go as follows across the United States:

I-270 between the Capital Beltway and I-70 in Frederick, Maryland.

I-70 to I-25 in Denver.

I-25 to I-80 at Cheyenne, Wyoming.

I-80 to San Francisco.

1919 Army ConvoyPhoto byEisenhower Presidential Library

The official name of these segments is “Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.” By law they are supposed to be called by this official name. Why Eisenhower? Because you owe the interstate system to President Eisenhower. He is considered the "Father of the Interstate System."

It took years before signs were erected with the name. Think about it, did you know that the sections in Denver and Wyoming were the “Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway?” Have you ever seen a sign saying that? It does appear on Google Maps when you zoom in. Let us know in the comments if you knew or have seen a sign.

Eisenhower Interstate System signPhoto byPublic Domain

The first sign with the official name finally appears October 14, 1986, in the tourist information center off I-70 (westbound) in Kansas City, Kansas. Susan Eisenhower, the former President's granddaughter, was in attendance. "My grandfather considered the interstate system as among his most lasting achievements. Today, on what would have been his 96th birthday, we can be thankful for his foresight and perseverance."

In 1990, an amended bill passed both Houses of Congress and President Bush to rename the system to "Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways." Try putting that on a sign and remembering its name.

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1919 Convoy

In the summer of 1919, a young Lieutenant Colonel named Dwight D. Eisenhower, 81 Army vehicles, 24 officers, and 258 enlisted men embarked on the first Army transcontinental motor convoy. In 62 day, they crossed the United States from Washington, DC, to San Francisco, which covered a distance of 3,251 miles. Click to see video.

The convoy was to test the mobility of the military during wartime conditions. Lt. Col. Eisenhower learned the difficulties faced in traveling great distances on roads that were impassable and resulted in frequent breakdowns of the military vehicles. These early experiences influenced his later decisions concerning the building of the interstate highway system during his presidency.

Why is the Eisenhower Tunnel named after Eisenhower?

The Eisenhower Memorial Tunnel in Colorado was originally going to be called the Straight Creek Tunnel. This name was from the valley where the west portal is located.

On April 4, 1969, President Eisenhower died. In September 1969, Governor Love proposed to rename it after the former president in his honor and devotion to bring American an interstate highway system.

More articles on the Eisenhowers in Colorado: Colorado-Raised First Lady and Her Historic Denver Home

Mamie D. Eisenhower Park in Denver

Eisenhower Park is named for first lady Mamie Doud Eisenhower. Her family came from Iowa to Denver for the health of Mamie’s sister. The girls grew up in Denver at 750 Lafayette Street. Her father made his money in the meatpacking business.

750 Lafayette StreetPhoto byColorado Martini Publishing LLC

Vacationing in Texas one summer, Mamie met Dwight D. Eisenhower. They married in her family home on Lafayette Street. The house eventually became the “summer white house” during Eisenhower’s presidency. President Eisenhower had his heart attack at this home and was treated at Fitzsimmons Hospital (now CU Anschutz Campus).

The Mamie D. Eisenhower Park in Denver is named in the First Lady’s honor. 4300 E Dartmouth Ave, Denver, CO 80222.