SCOUTING YESTERDAY | Adopt-A-Highway sparks civil rights controversy in South Dakota
This week in South Dakota history: Aug. 7–13
South Dakota’s Adopt-A-Highway signs brought national attention to the state 25 years ago this week — but not for the beauty of the state’s litter-free roadways.
Instead, according to the Aug. 13, 2001, edition of the Rapid City Journal, the nation waited to see if the state would abolish the volunteer cleanup program after the South Dakota Department of Transportation turned down an adoption sign request from the Sioux Empire Gay and Lesbian Coalition (SEGLC).
The Adopt-A-Highway program originated in Texas in 1984, when a Texas Department of Transportation employee became concerned with the increasing cost of litter cleanup. He enlisted the help of a fellow employee to organize a program that included schedules, volunteer safety training, reflective vests and equipment, according to the Texas DOT.
