The Mississippi River Parkway First Project Historical Marker

The “First Project” Mississippi historical marker commemorates the initial 5-mile segment of the Mississippi River Parkway (now Great River Road) built in Wisconsin in 1953, near Trempealeau, symbolizing the start of a grand riverside highway plan from the river’s source to the Gulf. While Mississippi has many markers for its own rich history (like Civil Rights, African American history, and music trails), this specific “First Project” marker relates to the national Great River Road initiative, marking Wisconsin’s pioneering contribution to that larger vision.