KentuckyRoads.com - Daniel Boone Descendants Furious over Parkway Name Change; Former Gov. Nunn Offers Cumberland Parkway as Compromise

Daniel Boone Descendants Furious over Parkway Name Change; Former Gov. Nunn Offers Cumberland Parkway as Compromise

Posted: 30-Aug-2003 6:52PM CDT

Topics: [Adair County] [Barren County] [Clay County] [Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway] [Daniel Boone Parkway/Hal Rogers Parkway] [Laurel County] [Leslie County] [Metcalfe County] [Governor Paul E. Patton] [Perry County] [Pulaski County] [Russell County]

A group representing the descendants of Daniel Boone has launched a PR campaign to express their outrage over the renaming of the Daniel Boone Parkway as the Hal Rogers Parkway. For the first time, a spokesman for Gov. Patton admitted that the governor recommended the name change to the Transportation Cabinet.

Former Gov. Louie B. Nunn has offered a renaming compromise. He has proposed renaming the Cumberland Parkway in honor of Congressman Rogers. In 2000, the state legislature renamed the Cumberland Parkway the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway in honor of the former governor without his consent. Nunn says the signs on the parkway could easily be changed to honor Hal Rogers.

More information: Associated Press: Descendants furious over removal of Daniel Boone's name from Kentucky highway (Aug. 23, 2003) , Associated Press: Former governor offers compromise to restore Daniel Boone's name to Kentucky parkway (Aug. 27, 2003)

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Comment posted by BJ on 7-Sep-2003 9:34PM CDT

Another mistake in judgement for Governor Paul Patton! Really, where are the Governor and Transportation Secretary Codell's brains in this matter. Their lack of understanding the impact that Daniel Boone had on Kentucky is astounding! Maybe they need to sit down and read a book about Kentucky's history. Daniel Boone put Kentucky on the map. Across this state, country and many parts of the world the name Daniel Boone is synonymous with the brave, adventurous frontiersman image. Children grow up viewing him as a proud hero and lover of the wilderness. Daniel Boone was a great man, a historic figure and deserves to keep his name on the Daniel Boone Parkway. Travelers from out of state passing through realize when they see the Daniel Boone Parkway signs that they are traveling through or near the area that Daniel Boone traversed. Why throw away this unique plus we have for our area? No one from outside eastern Ky will know who Hal Rogers is. Money does not equate with being a hero.I support the descendants of Daniel Boone in their efforts to retain the name of Daniel Boone on the parkway. Many others I have spoken too in eastern Ky feel the same way. We were not asked for our opinions on this matter, only told after the fact. Hal Rogers is going to hurt himself in the long run. I have lost respect for him. He is just another politician with a huge inflated ego. We need a petition started to force the Kentucky Dept. of Transportation to reverse this decision. Apparently, Hal Rogers does not have enough integrity to do anything other then sheepishly pretend its out of his hands. Keep the name Daniel Boone on the parkway as a way to honor a true environmentalist and lover of nature!

Comment posted by Jeff Scism, San Bernardino California on 20-Sep-2003 7:36AM CDT

As a erson involved in this from the BOONE side, and an active campaigner let me put this in perspective.
Senator Nunn has been quoted as referencing our letter writing campaign, in an aside to former Governor Collins, both of whom have highways named fter them by Governor Patton:

"There's been a great upscuttle about the naming of roads," Nunn
said. "I suppose, Governor Collins, by tomorrow or the day after
tomorrow, be prepared, because there will be

some critic who's made no contribution to the state of Kentucky, whose name is
only imprinted on the men's restroom in an invitational way,

who will send some letter about what has occurred."

The ONLY group he can be referening is the Boone Society. Since The Boone Society president lives in Arkansas, and I and others also live outside Kentucky, doesn't mean that we are less concerned over this issue.

The Daniel Boone Parkway is the ONLY highway that had been previosly named in honor of a person. It may be "honorable" to Mr. Rogers to name a highway for him, BUT to UN-name one already honoring a person of Boone's
stature is insulting to Mr. Boone's descendants and other relations, myself included.

Jeff Scism

Comment posted by J. N. TRUITT on 20-Sep-2003 8:06AM CDT

THIS OUTRAGE CAN BE SETTLED HONORABLY IF HAL ROGERS WOULD MOST KINDLY REFUSE TO HAVE THE DANIEL BOONE PARKWAY RENAMED FOR HIM. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY ASININE FOR SUCH A THING AS THIS TO HAPPEN FROM THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION DIRECTIVE. THE DANIEL BOONE PARKWAY SHOULD REMAIN THE ROADWAY BETWEEN LONDON AND HAZARD. THAT WOULD SOLVE ALL THE ISSUE THAT HAS EVOLVED INTO AN OUTRAGE OVER THIS PROPOSAL BY THE GOVERNOR OF KENTUCKY. IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN THOUGHT OF TO TAKE DANIEL BOONE'S NAME OFF THE PARKWAY - EVER!

LET THE HONORABLE HAL ROGERS TAKE HIS HAT OFF AND TELL THE GOVERNOR HE DOES NOT WANT THE DANIEL BOONE PARKWAY NAMED FOR HIMSELF, AND SHOULD THE GOVERNOR INSIST, FIND ANOTHER PARKWAY TO NAME IN HONOR OF H.R. - BUT PLEASE, PLEASE KEEP THE DANIEL BOONE PARKWAY NAMED AS IT HAS BEEN FOR ALL THESE YEARS - AND P.S. USE SOME OF THE MONIES COLLECTED IN THE TOLL BOOTHS TO REPAIR THE ROADWAY!

Comment posted by Ched Fine on 21-Sep-2003 6:33AM CDT

I have been following this controversy with great interest. First, I agree with the critics that the Daniel Boone Highway should
not be renamed.
But, beyond that it seems to me to be wrong to name any highway (or indeed building, bridge, forest, etc) after any living
person. The honor of a naming should be confered by history, and then only after that history has had time to be valued
or devalued. No one knows at this time if Mr. Rogers is really renowned, or whether he will in fact be forgotten 3 days after his
death. Perhaps he will not even be remembered that long. After all, a naming is not so that we will remember that person,
but to honor someone who is remembered anyway.
Having said that, it is also very egocentric for a living person to accept the honor of a naming. That, I suppose, answers the
question, does it not. If Mr. Rogers is so egotistical that he will accept this honor, nothing more can be said.

Comment posted by Darwin Singleton on 27-Sep-2003 1:25AM CDT

Having grown up in Eastern Ky and having driven the route for all of my adult life, imagine my shock when I saw the first sign at London while returning home for a summer visit from Alabama. Were I Mr. Rogers, I would be as disguested. So much for tourism and heritage. I would hate to go into the history books as the man who threw Daniel Boone off the Kentucky map.
Fix it. Now.

Comment posted by Pamela Boone on 3-Oct-2003 1:42AM CDT

Both as a descendant of Daniel Boone and as a resident of Eastern Ky I am disgusted by the decision to remove Daniel Boone and simply replace him with a living person. I always thought the idea was to ADD to history not REPLACE it!!! I understand that people are greatful for what Mr. Rogers has done for Eastern Ky however, does this mean that what Daniel Boone did all those years ago is no longer important? Would anyone be so bold as to replace the Lincoln Memorial with a Clinton Memorial? Would we tear down the Vietnam Memorial and totally disrespect their contribution to our nation and replace it with a memorial honoring veterans of another war? I think not!!! I have no problem with honoring new heroes but if we must name a road after Mr. Rogers why not give him the new road being built between Laurel County and Jackson County? Dismissing what our forefathers did is what is wrong with our country today!!!

Comment posted by Resident of Hazard on 12-Feb-2004 10:48PM CST

A sad day for Kentucky. Apparently Hal Rogers has such an inflated sense of self and an overriding need to see his name on signs that he will not do the decent thing and ask to have his name removed from consideration on the Daniel Boone Parkway. (Wasn't there a guy over in Iraq who also had a narcissistic image of himself and had his name on buildings & airports, and his pictures plastered throughout the cities?) Congressman Rogers already has streets, buildings, water parks, etc. named after him. Still, selfishly Rogers wants his name on the parkway signs even if Daniel Boones name goes back up too. It really makes you wonder about his personality.Evidently, he has been advised that this will "blow over" after awhile and people will forget it. Congressman Rogers should be ashamed to continue with this after a recent poll conducted by the Somerset Commonwealth Journal showed that 98% of respondents thought the parkway should keep the lone name of Daniel Boone . And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Anyone interested can go to the Hazard website and see what the people around here think of this issue and Hal Rogers. Never again will I or any member of my family cast a vote for Hal Rogers. This will not be forgotten. Our local politicians are a bunch of cowardly sell outs for the almighty dollar. Their silence speaks volumes of why Appalachia has had to struggle so hard to move forward.

Comment posted by on 25-Jul-2004 7:26AM CDT

Updated: 25-Jul-2004 7:26AM CDT