Since it is the responsibility of the local American Legion Post to see that the white markers are erected at the site of fatal traffic accidents, each one at the Montana Legion Posts is allocated a certain area of responsibility for erecting and maintaining the white crosses. Each American Legion Post is annually furnished with an instruction sheet with specifications for making the white fatality markers. Instructions are also provided for erecting the white markers at fatality sites. Annual maintenance of the crosses is stressed in these instructions and at all Legion meetings. No tax money is used in the fabrication, erection, or  maintenance of the fatality markers. However, donations for this safety program may be made to either the local American Legion Post or to the Montana American Legion in Helena.

Since the white cross program's inception, over 50 years ago, it is estimated that over 2,000 fatality markers have been erected along Montana's highways. This represents a cemetery of over 5 acres. The Montana Highway Patrol and  Mother's Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) have praised the program. Every governor has endorsed it since 1953. It has received much interest and many laudatory comments from tourists. It has achieved a certain degree of notoriety, having been broadcast on many TV stations nationally and throughout Montana and Spokane, Washington. There was a short article in the May 30, 1970 issue of Life magazine as part of a story on the highways that kill. Numerous articles have been published in Montana newspapers as well as the Boston Globe, Washington Post, Spokesman Review and The Seattle Times. The Tombstone
Travelers Guide addresses the program as well as the Active Montanan magazine.

The Montana Governor's office, the Montana Department of Transportation, and
American Legion Headquarters in Helena all receive many inquires each year from out-of- state regarding the "white cross" program. These come from almost every state in the union, and even Canada and other foreign countries. To help provide information on the Montana American Legion Highway Fatality Marker Safety Program, it will be included in the Montana American Legion web page at www.mtlegion.org/. Information will also be included in the Montana Travel Planner. A link and information will be available through the www.visitmt.com web site. Posters will also be placed in all rest stops in Montana. All highway entrances to Montana have the huge blue and white informational highway signs erected on them.

In many cases a cluster of these white crosses has been the impetus to get a section or curve on a highway re-engineered and/or re-constructed. The white crosses are a very worthwhile program and save lives.

Larry Stroklund
White Cross Chairman
Montana American Legion
larrystroklund@hotmail.com