Location: Exit of fast-food drive through
Reason for Memorial: Pedestrian struck by vehicle
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“Exit 53”
Location: freeway exit median.
Reason for Memorial: single vehicle, single fatality accident.
“Blue”
Location of Memorial: in a field next to roadway.
Reason for Memorial: pedestrian struck by auto.
“Bar Room Stabbing”
Location of Memorial: in front of bar
Reason for memorial: homicide by stabbing
“Double Ejection, Double Fatal”
Location: field next to freeway.
Reason for Memorial: 2 occupants of vehicle struck by drunk driver ejected from vehicle and killed.
“James”
Location: woods next to freeway.
Reason for Memorial: single vehicle, single fatality accident.
“Colorful”
Location: ditch next to freeway.
Reason for Memorial: single vehicle, single fatality accident.
“Link”
Location of Memorial: Next to pedestrian walkway
Reason for Memorial: Homicide , gun shot wounds
“Under the Bridge”
Location of Memorial: Under Freeway Bridge
Reason for Memorial: Pedestrian vs automobile, single fatality
“Drowning”
Location: Bridge
Reason for Memorial: Single vehicle accident, victim drowned due to vehicle landing in the water.
“Two Crosses”
Location: Tree next to freeway
Reason for Memorial: Single vehicle, double fatality accident
“Sign Post”
Location: Traffic sign next to road
Reason for Memorial: Motorcycle vs Truck, single fatality
“Back Road High Speed Chase”
Located: Wooded area off of dirt road
Reason for Memorial: Single vehicle, double fatality, loss of control from high rate of speed caused by fleeing from police
“In the Woods”
Location: Wooded area near road
Reason for Memorial: Single vehicle, single fatality accident
“Murder Bears Cont.”
Location: Parking lot
Reason for Memorial: Double homicide, gunshot wounds
“Rollover Part 2”
Location: Freeway embankment
Reason for Memorial: Single Vehicle, double fatality auto accident
“Rollover Part 1”
Location: Freeway embankment
Reason for Memorial: Single Vehicle, double fatality auto accident
“Sisters”
Location: Side of the road
Reason for Memorial: Single vehicle double fatality (sisters ages 16 and 14)
“Train Crossing 2”
Location: Railroad crossing signal
Reason for Memorial: Unknown
“Red Car”
Location: Ditch next to freeway
Reason for Memorial: Single vehicle, single fatality automobile accident
“Trayvon Martin”
Location: Side of building, Gratiot Ave. Detroit
Reson for Memorial: Homicide, gunshot wound.
“Permanent Memorials 2”
Location: Next to sidewalk against fence of demolished industrial building
Reason for Memorial: Unknown
“Permanent Memorials”
This is one of the more permanent Memorials I have found and looks very similar to the “rest” or “descanso” Memorials found in Mexico and in areas with large Hispanic populations.
There are two separate Memorials about 3 feet apart, its unclear whether they are for the same person or two separate people.
Location: Next to sidewalk against fence of demolished industrial building
Reason for Memorial: Unknown
“Car vs Tree”
Location: Residential road, in front of the tree that the car impacted.
Reason for Memorial: Double fatal car vs tree, high rate of speed on a residential road.
“Caution Tape”
Location: Street light pole, side of the road
Reason for Memorial: 2 car accident, single fatality
“Under the Bridge”
Location: Under freeway overpass bridge
Reason for Memorial: Vehicle accident, double fatality
“STATE TROOPER”
Location: Next to freeway entrance ramp
Reason for Memorial: Motorcycle vs vehicle single fatality
“Cause of Death Unknown”
Location: Field next to freeway exit ramp
Reason for Memorial: Body found in field, cause of death undetermined
Film Photo
I took this film photo of the “Drumstick” memorial. Shot with an old Mamiya using 120 film.
“Drumstick”
Location: Ditch next to road
Reason for Memorial: Vehicle crossed the center line and struck a large truck, single fatality.
“South Dakota”
I first became aware and interested in Roadside Memorials when I lived in North Carolina for a few years. On one particular stretch of highway there were so many of them that they would actually cause more accidents, seemingly the people that put them up had severe cases of “Keeping up with the Jones'” and made them larger and larger which would steal other drivers attention. It finally reached a point that the State Police asked, begged and threatened people to not place them anymore. The people who didn’t listen or heed the warnings had the memorials torn down and in several cases severe fines were imposed.
Today I am posting about North Dakota who will put these grim reminders up at the site of fatal accidents the “Think” program started in 1979 is to “provide a memorial to the victim and to also remind motorists of dangerous behaviors such as driving under the influence, not wearing seat belts, speeding, and distracted driving.” The interesting fact is the state will put the signs up as soon as its notified of a traffic fatality and the family must request to have the signs removed.
“10 Feet Away, Part 2”
Location: City Park Near Road
Reson for Memorial: Fatal Accident Vehicle vs Child
(the memorials, Parts 1 & 2, were in close proximity)
“10 Feet Away, Part 1”
Location: City Park
Reason for Memorial: Homicide, Multiple Gunshot Wounds
“Arson, Detroit”
Location: Front Porch, Windows, and Painted on the House
Reason for Memorial: Double Homicide by Firebombing (Arson)
“Elmo Tree”
Location: On a tree in a neighborhood
Reason for Memorial: Homicide, multiple gunshot wounds.
“Green Ribbon”
Location: Front Porch
Reason for Memorial: Double Fatal House Fire
“Soccer Fan”
Location: Parking lot of an MLS Soccer Stadium (Columbus Crew)
Reason for Memorial: Fatal motorcycle accident in the parking lot.
“2 Lives Lost”
Location: Shopping center parking lot
Reason for Memorial: Double fatality motor vehicle accident
“Memorial Mile Part 4”
Location: Side of Road
Reason for Memorial: Hit and run, pedistrian -vs- vehicle
“Memorial Mile Part 3”
Location: Side of Road
Reason for Memorial: Car vs Tree Fatality
“Surveyor”
Location: Ditch near side of the road
Cause of Memorial: Construction crew road surveyor struck by motorist.
“Memorial Mile Part 2”
Location: Near a Swamp
Reason for Memorial: Snowmobile vs Automobile fatality
“Old White Cross”
Location: Side of the road
Reason for Memorial: Single vehicle fatality, car -vs- pole
“Memorial Mile Part 1”
Location: Side of road
Reason for Memorial: Pedestrian Struck By Vehicle
“Train Crossing”
“Train Crossing”
Location: Next to railroad tracks
Cause of Memorial: Pedestrian struck by train
“Drunk Driver”
Location: Street Corner
Cause of Memorial: 3 year old girl killed when the vehicle she was riding in was struck by a drunk driver.
“RIP Teck”
“RIP Teck”
Location: Liquor Store parking lot
Cause of Memorial: Fatal Gun Shot Wound
“Unknown #2”
Location: Sidewalk
Cause of Memorial: Unknown
“Patrón”
Location: Sidewalk
Cause of Memorial: Hit and run car -vs- pedestrian
“Red, White and Blue”
Location: Ditch on side of road
Cause of Memorial: Motorcycle accident due to loss of control.
“Simple Memorial”
Location: Sign post, side of the road
Cause of Memorial: Single vehicle rollover fatality
Location: Side of Road
Cause of Memorial: Pedestrian struck by several vehicles
Ghost Bike
Location: Side of road
Cause of Memorial: Cyclist struck by vehicle.
“High Speed Chase”
Location: Side of road
Cause of Memorial: Passenger of vehicle fleeing police, struck telephone pole.
Unknown #1
Location: Side of road
Cause of Memorial: Unknown
Simple Wreath
Location: Side of the road
Cause of Memorial: Pedestrian struck by snow plow truck
Aircraft
Location: Airport property
Cause of Memorial: Double fatality aircraft crash
Statues, Beads & Trinkets Galore
Location: Side of undivided highway
Cause of Memorial: Vehicle accident
False Grave
Location: Side of freeway
Cause of Memorial: Motorcycle struck by tanker truck
Hot Pink
Location: Corner of 2 lane road and 4 lane road
Cause of Memorial: Pedestrian struck by vehicle
“My Bitch xoxo”
Location: Side of 4 lane road
Cause of Memorial: Motor Vehicle Accident
