MOUND CITY – Ali Hamilton, Trading Post Museum, met with the Linn County Commissioners on Monday, Jan. 30 to ask for their support in purchasing signs for the Walter Scott Brown Memorial Highway on US 69 Highway.
Hamilton explained that Brown, from Pleasanton, was in the Navy and killed at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. His memorial is at Arlington National Cemetery.
Hamilton pointed out that while he was nationally recognized and had a Navy destroyer escort ship named after him, there was no recognition of him at Pleasanton.
She told the commissioners that she had worked with Kevin Barnes, Yates Center, and state Sen. Caryn Tyson and a few other people in Linn County to have this section of highway dedicated to Brown and that had happened a year ago. Senate Bill 313 made this renaming of the highway official on February 2022.
The state will put up and provide lifetime maintenance for two 16-foot-by-3-foot signs on US 69 highway, one northbound and one southbound, for $13,900. Hamilton asked if the county would provide the funding.
The commissioners suggested that she look for funding first from other people.
County Counselor Gary Thompson said that Casey’s gives community grants and she said might try that.
Hamilton said that John Heidrick at the Pleasanton High School is working with students to print a brochures about Brown that could be left at Casey’s and the museum. She also said that would contact Tyson to see if she could help her get grants.
Commission Chair Danny McCullough told Hamilton that he appreciated all the work that she does for Linn County.
Hamilton asked the commissioners what their plan was to update other historical signs in the county.
“We all have to kind of work together a little bit,” said Hamilton.
Hamilton said she would also check to see if the city of Pleasanton would help with the project.
Commissioner Jim Johnson said that she had mentioned GoFundMe and she might try that.
McCullough said that maybe the historical society budget could be looked at during budget time.
Hamilton said that the $12,000 Trading Post Museum received was needed to pay two employees to keep the museum open five days a week. She said they were the only museum in Linn County that is open with employees. Other ones just have a note on the door telling people to call a number if they want to go in the museum.
Not receiving any commitment from the county, Hamilton said she would check back with her progress in about six months.