Gov. Jay Nixon has vetoed legislation naming a portion of I-70 in Montgomery County as “Graham’s Picnic Rock Highway” because of the location’s ties to slavery.
The legislation, which had near unanimous support in the state Legislature this year, was referencing a rock visible in the meridian of the interstate, but Nixon notes in his veto message that the rock is also known as “Slave Rock” because of the widely held belief that salve auctions were held on the site.
“This designation would have elevated one history of the site above all others, thereby defining this landmark and its historical significance for generations to come,” Nixon said in a statement today. “This attempt to erase the name ‘Slave Rock’ from this site, without any public debate, cannot become law.”
The highway was to be named after Dr. Robert Graham, who owned the farm where the rock is located. According to Nixon’s office, Census records from the mid-19th century list Robert Graham as a slave owner in Montgomery County.
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"In sharp contrast to the idyllic images of picnicking travelers conjured by the name 'Graham's Picnic Rock' are the shameful scenes of human bondage represented by the rock's other name 'Slave Rock,’" Nixon wrote in his veto message.
Nixon also notes in the veto that the provision was added as a floor amendment and never had a public hearing to discuss the rock's history.
"Without a full public debate on this important issue, this bill cannot receive my approval," he wrote.
(The highway naming bill is Senate Bill 43.)
Elizabeth Crisp covers Missouri politics and state government for the Post-Dispatch. Follow her on Twitter at @elizabethcrisp.
