Marked by a Cross
Montana’s Highway Memorials
These crosses are a sobering reminder of a fatal traffic accident, a place where a human being lost his or her life.
- Greg Harbac
Written by Charlie Denison
Photography by Stu Hoefle and Contributed by Greg Harbac
Labor Day 1952 was a particularly deadly holiday weekend, when six people lost their lives in traffic accidents near Missoula. Floyd Eaheart, of Montana American Legion Hellgate Post No. 27, wanted to do something about it, something to recognize these tragedies that would also help prevent more grief in the future.
The result is something Montana drivers see as they travel on state highways, city streets and side streets: cross-shaped fatality markers.
For the past 67 years, American Legion posts throughout the Treasure State have made it their mission to place these crosses where a life was lost.
“These crosses are a sobering reminder of a fatal traffic accident, a place where a human being lost his or her life,” said Greg Harbac, a Marine Corps veteran and fatality marker coordinator for Bozeman’s American Legion Post No. 14.
When the Montana American Legion White Cross Highway Fatality program started in July of 1953, its goal was to spread a message. According to the original press release for the project, the crosses “stimulate reverence, sorrow, sympathy, curiosity and caution … they affect us all to one degree or another.”
Montana is the only state to have such a program.
Harbac recalls some of these crosses having a direct effect on him when he was a child in Miles City. One night in particular often comes to mind.
“I still remember my dad telling my mom, ‘Careful — remember, this is Dead Man’s Curve,’” Harbac said, referring to a particularly dangerous stretch of road west of Fallon.
“There were seven crosses on that curve … one for each traffic fatality.… It was jaw-dropping.”
To this day, Harbac’s jaw continues to drop when he sees the crosses on Montana roadways, and he’s not alone. Such a response to seeing the crosses, he added, is an intended effect, one that can perhaps make a difference, one that can perhaps save a life.
“The white markers serve as a public service message, reminding people to ‘please drive carefully,’” Harbac said. “They are a way to remind drivers in Montana to remain vigilant.”
“The veterans who place and maintain the crosses continue to age, and there are no younger veterans stepping up to take it over. If you are a veteran and a member of the American Legion post or are willing to join one and would like to keep the program alive, contact your local post.”
That’s why, for the past 10 years, Harbac has been highly involved with the Fatality Marker Program, serving as a volunteer for seven years before becoming the program coordinator.
Having a hand in installing and maintaining these fatality markers means a lot to Harbac. When he returned to Montana following his career in the Marine Corps, he wanted to do something to give back, to make a mark somehow. When the opportunity arrived to get involved with the Fatality Marker Program, he didn’t hesitate. It’s a way to recognize the fallen and keep the public out of harm’s way.
Harbac is hands-on with the process. He is often the one putting up new markers in Gallatin County.
“I get the GPS coordinates from the Montana Highway Patrol, get in the car, look for paint spots where the wheels stopped and make sure we have put the marker in the right spot,” he said.
When Harbac places a cross in the ground, he takes a moment.
“Each time I put a cross up, I reflect on the fact this was a real human being who lost their life,” he said.
He also keeps this in mind when he repaints and replaces crosses, many of which are located off secondary roads.
“There’s been an alarming increase in driving-related fatalities on secondary roads,” he said.
For this reason, Harbac wants the crosses to be visible, but he doesn’t want them to create a distraction. It’s important for the cross to get the attention of the driver, but in a “subtle yet effective” way.
“This is a highway safety program, not a memorial,” Harbac said. “We encourage people to express themselves, but we respectfully ask that the fatality marker itself not be adorned as that reduces visibility and defeats the purpose of this safety program.”
Ultimately, the crosses function as a way to remember the lives of individuals no longer with us while also encouraging those on the road to avoid suffering the same fate.
“Every one of these markers represents someone’s mother, father, uncle, daughter, son or friend,” Harbac said. “If we can prevent even one fatality by someone pausing and maybe laying down their cell phone or not drinking to excess, then it’s been worth doing.”
Since the Fatality Marker Program’s inception nearly 70 years ago, Montana Legion members have put up more than 3,000 fatality markers, and the numbers continue to climb, in large part because there are more cars on the road. Many of these drivers, however, appear distracted.
“Look around and you’ll see a driver holding a cell phone in one hand, gesturing with the other hand using their knees to hold the steering wheel in place,” Harbac said. “There were 212 fatalities in 2020 alone, and at the rate we’re going this year, we could see significantly more. That’s why it’s important to remember driving is a privilege, not a right, and it’s not always just about us.”
Every one of these markers represents someone’s mother, father, uncle, daughter, son or friend. If we can prevent even one fatality by someone pausing and maybe laying down their cell phone or not drinking to excess, then it’s been worth doing.
- Greg Harbac
This being the case, Harbac believes the Fatality Marker Program is perhaps more important than ever, and it’s getting more difficult to sustain. Help is needed.
“This program is in danger of becoming a thing of the past,” Harbac said. “The veterans who place and maintain the crosses continue to age, and there are no younger veterans stepping up to take it over. If you are a veteran and a member of the American Legion post or are willing to join one and would like to keep the program alive, contact your local post.”
Those who are not associated with the military or the American Legion can send a donation to their nearest American Legion Post for the Fatality Marker Program.
For more information on the program, call (406) 324-3990 or go to www.mtlegion.org.
