Committee hears bill to designate 29 "Historic Trails of Missouri"; tourism director says economic impact unclear

Representative Wilson introduced House Bill 510, which would designate a set of historic trails in Missouri, listing 29 routes that include Native American trails and statewide corridors such as the Katy Trail.

Wilson said the list mixes well-known routes and lesser-known tracks and argued the designations would help commemorate Missouri’s history and promote recreation and tourism. "This is the historic trails of Missouri bill," Representative Wilson said, adding that the bill includes Native American trails that the sponsor said should be recognized "because...this is part of our history."

Stephen Fouts, director of the Missouri Division of Tourism, testified for informational purposes. Fouts said some routes — for example the Way of American Genius — follow Highway 36 and link hometowns of figures such as Mark Twain and Walt Disney. He told the committee the main likely benefit of designation is "name recognition" and that he could not put a dollar value on expected tourism returns without further analysis: "It would be hard to put a dollar amount on that at this time. I think without a little more due diligence on my part."

Committee members asked several questions about specific lines in the bill and about cost and sign placement. Members sought clarification on how trails that cross state lines would be handled; Wilson said the bill contemplates including trails that run through Missouri even if they extend beyond the state and deferred questions about sign placement and budget to the Department of Economic Development and the tourism director. On whether signage for trails not wholly contained within Missouri would be placed, Wilson said the Department of Economic Development "shall place signs at the department's discretion."

Committee discussion also addressed culturally sensitive names on the list. Representative Wilson and other members discussed the inclusion of a route described in the bill as the Potawatomi "Trail of Death," with Wilson saying the listing was intended to acknowledge hardship and heritage. He said he was told the route "is actually quite beautiful" and that the designation would "give a nod to their history and their heritage within our state."

The committee took no formal vote during the public hearing. The hearing record includes the sponsor’s answers and testimony from the tourism director; no fiscal impact estimate attributable to the bill was supplied by the tourism witness during the hearing.