Signed in purple and marked with purple signs, Minnesota dedicates highway to Prince
A seven-mile stretch of highway in Minnesota will be dotted with purple signs to honor its native son, Prince. On Tuesday, May 9, Governor Tim Walz signed a bill dedicating Minnesota Highway 5 to the late singer. Walz used purple ink to solidify the significance of the dedication.
The Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway will pass through the suburbs of Eden Prairie and Prince’s hometown of Chanhassen. The highway also passes Paisley Park estate, the 65,000-square-foot museum dedicated to the “When Doves Cry” singer.
In true Prince fashion, the road signs that mark the highway will be purple instead of the standard green. Associated Press mentioned the singer’s family and fans would pay for the markers.
The House passed the bill unanimously on April 21, the seventh anniversary of Prince’s death. It landed on the governor’s desk for signature after the Minnesota Senate approved the legislation 55-5 on May 4.
Gov. Walz told Associated Press this was the “coolest bill signing” he’s ever done.
“Like so many Minnesotans, I’m just proud that Prince called Minnesota home,” he said. He stated that the highway dedication is just “a small recognition” of the singer, songwriter, arranger and instrumentalist.
Waltz said the innovative singer is part of the state’s “shared cultural identity that really does transcend generations. He continued to share his admiration for Prince, describing the musician as a “global icon” and “creative genius.”
The city’s lawmakers had the opportunity to soak in the artist’s greatness as they toured Paisley Park at the bill signing. The compound showcases his infamous purple guitars, pianos and other notable artifacts from his career.
The seven-time Grammy winner was 57 years old at the time of his death. Prince made his debut in music in the late 1970s and went on to sell more than 100 million records worldwide. His hits, including “Little Red Corvette” and “1999,” led him to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.
Martie Bowser is a journalist and public relations professional in Charlotte, NC. She enjoys amplifying the voices of POC and women that fill a void within their community. Her bylines include “person of interest” interviews, small business highlights, pop culture commentary, entertainment features, and everything Beyonce.
This story was originally published May 10, 2023 at 3:40 PM with the headline "Signed in purple and marked with purple signs, Minnesota dedicates highway to Prince."