(Editor’s Note: Brown road signs, officially known as recreational and cultural interest guide signs, mark national parks, historic landmarks, museums, forests and cultural sites rather than a single compiled master list of individual physical sign locations.)
Franklin County resident Scott Mugno and his wife Sharon, having both retired, embarked on their retirement ‘Brown Road Sign Tour,’ from Northwest Alabama to the Pacific Northwest, decided to no longer race by the many brown road signs on our interstates and roads. Instead, when they can, they stop and visit these wonderful sites of historical significance.
And they strongly encourage you to do the same. As Scott said, “we live in a great country and these brown road signs point us to sites that remind us how proud we should be of our great country and its people.”
This is the first installment in a new series in the Franklin Free Press, the ‘Brown Road Sign Tour,’ with Scott and Sharon Mugno. We’ll start with some locations close to home, but the series will have no borders. It will take you to wherever Scott and Sharon have visited.
As our nation celebrates its first 250 years, there’s no better time to join the ‘Brown Road Sign Tour.’ Enjoy!
Scott Mugno next to an image of the great Jesse Owens.
In April 2026, Sharon and I visited the Jesse Owens Memorial Park in Danville.
Located about 40 miles from Russellville, it has a first-class museum and is truly a hidden gem.
We don’t know why it came as a surprise how well it was done and how much information was presented. Overall, it was very professional and laid out very well.
Of course we knew Jesse Owens’ Olympic story and success, but his life before and after was just as impressive and interesting.
Much of the museum is told in the first person by Jesse Owens himself through exhibits videos and pictures. His wife and family also did a wonderful job telling his story after his death at this museum.
I learned that Jesse Owens became a Boy Scout as an adult, after his Olympic success. Of course, his upbringing and the times prevented him from doing so when he was young. However, his post-Olympic success put him on a path to convince every child they were not ordinary; all were special. Becoming an adult Boy Scout gave him an audience of young boys to tell his story and encourage them to do their best.
Before our visit I didn’t recall his Ohio State University days, his close relationship with his coach or the trials and tribulations of college track and field for a young, talented Black man in that era. It was as impressive as his Olympic success.
Perhaps I was too young to ever see them or remember them, but his Wheatley and Adidas commercials were a pleasant surprise.
There is a recreation of the long-jump pit built outside the museum. I did my best to beat Jesse Owens’ Olympic long jump and thought I did great.
But Sharon called foul…