Frog Rock, a painted formation on Route 66 near Wayneville, Missouri, officially was added to the Geographic Names Information System database this month.
Frog Rock’s listing is here; it includes its global-positioning coordinates, a brief history, approximate location and the formation’s other name, W.H. Croaker. It is one of five Frog Rocks in the country,
The Wayneville Daily Guide posted some details on the rock’s inclusion:
According to the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) website, the database was developed by the USGS along with the U.S. Board on Geographic Names and it “contains information about physical and cultural geographic features in the United States and associated areas, both current and historical (not including roads and highways). The database holds the Federally recognized name of each feature and defines the location of the feature by state, county, USGS topographic map, and geographic coordinates.”
The newspaper noted Frog Rock recently received a new paint job, plus new supports made to resemble lily pads.
Frog Rock traces its birth to the widening of Route 66 in the area during the mid-1990s. Construction work uncovered a boulder in the side of a hill. Local artist Phil Nelson sculpted it into a frog over the course of nine months. Nelson did everything for free — the only cost to the city was sculpting tools.
The landmark also is listed on Roadside America, Missouri Tourism, and a few thousand other websites.
Frog Rock was finished in 1996, which means it marks its 20th anniversary this year.
(Image of Frog Rock in Waynesville, Missouri, by Al Turner via Flickr)