▁Congress ▁to ▁p ave ▁it ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁four - lane ▁road ▁in ▁North ▁Char l eston . ▁The ▁town ▁of ▁St . ▁Stephen ▁held ▁a ▁day - long ▁celebr ation ▁for ▁R ivers ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁and ▁named ▁the ▁secondary ▁road ▁that ▁ran ▁from ▁St . ▁Stephen ' s ▁Epis cop al ▁Church ▁to ▁the ▁house ▁he ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁as ▁M end el ▁R ivers ▁Road . ▁ ▁A ▁seven - story ▁office ▁building ▁located ▁across ▁Me eting ▁Street ▁from ▁Mar ion ▁Square ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁L . ▁M end el ▁R ivers ▁Federal ▁Building ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁The ▁building ▁was ▁vac ated ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁following ▁damage ▁by ▁H urr icane ▁F loyd ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁purchased ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁by ▁a ▁private ▁developer ▁( and ▁it ▁later ▁became ▁a ▁hotel , ▁The ▁D ew berry ). ▁The ▁L . ▁M end el ▁R ivers ▁Element ary ▁School ▁in ▁Alt us , ▁Oklahoma ▁was ▁named ▁for ▁R ivers ▁because ▁he ▁prevent ed ▁the ▁Alt us ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base ▁from ▁closing ▁by ▁making ▁it ▁the ▁location ▁of ▁the ▁training ▁school ▁for ▁the ▁C - 5 ▁Gal axy . ▁Char l eston ▁Southern ▁University ▁hon ored ▁R ivers ▁contin ual ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁institution ▁by ▁naming ▁its ▁college ▁library ▁as ▁the ▁L . ▁M end el ▁R ivers ▁Library ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁ ▁R ivers ▁was ▁adm ired ▁by ▁some ▁soldiers ▁who ▁rep a