Above: Youngville Station, a beautiful restoration effort on the Lincoln Highway west of Cedar Rapids. When it’s open, visitors will find great pie and a historical display. The photos here show places NOT in the radio tour. Photo courtesy of G. Januska.
Gianofer Fields of Chicago Public Radio has completed her Lincoln Highway tour, but after 5 entries (plus a launch segment), she stopped along the Lincoln only 1 of those 6 days. As she admitted on the third day, ” I’m starting to rethink my whole Lincoln Highway plan. Maybe I should forget my linear route and think of the highway as a springboard.” Here are her topics:
Launch: Burlington’s Crookedest Street
1: Eldon’s American Gothic house
2: Missouri Valley’s Welcome Center and Museum of Religious Arts
3: Elkhorn’s Danish Windmill
4: Amana Colonies
5: Le Claire’s Buffalo Bill Museum
All very interesting, but only #2 is along the Lincoln Highway. What did she miss?
Trying to think of a list as quickly as possible, I came up with:
• Smith Brothers General Store in Clinton
• Cedar Rapids Museum of Art and Grant Wood Studio
• Youngville Station (top photo)
• Lincoln Cafe and Preston’s station in Belle Plaine
• King Tower Cafe (above) and LH bridge in Tama
• Shady Oaks Tree House east of Marshalltown
• Niland’s Cafe in Colo
• Three concrete bridges on the old road near Grand Junction
• Lincoln statue and carillon tower in Jefferson
• Moss markers with Lincoln busts north of Scranton (below)
• Spanish-deco Park Motel in Dennison
• Woodbine’s brick streets and Brick Street Station
• Loess Hills winding road across from Omaha
There’s lots more, from great old signs and garages to wonderful people in the diners and coffee shops along the way. What is your favorite?
Tags: cafe, highway, Iowa, Lincoln, radio show, Road trip, roadside attractions, Tama, travel, Youngville
Lincoln Highway News 
December 8, 2007 at 10:50 am |
It sounds like Gianofer is making this up as she goes. This is not the way to create compelling radio.
Thanks for filling in the blanks for us, Brian.
December 8, 2007 at 10:33 pm |
I agree, Brian, I started reading Gianofer’s segments on the radio station’s webpage and found myself thinking, “She’s not describing the Lincoln Highway in Iowa!”. They missed a good opportunity, perhaps due to lack of planning.
December 9, 2007 at 10:40 pm |
I listened to the first three days and it seemed like Fields was determined to have a miserable time. I just went back and read the final two and think she succeeded. I’ll admit to prejudging the series a bit when I read the introduction that said, of the Lincoln, that “At it’s peak, it rivaled Route 66 in popularity.” I don’t think they did the cause much good. I just hope they didn’t do too much harm.
December 11, 2007 at 12:03 pm |
Perhaps you should contact her and offer your “tour guide” services. She had no clue, but getting the name out there is good, isn’t it?