Lincoln Highway News

I’m glad to report on a couple new beautiful books, even if their subjects aren’t along the Lincoln Highway.

It’s hard to believe there are as many beautiful vintage gas stations left in the entire US as there are in Wisconsin alone, but Fill ’er Up proves you can still find dozens. After a solid and fun introduction, 59 stations are examined: Classical, canopy, cottage, deco, moderne, futuristic, they’re all here. Many still pump gas, and most still look like they would have decades ago. The authors take the extra step of uncovering the stories behind each one. Stunning photos plus old snaphots, postcards, and blueprints make for a truly impressive book.

I loved National Lampoon’s True Facts books that featured humorous road signs and billboards but that was 20 years ago. For those who’ve needed their fix, Funny Signs by RoadTrip America (that’s Mark Sedenquist and Megan Edwards) is a wacky collection of unintentionally hilarious wordings. The “Ronald McDonald Funeral Home.” “Lunch Specials, We Have Worms.” “Fire Exit, Employees Only.” There’s a “Dead End” sign on “Opportunity Way.” The difference here is that the authors add a short comment each time. So a sign that says “Don’t touch the actors” begs the question ‘What about the actresses?” Or “Urgent Care Coming Soon” leads to “Take two aspirin and stretch out in the parking lot.” You can’t believe that page after page there are so many goofy signs out there. Buy it — and you might just recognize a Lincoln Highway motel sign.

Tags: books, funny signs, gas stations, humorous book, roadside books, vintage filling stations, Wisconsin

This entry was posted on November 20, 2008 at 11:44 pm and is filed under highways, history, Road trip, roadside, signs, travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.