I recently talked with Olga Herbert, director of the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor, about how the Ship Hotel constantly struggled with people stopping to take photos or use the restrooms but not buy anything. Costs to just stay open, let alone provide services, are a huge problem for roadside businesses. Olga adds:
I hear that all the time from Dunkle’s Gulf and Lincoln Motor Court. People love to stop for a snapshot, but then get gas at the BP and check into the Hampton Inn. In an effort to get more (and a younger Lincoln Highway fan base) we have begun a LHHC geocache. One of the sites is at Lincoln Motor Court. Geocachers and the Altizers [who own the motel] really enjoy it; feedback is posted on http://www.geocaching.com. It appears many have driven by Lincoln Motor Court and always wondered about it. Now they are stopping, meeting the Altizers and checking the place out. Hopefully, it will turn some adventure seekers into Motor Court guests.
There are a number of geocaches along the LH such as at the restored Coffee Pot nearby. Learn more about the motor court one HERE.
A couple first-person reports came in recently. First was a reader’s reply to this blog from Bonnie Metzler:
Just visited there 8/7/09. Loaded with nostalgic charm and spotless! Glass doorknobs, vintage lace curtains and bedspreads-SIX pillows on my bed and bedside plate of mints. Windowbox full of flowers, complete with friendly owner critters-cat came in to nosey around my cottage! Old fashioned tile bath w/porcelain fixtures and fabulous old wooden window. Cable TV, microwave, mini frig, and coffee pot plus glass mugs. Only drawback was Route 30 is noisy even late night if you sleep light. Will find a reason to return! Owners were friendly and accommodating!
Also, NY LHA Director Jerry Peppers writes:
We just stayed overnight in Bedford at the Lincoln Motor Court. The LMC is a true 1920s era experience, including the Altizer’s 1920s era hospitality. The cozy cabins are tastefully updated but the quality of construction from that era is still very apparent. Don’t worry about the lack of air conditioning, even in mid-August. The crisp mountain air had us scrambling to get under a blanket!
We also ate at the Jean Bonnett Tavern and saw Dunkle’s Gulf, which are in your book. Bedford has street concerts Friday nights in the summer in the center of town; you lose sight sometimes just how friendly people are. After visiting Sue’s hometown in Ohio we picked up the LH in East Liverpool and drove it, including Cindell Street, to Canton. We stopped at the Hot Dog Shoppe in East Liverpool and the Steel Trolley Diner in Lisbon (both in your book) and at Bob Lichty’s auto showroom in Canton. I have autographs in your book from the places where we stopped.
Tags: Bedford PA, cabin court, classic motel, Lincoln Highway, motor court, PA travel
Lincoln Highway News 
September 22, 2009 at 10:05 am |
[…] if folks actually stay there, and not just stop to take pictures. Brian Butko reports on his blog Lincoln Highway News that the Lincoln has become a geocaching site to attract more visitors and he also posts some nice […]
September 27, 2009 at 9:33 pm |
I like to make the drive up from DC to Breezewood, then west to Bedford. I always use local businesses to eat, sleep and gas up. Not to mention local stores to shop for whatever you need (or don’t) while on the road. That’s hard to do in Breezewood, as the whole town is now 100% franchise joints since the Family Steakhouse went down. But, there are many small places remaining and Bedford has its share. I’ve never stayed at the Lincoln, but plan to this fall during my annual trip to see the fall colors. Do they have a website or do you still need to call for reservations?