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Kiosk to celebrate LH heritage in New Carlisle IN

September 11, 2008

Historic New Carlisle Inc. is teaming with the Indiana Lincoln Highway Association Inc. to celebrate the original route of the Lincoln Highway through New Carlisle on Saturday, October 11, 2008.

Lincoln Highway Day in New Carlisle (about 14 miles west of South Bend, Indiana) will feature street banners, a walking tour of the town’s National Register District, and at 2 p.m. EST the dedication of a Lincoln Highway kiosk at City Hall, 124 E. Michigan St. (old Lincoln Highway). A reception will follow at the Inn at the Old Republic (304 E. Michigan St.) until 4 p.m. Lincoln Highway memorabilia will be on exhibit, and the Gift Shop will have LH merchandise for sale.

The Indiana LHA received grant funds from the national LHA to underwrite the fabrication of Lincoln Highway interpretive kiosks in New Carlisle and Warsaw, Indiana. The kiosks will share the heritage of the Lincoln Highway with thousands of visitors each year.

For more information, contact INLHA Secretary Joyce Chambers at (574) 276-0878 or click the flyer below to get the full-size pdf:

Tags:historical marker, Indiana, kiosk dedication, New Carlisle IN
Posted in highways, history, signs, transportation, travel | Leave a Comment »

Fisher launched highway idea 96 years ago today

September 10, 2008

On September 10, 1912, Carl Fisher invited auto industry leaders to dinner at Das Deutsche Haus (“The German House,” a community center now called the Athenæum) in Indianapolis to announce his idea for a “coast-to-coast rock highway.” His call to action: “Let’s do it before we’re too old to enjoy it!” It wasn’t the first proposed cross-country highway, nor the first to invoke Lincoln’s name, but as the Lincoln Highway it would become the best-known transcontinental trail.

Carl Fisher. Courtesy University of Michigan, Special Collections Library.

A year later, Fisher was returning from the Conference of Governors in Colorado with LHA president Henry Joy and v-p Arthur Pardington. On the train ride home, they drafted the Proclamation of the Route of the Lincoln Highway that was published September 14. Nonetheless, September 10, 1913, has somehow become an urban legend that web sites incorrectly cite as the “opening” of the Lincoln Highway. The US Census Bureau has gone as far as posting the error in print and audio:
http://www.census.gov/pubinfo/www/broadcast/radio/profile_america/012539.html

There are many dates associated with the establishment of the LH but “opening” is not a term that captures the essence of the road’s genesis as a connection and improvement of existing routes (nor is “completed”).

Interestingly, 20 years to the day after Fisher’s call for action (September 10, 1932), the Westinghouse Bridge above Turtle Creek east of Pittsburgh was dedicated, rerouting US 30 to the massive concrete span and emblematic of the great volume of traffic that the LH had brought to the valley below.

Tags:1912, 1913, automotive history, Carl Fisher, COlorado, errors in history, Indianapolis, Turtle Creek PA
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Lots of organizing, editing for highway video

September 9, 2008

Producing a video is a lot like the books I write — the research is the fun part. The real work is organizing mounds of info into a concise, coherent story for a broad audience. When I visited producer Rick Sebak, he sat next to the tapes for his PBS Lincoln Highway documentary: 99 of them at 40 minutes each! I count 66 hours of raw material that needs boiled down to a 56-minute show. What’s more daunting: that 65/66ths will not be used, or that he still has to watch and consider that material?

Above, Rick reviews the opening sequence and is about to cut the scene with the blue car — too similar to other road shots. Computers let him drag and drop segments of video like magnets on a refrigerator, then editor Kevin Conrad will perform the final splices (all digital of course). We also visited Paula Zetter, who designed the postcards.

I saw about 2/3 of the video and it’s great fun — very colorful and covering a wide variety of people and places. There’s a little from every state on the Lincoln Highway. Along with some basic history, there are markers and monuments, some food stops, and many attractions. Notable landmarks are sprinkled throughout the show too. Intrigued? Tune in Oct 29 at 8 pm AND announcing — repeating Halloween night at 10 pm. These two airings will also be broadcast on PBS-HD, likely the only HD broadcasts of it.

One more note — with a parallel genesis, my Lincoln Highway Companion book will include many of the same highlights when released in the Spring. Rick is just one of dozens of people who contributed their recommendations of places to visit along the route.

Tags:highway history, history documentary, PBS show, Road trip, video editing, WQED-TV
Posted in highways, history, roadside, travel | 1 Comment »

8 new postcards publicize Lincoln Hwy show

September 8, 2008

I visited producer Rick Sebak today at the WQED-TV studios to see an early cut of his Lincoln Highway documentary to air October 29 on PBS stations. There’s lots to tell but for now, here’s a sneak peak at 8 new postcards that will publicize the show. The photos were snapped by Rick as he traced the route across the US the past two summers. Six of them will be produced just as you see here; two have been reduced to business card size. All will be sent to media outlets and will be available for fans to acquire — more news on that and the show this week, but for now, CLICK THE IMAGE to see the postcard drafts larger:

And read more about the show on Rick’s blog.

Tags:advertising PBS show, Lincoln Highway, postcards
Posted in highways, history, Road trip, roadside, travel | Leave a Comment »

Mountain House gets new owners, historic sign

September 5, 2008

The California chapter of the Lincoln Highway Association reports that Michael Kaelin and Gary Kinst presented a new Historic Lincoln Highway sign to the new owners of the Mountain House, Josie Alvarez and her mother Sara Pina. Sara hopes they can restore the roadhouse to its splendor of 1880-1925, the dates of the original resort being built and its burning. Below, Michael presents the sign to Sara and Josie.

This is the Mountain House in 1910 – click the image to see it larger:

The Mountain House is at the east end of Livermore/Altamont Pass in Alameda County at 16784 W Grantline Road, 4 miles W of Tracy and 6 miles E of Altamont Summit. Its origins stretch back to the gold rush days and are detailed in the July 2008 issue of The Traveler, the chapter’s newsletter. Stop in, have a drink, and say hi to Josie and Sara.

Tags:Altamont CA, California, historic highway sign, old roadhouse, Tracy CA
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Book explores Lincoln Highway in New Jersey

September 4, 2008

Al Pfingstl, LHA NJ Chapter Director, has just completed Sixty-Three Miles of History: The Lincoln Highway in New Jersey. Al says it took him a year to compile, edit, format, and print the book.

“This endeavor was at the urging of my wife, after the passing of my dog ‘Winter’ who was my best friend, research assistant, and traveling partner along the Lincoln Highway. We both traveled on and visited sites as far west as Bedford, PA.”

We’ll let you know when the book, published by Winter Haven Publishing, is available for purchase.

Tags:highway history, Lincoln Highway, New Jersey
Posted in highways, history, signs, transportation, travel | 1 Comment »

"Walking America The Lincoln Way" to start soon

September 3, 2008

LHA member Dennis Crowley plans to walk across America on the Lincoln Highway. From 1998 through 2005 he walked and worked his way across America from Chicago to California on Route 66. He now calls the effort Cross Roads, “a single purpose and a simple message. By promoting America’s historic highways Cross Roads seeks to call attention to our country’s Christian heritage. The purpose for covering these highways on foot is to make the statement that America needs to return to and walk in her spiritual “‘old paths.'”

LHA director Jay Banta, also of Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge in Utah, wrote:

I look forward to hosting Dennis (and providing a shower!) when he arrives here at Fish Springs and I hope that others will provide him support as well. While we all have slightly different motives for ‘loving’ the highway, it is that passion that binds us and I think that Dennis and his quest can bring some great publicity to the Lincoln. I don’t think he has posted his schedule on the web but I know his first stint will take him from Lincoln Park to Sacramento in September of this year. He plans a Sacramento to Reno stretch in May of 2009 and then a push all the way across NV in the fall of 2009. His Utah and Wyoming crossing is planned for 2010.

Visit www.walkingamessage.com to learn more about “Walking America The Lincoln Way.”

Tags:Christian message, Route 66, Utah, walking for a purpose
Posted in highways, lodging, travel | 1 Comment »

Queneaus + markers = quite an 80th anniversary

September 2, 2008

Last summer, we honored Bernie Queneau here at the Heinz History Center with a proclamation from the mayor of Pittsburgh and the LHA. That same day, PBS producer Rick Sebak launched the filming of his LH special by capturing Bernie’s remarks about traveling the Lincoln Highway in 1928 (below, in front of his 16-year-old self holding the CA flag).

Bernie — now 96 years old — is the Lincoln Highway’s most prestigious ambassador, having been on the Boy Scout safety tour of 1928, which also served to promote the Lincoln Highway and the forthcoming marking of the coast-to-coast road with concrete posts/markers.

Yesterday, Rick and crew met Bernie and wife Esther, herself a former president of the LHA. It was 80 years to the day that Boy Scouts across the US fanned out to plant the concrete posts into the ground at corners and main intersections along the Lincoln. Rick recounts it best himself….

We had a great day on the Lincoln Highway with Esther and Bernie Queneau. I realized it was 80 years since Bernie made his cross-country promotional tour for the Lincoln Highway. Meanwhile, we tried to agree on a day when we could go for a ride, and today, Monday, Labor Day, was the only day when Bob and Glenn and I were all available as well as Esther and Bernie.

Then in Hanoverton, when we pulled to look at the replica marker, Esther mentioned that the markers had been erected on the same day, September 1, 1928. That was 80 years ago today! By chance, we were observing the 80th anniversary of the concrete posts with a drive into Ohio. It was glorious.

We actually had great luck all day. We met Bernie and Esther at the Teapot in Chester, WV, at 10 AM, and while getting a few shots, a car pulled over and Susan Badgley who helps take care of the landmark got out and offered to show us inside. How could we pass up the opportunity? Susan’s mother remembered the pot back 65 years.

Susan’s husband Tom is a toll taker on the Newell Bridge, and she offered us some free tickets to make several crossings, trying to get some shots of Esther and Bernie crossing the river into Ohio. [That’s Bernie below driving his Buick.]

We ended the day driving back and forth on Baywood Street west of Minerva. What a beautiful old stretch of red brick road! We thought we had driven into an Edward Hopper painting. Several nice old painted markers on telephone poles, and two quick interviews with our subjects. They are amazing.

Above: Rick Sebak photographed Bernie Queneau driving the LH via Baywood Street in eastern Ohio – CLICK to see it larger.

Tags:Boy Scout safety tour in 1928, brick roadways, Chester WV, giant teapot, highway markers, Ohio, roadside attraction, West Virginia
Posted in highways, history, Road trip, roadside, signs, travel | 1 Comment »

Throttler mag drives the Lincoln Highway in Iowa

September 1, 2008

The July 2008 issue of Throttler Motorcycle Magazine had an article about motorcycling the Lincoln Highway through Iowa. I contributed the images and Craig Ruegsegger wrote the story.

For more information, contact President & Publisher Roderick Kabel at roderick@throttlermagazine.com or visit www.throttlermagazine.com/.

Tags:Iowa, motorcycle tour of old highway, motorcycles
Posted in highways, Road trip, travel | 1 Comment »

Picking top 5 Lincoln Highway sites not so easy

August 29, 2008

In response to our story about PBS producer Rick Sebak filming at the Shoe House, good friend Jess asked what were the top 5 Lincoln Highway sites in PA mentioned by LHA director Mindy Crawford? Glad you asked!

1. Grandview Point, site of Ship Hotel, between Bedford and Ligonier
2. The Shoe House, York
3. Dunkle’s Gulf, Bedford
4. Lincoln Motor Court, Mann’s Choice
5. Poquessing Creek Bridge, near Langhorne
6. Dutch Haven, Lancaster

Yep, six! Mindy said couldn’t bear to leave out any of them.

If I had to cut one, it would be Grandview Point, even though I’m writing a book about it and the Ship Hotel there (due out Spring 2010). But if I could replace it, I’d go for Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum between Chambersburg and Gettysburg — Rick is not as enthusiastic about it, but for me it’s a rare throwback to old-time museum and candy shops. And I’d plead to group two in Bedford and add the Coffee Pot to Dunkle’s since it’s just down West Pitt Street.

When Rick filmed me in Pittsburgh, he asked me about my top 5 around the city. Hmm, I think they were:
1. Lincoln bronze statue, Wilkinsburg
2. Peppi’s Diner, Wilkinsburg/Pittsburgh line
3. Gulf building, art deco skyscraper, downtown
4. Manchester Bridge abutment, North Side, next to Heinz Field
5. Yellow brick road, Glenfield

OK Jess, you have two weeks — can you see them all? Maybe we’d better just make a lunch run to Peppi’s!

How about the top 5 must-see LH sites in the US? Dunkle’s must be one, and maybe the nearby Lincoln Motor Court too. It’s tough but I can pick three more (two of them also very close to each other in the Midwest). Send your top 5 and we’ll gather them into a post next week.

Tags:Bedford PA, Coffee Pot building, Diner, Dutch Haven, highway landmarks, Lincoln Highway, PBS show, Pittsburgh, roadside giants, Ship Hotel
Posted in highways, history, Road trip, roadside, travel | 4 Comments »