With Rick Sebak’s A Ride Along the Lincoln Highway awaiting its national premier on October 29, LH fans can get a taste for it in other Sebak videos, which often feature LH locations. Here’s a segment from Things That Are Still Here about Ligonier Beach, a 1920 swimming hole just east of Ligonier, Pennsylvania. The cement pool is fed by an artesian well and offers a short sandy beach.
Archive for the ‘history’ Category
Video of Ligonier Beach a Lincoln Highway teaser
October 13, 2008More from California leg of Walking America
October 8, 2008
Dennis Crowley continues his story as journeys across California:
California traffic presented some concerns, like that is hard to believe. I had to always be on the alert that someone wasn’t pulling on to the shoulder. Thankfully I had the foresight to install mirrors on the rig which I constantly monitored as well as installing a caution flag. The only time I had any real concern was along the stretch through James Canyon. For anyone not familiar with this stretch it is a slithery, windy, narrow, death trap with narrow and in some places no shoulders. Common sense told me to grab a fanny pack and leave the trailer behind which is precisely what I did. By the time I reached the eastern end of the “gauntlet” the traffic was bumper to bumper and I was doing what I now affectionately call “The Manly Shuffle” meaning that I was walking sideways. Thanks to Paul Gilger’s knowledge of the area I avoided jail time by crossing over the interstate on the railroad tracks west of Cordelia when faced with the onramp to the freeway.
Last but not least there are always concerns with injuries. Given the ground I cover (anywhere from 10-20 miles a day) they do happen and at times in the most inconvenient places. I was pushing so hard to get across the Mojave Desert on old Route 66 a few years ago that by the time I reached Victorville I sprained both ankles. I spent a month off my feet which was still not even enough for full recovery. I had events to attend in Southern California so I picked back up and limped my way to the Santa Monica Pier. In case you are feeling sorry for me hold on to that feeling because it gets worse. Outside San Bernardino a bee stung me in the corner of my eye. He died “an untimely death” but it didn’t make me feeler any better or look any better. The left side of my face swelled up and I looked like the Elephant Man. Looking back maybe I should have made that little stroll down Rodeo Drive. Thankfully I escaped any injuries on my first leg of the Lincoln Highway as well as any “encounters.”
As you can expect everyone I encountered was curious about what I was doing. They were also kind and encouraging and displayed their support of me with everything from a “God bless you” to cold water bottles. All in all I don’t think I could have asked for a better time.
Now I turn my thoughts to May 2009. I will take what I have learned on this leg and prepare over the next seven months to make the trek from West Sacramento to the Reno over the infamous Donner Pass. I pray it will be as much of a success as this journey was.
A complete description of this first leg will be appearing on Dennis’ journal page of his website over the next few weeks at www.walkingamessage.com/.
Top: Lincoln Highway sign in Dixon, California. Above: Pony Express Station at Rockville Rd in Cordelia, and two views of the Bicycle/Pedestrian Pathway in Davis.
Lincoln Highway theme of church program/dinner
October 7, 2008Bridge of Hope Lancaster and Chester Counties celebrates its 20th year helping homeless families with “Exploring the Lincoln Highway: Driving for Hope” on Saturday, November 1, 2008, 5–8 p.m., at Ridgeview Mennonite Church, 3723 Ridge Rd, Gordonville, Pennsylvania. Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for children ages 4-11.
Regional Lincoln Highway food favorites from their “farmer’s market” will include:
Carmel Popcorn (Times Square – vendor style)
Philly Cheese Steaks (an eastern PA favorite)
Potato Pirogues (Coatesville, birthplace of Bridge of Hope)
Chicken Corn Soup (Can we say Lancaster?)
Apple Salad (Adams County famous!)
Root Beer and Lemonade (Favorites at roadsides across the country)
Premier Desserts and Gourmet Coffees will be available from a replica of the famous Coffee Pot in Bedford, Pa. Festivities will include a mime and barbershop quartet; for kids there will be storytelling, games, crafts, free treats, and a simulated road rally with activities and clues pertaining to the Lincoln Highway.
For more information, visit Bridge of Hope (which promotes “ending and preventing homelessness — one church and one family at a time with the help of trained mentoring groups within congregations”) or download the event brochure here.
Route 30 film a success at Gettysburg premier
October 3, 2008Route 30, a fictional film shot along the Lincoln Highway in central Pennsylvania this summer, premiered in at the Majestic Theater in Gettysburg last Saturday. The Gettysburg Times reported, “The 88-minute movie, created on a $50,000 budget, had crowd members laughing, area residents pointing out places they knew and showed a glimpse of what growing up in south central Pennsylvania was like for [producer/director John] Putch.” His parents are actress Jean Stapleton and William Putch, former artistic director of the Totem Pole Playhouse just west on the Lincoln. A portion of the proceeds from the premier benefit the playhouse and Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor.
Olga Herbert, LHHC director, sent these photos and reports, “Route 30 – 3 stories, 1 Highway was a hoot and brought the sellout crowd at Gettysburg’s Majestic Theater to their feet more than once. I’ve already made arrangements with the director to show it in smaller theaters (not the mall cinemas) up and down LH/Route 30 in PA. He’s working on the logistics. I was glad our LH road signs made it to the big screen twice and the script included a reference to LH. You’ll get a bang out of it, and Mister Ed and his Elephant Museum have a pivotal role in the plot.” Judging by the bottom photo, we’ll have to line up to get Mister Ed’s autograph from now on!
And here’s a trailer for the film:
Couple to run Lincoln Highway across Ohio
October 2, 2008Eric Ebbinger writes that he and his wife Misty are combining their love of history, running, and the spirit to run across Ohio next February. To honor of the legacy of President Lincoln, they will begin in February on his 200th birthday and finish the 240-some miles 5 days later on President’s Day: “What better place to focus a birthday celebration of Lincoln than the engineering marvel which bears his name? … It will not be easy, but it will not be impossible. Ok, to be completely honest, most people think we’re crazy. But the road, the towns, the people, and the legacy of Lincoln will be exemplified in every step.”
To help spread the word about the man, the road, and the run, they’ve launched a website thelincolnrun.com. So far, it has only followed the story of Eric’s running but as November and the anniversary of the Gettysburg address approaches, they will “launch a daily celebration of all things Lincoln.” They will also offer a T-shirt for $20 with a portion going to the Lincoln Highway Association.
Blog promotes Utah monument to Carl Fisher
October 1, 2008Rollin Southwell, aka The Man From Utah, has started a blog to complement his efforts to promote a monument to Lincoln Highway catalyst Carl Fisher. He has been working for the past decade to have the monument erected at Fisher Pass in Utah, 32 miles SW of Tooele. He’s long had a web site that explains that a monument was to be built by the state when the Lincoln Highway was rerouted in 1918 to a straighter path across the Salt Lake Desert.
As Rollin recounts, “Carl G. Fisher donated $25,000.00 to the State of Utah in 1918 to make a short cut on the Transcontinental Lincoln Highway cutting out fifty miles of the worst road conditions then existing on the Lincoln Highway.” He has part of the contract online too:
And Johnson Pass shall hereafter be known as Fisher Pass, or by such other designation as Mr. Carl G. Fisher shall hereafter determine.
Said Seilbering and Fisher are hereby given authority to construct, at their own expense, at the termini of, or at such other places along such sections, suitable markers, monuments or arches for the designation of said respective sections in connection with the work herein referred to.
Rollin says progress is finally being made on permits for the site. He adds, “If anyone has some material about Fisher Pass or the Goodyear Cutoff, feel free to leave it on the blog. We can add it very easy. Photos too. To start getting the blog rolling, we talk about old Betsy and her car connection to Fisher Pass.” Check it out at www.rgsouthwellblog.com/.
Future dim for 1950s motel east of Lancaster PA
September 30, 2008
Updating my post of July 14, the former Congress Inn east of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is set to be demolished and replaced by a larger hotel. According to the Lancaster New Era, the 96-room motel on tourist-filled Lincoln Highway East could be razed in the coming months to make way for a six-story Four Points by Sheraton hotel pending plan approval by East Lampeter Township. A special exception for the hotel’s six-story height was granted this summer. Construction of the $12 million, 125-room hotel on the 4.5-acre site could start next summer and be ready by Spring 2010.
At right is a vintage postcard view, and below is the motel today.
The Congress Inn, renamed Passport Inn a few years ago, is next to the Lancaster Host and across from Dutch Wonderland, but looks to be declining. Willow Valley Associates, which owns and operates the county’s largest resort, the Willow Valley Resort & Conference Center, has been hired to manage the new hotel.
Amateur filmmakers sought for Lincoln Highway
September 25, 2008To spread the word about the Lincoln Highway farther and to younger generations, the Lincoln HIghway Heritage Corridor along with Destination Filmfest is holding a LH-themed film-making contest. Amateur teams are invited to write, shoot, and edit a 5-7 minute film in a week using the Lincoln Highway in Pennsylvania as the backdrop. The top team will receive $500 cash and the top 5 will be viewed by Hollywood director John Putch, who recently filmed and produced Route 30 in the area. There will also be a top prize for each genre film. Pre-registration forms must be submitted by mail along with an entry fee of $100 by October 3, 2008.
ABOVE: The new Turkey Hill mini-mart in York might be a good film location.
In the span of a week, teams will then:
Write a script to the assigned genre
Rehearse
Design and create sostumes and set
Create sound/music
Film and Edit
Each film must include two Lincoln Highway landmarks (building, street sign, etc.) or identifying characteristics (bus, county courthouse, taxi-cab, etc.) of the Lincoln Highway location. Submitted films will be shown in 4 locations along the Lincoln Highway in Pennsylvania. A panel of judges (which includes the PA Director of Cultural and Heritage Tourism, a California filmmaker, two theatre arts professors, and the Executive Director of LHHC) will choose five finalists in each genre, from which Putch will then view and select the top winner who will receive $500 from the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor.
Kiosk ready for dedication Oct 11 in New Carlisle
September 24, 2008
Jan Shupert-Arick sent photos of the new Lincoln Highway Kiosk that will be dedicated on October 11 in downtown New Carlisle at City Hall (the old Carnegie Library) on the Lincoln Highway. This is one of the kiosks that are planned in Indiana, partly funded by an LHA grant awarded in June 2007.
Surprises abound at Road Rally dinner
September 22, 2008
The 12th Annual Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor Road Rally was held this past weekend under perfect skies between Irwin and Ligonier, Pennsylvania. A number of antique cars took part, including a 1958 Edsel and the 1958 Chevy pictured here all the way from the Jersey Late Greats car club. I was clued in on the the surprises so only attended Saturday night, but more news to follow later this week.
Dinner on Saturday was at The Road Toad just west of Ligonier. Olga and Kristin from the LHHC were there along with the excited attendees, including Esther and Bernie Queneau (below), known as one of the four Boy Scouts who crossed the LH in 1928 on a safety and promotional tour. Rick Kriss, whose antique auto shop had been toured earlier, donated a number of things to the Corridor including a large LH clock ringed in neon. LHC director Mindy Crawford was there too along with Kevin Patrick, mapmaker for my Greetings from the LH book and co-author with me of Diners of Pennsylvania.
But the highlight was a surprise visit from PBS producer Rick Sebak, who brought along a copy of his just-finished show A Ride Along the Lincoln Highway. Not airing on PBS for more than a month, the crowd was treated to a sneak preview of the entire film on an impromptu setup of computer, video projector, and sheet on the wall.
Here’s a snap of the video, made all the more fun by its casual setup, with the scene showing LHA director Jay Banta driving through the Utah desert. The show will air on local PBS stations on October 29 and 31.
Lincoln Highway News 