Looking through my computer files today I found this postcard scan of Weaver’s Motel along the Lincoln Highway on the east side of Greensburg, Pa.
When I began researching the highway in Pennsylvania two decades ago a few remnants of this motel remained. Judging by Google Street View, what looks like the main building of the tourist court still survives but that’s it.
Postcard expert Russell Rein picked up a 1930s postcard that shows a station near Asbury Park, New Jersey, that’s very similar to the well-known Dunkle’s Gulf along the Lincoln Highway in Bedford, Pennsylvania. Dunkle’s is a popular stop and an extremely rare survivor from that era — and they still pump gas!
Though it’s known that others were made in this c. 1930 style, no others are known to have survived. By the look of the Google satellite view, the one in New Jersey is gone too.
Dave Zollinger, aka Spiny Norman, has been expanding his Goshen Lincoln Highway blog so much that it’s already spawned a sequel at www.indianaslincolnhighway.blogspot.com called “Indiana’s Lincoln Highway.”
It’s already got some great stories, like a visit to the well-known Magic Wand drive-in restaurant in Churubusco, and the start of a cross-state tour at the Ohio line.
The Rawlins Daily Times reported on a controversial wind farm planned near Hanna, a small town along the beautifully rural Medicine Bow loop of the Lincoln Highway in east-central, Wyoming. The story was then examined by CBS-4 in Denver:
The Medicine Bow Conservation District and the Hanna Historical Society asked Horizon Wind Energy not to harm natural or cultural resources when building its 154-turbine wind project.
Ken Besel, representing both the conservation district and the historical society, asked Horizon to avoid the historic Carbon Cemetery, sage grouse strutting grounds, archaeological sites, elk habitat and other places of significance in the proposed project area.
Nate Sandvig of Horizon said the project area is located between Hanna and Elk Mountain and south of U.S. Highway 30 in the Simpson Ridge area….
Hanna historian Nancy Anderson asked if Horizon would avoid the remaining traces of the original Lincoln Highway, which runs through the project area, usually near U.S. 30.
Sandvig wasn’t aware of the historic highway, but said he would find out more about it. He promised to avoid traces of the original Transcontinental Railroad built in the same general area as the highway.
With Wintry weather hitting much of the country, here’s a newsreel from more than a half-century ago reminding us of the dangers atop infamous Donner Pass. The Lincoln Highway crossed the Sierra Nevadas here starting in 1913. The 222 passengers aboard the “City of San Francisco” were stranded for days in up to 20 feet of snow. This newsreel, with dramatic music and narration, details their rescue. The pass is of course named for a party of overland emigrants who were trapped by early snows.
The cover to The Lincoln Highway across Indiana has been released, showing a classic view of one of the Lincoln Highway’s cast-iron state line markers—this one at the Illinois border. The book was written by Jan Shupert Arick for the state’s LHA chapter. It will retail for $21.99 when published in Spring 2009.
Saturday night saw the official premier of the new PBS program A Ride Along the Lincoln Highway. Attending were soundtrack musician Buddy Nutt, the Altizer family (owners of Lincoln Motor Court near Bedford, Pa.), and the often unsung stars—the crew who helped film and edit the production.
The screening was at the Sewickley Car Store, where guests got to snack and mingle with beautiful automobiles thanks to owner Joe Scarfone, above with Producer Rick Sebak. The video was shown on a big screen in HD and elicited some laughs and aww’s, especially for LH couple Esther and Bernie Queneau, who is seen driving around Ohio at 96!
Sebak advised everyone to watch the final two scenes after the video ends. First is a promo for the DVD that’s a funny interaction with cows in Wyoming. Then the credits roll and we hear Buddy Nutt singing “Goin’ All the Way on the Lincoln Highway.” Then came the roar of applause.
Here’s Rick in back along with his brother-in-law Bill Scott, sister Nisey Sebak, and mom Sebak. Up front are good friends Dave and Mary Beth Miller, and Sarah and Brian Butko (that’s me).
Above is On-Line Editor Matt Conrad with his girlfriend Bridget, cameraman Bob Lubomski, musician Buddy Nutt, and Liz “Ukulizzy” Hammond.
The Altizers, owners of Lincoln Motor Court, include Debbie, Bob, Rachel and her husband (who in the video make a quick appearance outside a cabin), Rick Sebak, and Carissa who has some great scenes in the show.
We can’t forget the stunning cars, all new except for this classic 1-cylinder, 12-hp, mid-1950s BMW Isetta microcar.
Everyone got a bag filled with cool stuff including DVDs of the show, each signed by Sebak. You can also read a fun blog post by jomama about the evening HERE.
A Ride Along the Lincoln Highway premiers at 8pm on your local PBS station on October 29, and repeats at 10 pm October 31.
Click the map above for a full-size view of the Lincoln Highway.
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