LINCOLN HIGHWAY NEWS IS A BLOG BY BRIAN BUTKO
Mike Kaelin of Tracy, Calif., sends word that Francis (Frank) H. Duarte, 96, passed away on Nov. 22, 2011. He was the last business owner of the iconic Duarte’s Lincoln Highway Garage in Livermore. Frank was born in 1915, the year of the Pan-Pacific International Expo in San Francisco, a prime destination that year for Lincoln Highway travelers. Coincidently, the California LHA Chapter is planning its Winter meeting at Duarte’s Garage on Jan. 7, 2012.
Frank had bought and managed Duarte’s Garage after his discharge from the Army Air Corps in 1945. he had already worked there for his father, Frank, since 1934, then enlisted as an aircraft mechanic in 1939. He is survived by two nieces. Services on Dec. 14 were private, and Frank was interred at St.Michael Cemetery in Livermore. Donations in his name may be made to the Duarte Garage Museum, now operated by the Livermore Heritage Guild. Learn more about the garage and museum at www.livermorehistory.com/.
LINCOLN HIGHWAY NEWS IS A BLOG BY BRIAN BUTKO
Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition has installed the next in the series of Interpretive Murals along the 179-mile Illinois byway corridor. The mural on a township building at 11008 West Lincoln Highway/US 30 in Frankfort, Illinois, depicts the actual Eagle Scouts and Scout leaders who made a Nationwide Safety Tour along the Lincoln Highway in 1928.
The tour was a promotion of the Lincoln Highway and the Scouts’ plan to place concrete markers along the route. The story of their adventure giving safety daily demonstrations, “good road turns,” and helping out wherever needed is told in the mural. Specifically named is Eagle Scout Bernie Queneau, now age 99 and still one of the Lincoln Highway’s leading supporters.
For information on the Lincoln Highway in Illinois, including places to see, stories of the highway’s significance, or to download an Illinois Lincoln Highway Visitor Guide, visit drivelincolnhighway.com/.
LINCOLN HIGHWAY NEWS IS A BLOG BY BRIAN BUTKO
WTCA-AM serving Plymouth and north-central Indiana reports that the dedication of a stone Lincoln Highway Kiosk in the 200 block of East Jefferson Street in Plymouth is set for Saturday, November 19, at 1:00 p.m.
The paper (which published the photo above) reported:
The designation came after more than four years of planning by the Indiana Lincoln Highway Association which culminated in a presentation to state officials in April 2010. Plymouth resident Kurt Garner assisted the INLHA (Indiana Lincoln Highway Association) with survey work of the route….
Establishing the route of the highway was mixed with factors such as population centers, grade and land formations, and by influence of politicians. “These factors all played a role in Indiana where a unique situation developed creating a later southern alignment through Plymouth in 1928,” Garner said.
Garner believes the project completion will lead to marketing opportunities for Marshall County. He said, “The Lincoln Highway is already marked across most of Indiana. The INLHA has developed a byway committee that will begin making marketing plans for communities along the route.”
LINCOLN HIGHWAY NEWS IS A BLOG BY BRIAN BUTKO
A former Kearney icon has been replicated at the Great Platte River Road Archway. The Kearney Hubreports that the archway now displays a Hammer Motel sign, a replica of a much larger sign that once stood at the hotel on US 30 at 19th Ave on the west side of Kearney. Ronnie O’Brien, director of education and the Nebraska director for the Lincoln Highway Association, said the Hammer Motel sign was known across the country. The Hammer family operated the motel from 1947 to 1987. It then served as University of Nebraska at Kearney student housing until 1995, when it was razed. A historical marker commemorating a Lincoln Highway Seedling Mile was dedicated in April at the site of the motel.
I first reported on the Hammer Motel in 2008. (click for link)
LINCOLN HIGHWAY NEWS IS A BLOG BY BRIAN BUTKO
Pennsylvania’s Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor is once again staging a Lincoln Highway Road Rally this weekend, October 8 and 9. This year’s rally will start in Jennerstown and end at Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum in Orrtanna, 12 miles west of Gettysburg, and includes a mystery! Although registration has ended, you can see the group along the way with its many antique car participants.
This year’s rally starts 9:30 a.m. with breakfast at the Coal Miner’s Cafe in Jennerstown, then visit the Bicycle Built for Two Roadside Giant, the new Flight 93 Memorial and the former site of the Grandview Ship Hotel. Lunch at the Omni Bedford Springs Resort, then a quilt show and Civil War exhibit at the Bedford County Historical Society. The day will end with a visit to a second Roadside Giant, a giant quarter in Everett.
Sunday includes a stop at the 1920 Seldon Truck Roadside Giant and a visit to Chambersburg, tours of the Thaddeus Stevens Blacksmith Shop, and a picnic lunch at Caledonia State Park. The drive will end at Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum about 2:30 p.m.
Participants will be asked to help solve the murder of a former naval officer at the S.S. Grand View Ship Hotel west of Bedford. Clues will be posted along the route to help solve the crime.
To find out more about the rally or other LHHC events, e-mail olga@LHHC.org or call 724-238-9030.
LINCOLN HIGHWAY NEWS IS A BLOG BY BRIAN BUTKO
For 14 years, Eric and Kass Mencher have devoted their photographic passion to visually documenting the landmarks, landscapes, and people of the Lincoln Highway. They’re in the final stages of self-publishing a book that celebrates the road’s upcoming anniversary. To see a still-evolving 200+ page prototype click here to see “Almost Heaven.” Make it Full Screen to see the images large.
Even after a self-financed cross-country trip in both directions in 2010, they have some photographic gaps to fill and so are raising funds for the final work. More than $2,000 has been raised from 21 supporters. If you’d like to help, visit http://spot.us/pitches/970-along-the-lincoln-highway/. For donations of $275 and above, you’ll receive an archival print of your choice from the Lincoln Highway project. For donations of $150-$275, you’ll receive a copy of their prototype book. You can even make a donation without paying for it by clicking on “free credits.”
LINCOLN HIGHWAY NEWS IS A BLOG BY BRIAN BUTKO
The Lincoln Highway National Scenic Byway in Illinois received a Scenic Byway Award for the “Interpretive Gazebos and Murals” project in the Interpretation category at the National Scenic Byways 2011 Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The large-scale works of art not only relay the significance and history of the Lincoln Highway, but serve as modern-day tourist attractions themselves. The artwork is produced by Jay Allen at his ShawCraft Sign Co. of Machesney Park, Illinois.
Accepting the award, above from left: Justin Hardee, Heritage Corridor CVB; Melissa Hendricks-Kribs, Illinois Department of Transportation; Cindi Fleischli, Illinois Office of Tourism; Bonnie Heimbach, Northern Illinois Tourism; Bob Navarro, Heritage Corridor CVB; and Sue Hronik, Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition.
The newest Illinois Lincoln Highway Interpretive Mural was installed last week at 67 Main Street in Oswego, Illinois. Only the second vertical mural, it recalls the story of the Boy Scouts of America simultaneously planting thousands of Lincoln Highway concrete directional posts across the nation in 1928.
For more information on the Illinois Lincoln Highway, places to see and things to do, exciting, historic stories and to download an Illinois Lincoln Highway Visitor Guide, please visit drivelincolnhighway.com/.
LINCOLN HIGHWAY NEWS IS A BLOG BY BRIAN BUTKO
Long-distance travelers Bill and Karen post wonderful stories and photos about their 2-lane trips. The Ontario couple last drove the Lincoln Highway in 2009 and have used my books to track down every highlight and report back lots of updates. This year they picked up the LH near Downingtown, Pa., on Day 34 of their trip and traveled west to Plainfield, Illinois, by Day 50. Travel along at billstraveljournal.blogspot.com/.
Bill writes: We concluded our Lincoln Highway road trip at the same spot in Plainfield Illinois where we started the journey on July 7, 2009. It also marks the spot where we concluded our Route 66 road trip in 2008. This spot is where the two roads share the same 3 blocks…. All we need to do now is to drive from Times Square NY to Exton PA and we will have completely driven the Lincoln Highway from beginning to end.
LINCOLN HIGHWAY NEWS IS A BLOG BY BRIAN BUTKO
LHA headquarters in Franklin Grove, Illinois, received a call that Ron Preston passed away last week. He was the son of George Preston, whose sign-covered gas station in Belle Plaine, Iowa, is a shrine for Lincoln Highway fans. George bought the station in 1923 for $100 and became famous for his endless tales of LH lore, which I got to enjoy on a visit there in 1991. After George’s death in 1993, Ron cared for the it and adjacent garage full of petroliana. LHA’ers saw Ron at almost every annual conference.
Kass and Eric Mencher, who are documenting the Lincoln Highway and publishing their images in an e-book, captured the station and Ron last year. Visit their blog page below by clicking on the image.
George’s most famous moment came on March 21, 1990, when he appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. The interview starts around 2:30.
LINCOLN HIGHWAY NEWS IS A BLOG BY BRIAN BUTKO
The Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition has completed another of its impressive Interpretive Murals that line the 179-mile Illinois byway corridor. The detailed painting at 208 East Main Street in Morrison, Illinois, depicts the 1921 Whiteside County Fair.
The hand-painted scene shows that the newly paved Lincoln Highway gave motorists the opportunity for ease in traveling out of town for entertainment and special events like the fair. Participating communities are asked to designate representatives to secure a building site for the mural, research stories and images linking their community to Lincoln Highway, and agree to provide maintenance and preservation of the mural. Here are details of the arrangement:
As the designated Scenic Byway management agency overseeing the Lincoln Highway National Scenic Byway, the Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition (ILHC) continues to seek ways to recognize the significance of the highway and ways to make the stories come alive. After receiving a National Scenic Byway Grant from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and an Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Office of Tourism, Attraction Development (TAP) Grant, ILHC worked with our vendor, Jay Allen of ShawCraft Signs, to make this project come to life.
Visit drivelincolnhighway.com for more information on the Illinois Lincoln Highway, places to see and things to do, a mobile app, and to download the new Illinois Lincoln Highway Visitor Guide (read more here about this soon).
Click the map above for a full-size view of the Lincoln Highway.
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