Posts Tagged ‘historic highway’

’10 Illinois Lincoln Highway guides available

January 7, 2010

The 2010 Illinois Lincoln Highway Visitor Guide from the Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition is now available around the state or by mail. New features include a page about the completed interpretive gazebo project, a half page for the current interpretive mural project, and an easier-to-use map of the highway with icons for gazebos, murals and exhibits. Another change moved accommodation listings from each community to their own section.

Fill out the form here to get yours: www.drivelincolnhighway.com/visitorsguide.html or view and download a complete copy at www.drivelincolnhighway.com/LH2010guide.pdf/.

Next gen gets Lincoln Highway bricks to archway

January 5, 2010

An Eagle Scout project for Brian Cassler will be a gift for Lincoln Highway fans forever. The Kearney Hub reports that Cassler’s efforts will result in a recreated stretch of the transcontinental road at the Great Platte River Road Archway that spans I-80 in central Nebraska. The Kearney paper has 25 photos online, as seen in the screen capture below.

“The original paving bricks are getting pretty rare,” said Ronnie O’Brien, director of education/operations at the archway. “We were going to contract with a brick company to recreate a piece of the Lincoln Highway.” Instead, workers in Canton, Ohio, a city of 78,000, found original bricks in 2008 while reconstructing city streets. Brian Cassler of Canton took on a project of cleaning, organizing and palletizing the [2,200] bricks from the famous highway.

Cassler, along with trucker Tim Wunsch of Fort Morgan, Colo., delivered the load of pavers to the archway Sunday. “The city of Canton donated the bricks to the archway to be used in the display,” O’Brien said. “The bricks had been under other construction, and they were dirty and in a huge pile. They needed to be cleaned up and scraped before they could be hauled here.” Cassler, who took on the project as part of his Eagle Scout requirements, spent several months preparing the bricks. Cassler’s father runs the Lincoln Highway Trading Post in Canton.

Check out highway merchandise at the Lincoln Highway Trading Post online store.

The Omaha World-Herald also ran a feature story about the project.

Lincoln Highway bypass will alter Tama, Iowa

December 30, 2009

The WCF Courier of Eastern Iowa ran a lengthy feature about the impact of a coming US 30 bypass around Tama and Toledo, Iowa. Parts of the current road bypassed the original Lincoln Highway long ago, and even this 4-lane has been under consideration for decades. The 7.5-mile project is set to open next year.

Here are excerpts:

The $24 million expansion is expected to draw manufacturing and other industries that need access to a major highway. Unfortunately, some are concerned traffic-dependent businesses, including restaurants and hotels, could see a drop in customers….

The highway has been important to Tama and Toledo over time. Tama was home to the Lincoln Highway at the turn of the century. When most of the road was rebranded U.S. 30, the thoroughfare maintained its relevance.

Big T’s Maid Rite has been a longtime institution at the intersection of U.S. highways 30 and 63 in Toledo. Cars come and go as travelers stop for coffee and pie. Others want the “mo” – a Maid Rite with onions and mustard.

Manager Brad Crawford expects business to drop off after four-lane opens. There’s less impetus to pull off the highway and grab a bite to eat when cars are travelling at 65 mph, he said.

“Any business is going to be affected by that,” Crawford said. The main hope for businesses, like Big T’s, is that the brand is strong enough to keep people coming back.

Welcome signs note Lincoln Highway at Van Wert

October 12, 2009

Ohio’s Mike Buettner sent word of two signs along the Lincoln Highway that welcome drivers to Van Wert, Ohio. The sign shown below (photo by John Renock) is on the Marsh Foundation property at the east edge of Van Wert

OH_VanWert welcome

Buettner, Ohio LHA Director, says a similar sign was erected on the Brookside Dairy property at the west edge of Van Wert:

This project was the brainchild of LHA member Larry Webb, who has accomplished more interesting Lincoln Highway tasks in his home town than any other Ohioan. Money to build the gateway signs was raised by a local group, which has asked to remain anonymous. Larry presented the idea to the “Main Street, Incorporated” group in Van Wert when he was on that committee, and they enthusiastically backed his idea, paying any bills that were not otherwise covered by donations.

The brick pillars are built to the same standards as the original pillars erected in Crawford County and other western counties of Ohio during the 1920s, and were laid up by a local bricklayer. The cement capstones were constructed from a mold fashioned by Richard Taylor of the Mid-Ohio Chapter. The “Welcome” sign was designed by a local architect. The signs were in place just in time for the annual Lincoln Highway “BuyWay” event, which according to Mike Hocker, enjoyed its best year ever.

Lincoln Highway gazebo opens in Creston IL

September 22, 2009

The Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition’s first Interpretive Gazebo was dedicated on Sunday, September 20, in Creston, Illinois. Diane Rossiter, director of the Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition, says 15 more gazebos are being constructed across the state in the Illinois Lincoln Highway Corridor: “With the approval of an FHWA Implementation Grant and a Transportation Enhancement Grant, the gazebos are being developed in cooperation with the City of Dixon, Wendler Engineering of Dixon, Horizon Displays of DeKalb, Sebastian Construction of Brookfield and – last, but not least – with the continued support of our community partners.”

IL_Creston gazebo

The project is expected to be completed by the end of October, perfect time to take a cruise through Illinois. For more information, visit www.drivelincolnhighway.com/.

Fording the Lincoln Highway, 1924 film clip

September 20, 2009

An avalanche of work has made me fall way behind posting updates, but here’s something you’ll enjoy on YouTube – a clip of “Fording the Lincoln Highway,” the silent film made by Ford Motor Company about the 10-millionth Model T’s promotional tour from New York to San Francisco on the Lincoln Highway in 1924:

Buy-Way Scvenger Hunt winners get cool prizes

September 15, 2009

Mike Hocker, Executive Director of the Ohio Lincoln Highway Historic Byway, has announced the winners of the 2009 BUY-WAY Yard Sale Scavenger Hunt.

OH_09 BuyWay winners

Mike reports:

First place winner was the team of Chuck and Sue Peck and Sandy Smith of Helena, Ohio, near Fremont. They will receive “Fun Things to Do for a Year” along the Lincoln Highway, including an overnight stay at the exclusive Spread Eagle Tavern in Hanoverton, and the Rodeway Inn of Wooster. Marathon gas cards, tickets to the Canton Classic Car Museum, Ohio State Reformatory, a signed Lincoln Highway book by notable author Brian Butko, a DVD of the history of the road, free dinners at the Oak Park Tavern (an original Lincoln Highway one-stop of the 1930s) and the Das Dutch Kitchen, gift certificates for Lehman’s Hardware, J&M Trading Post, a subscription to AMERICAN ROAD Magazine, along with other items to round out the winning cache.

“We had so much fun,” said Sandy, reflecting on how everyone was so helpful with helping them find the items. “We were having a tough time finding an ice scraper, so a shopper grabbed one out of his truck and sold it to us!” “But the toughest item to find was a bow tie'” Sue’s husband, Chuck, said. We finally found one as we were about to give up the hunt. Now we are glad we held out for it.”

Second and third place winners receiving similar prize packets were Denise Laughery of Galion earning second place, and Sonia Childs of Mansfield; third place.

The idea was to find a dozen common place items on the official scavenger hunt list at yard sales across Ohio, document where they were bought, photograph them and email or mail the photo as an entry. Three winners were drawn from the qualified entries.

“We thank our supporting businesses who have donated these fun prizes. This not only gives a lucky winner lots of things to do for free, but helps bring more travel and tourism–and more knowledge of our road, the first coast-to-coast paved highway in the U.S.” Mike Hocker, OLHHC executive director said.”

The 2009 BUY-WAY had over 1,000 sales in Ohio alone. Photos of this year’s event can be seen online at www.historicbyway.com/. Next year’s yard sale dates are August 5, 6 and 7.

ABOVE: Sue Peck, friend Sandy Smith, and Chuck Peck were excited to tell fun stories about their Lincoln Highway BUY-WAY yard sale adventures, while collecting the scavenger hunt items, which earned them first place winners.

Lincoln Highway used Kings Canyon Road

August 28, 2009

As Denny Gibson climbed the Sierra Nevadas a couple days ago he wondered if he should or could access Kings Canyon Road, a sometimes steep climb between Carson City, Nevada, and Lake Tahoe to the west. Once suburban King Street ends, there are 9 miles of westbound climbing. The total gain is 1,800 feet, but the worst of it is the first two miles. Here’s my view of the eastern start:

Butko_NE_KingsCanyon

An 1860s toll road, it became part of the LH in 1913 (improvements led it to be called called Ostermann’s Grade for LHA’s Henry Ostermann). It was bypassed by US 50  and the old road deteriorated; it was in rough shape when people began rediscovering the LH. It’s obviously been improved in recent years as hikers and bikers take to it. ATVs and jeeps share the road but it’s not recommended for regular-clearance vehicles. This article describes the condition: We couldn’t go too far up the mountain though; the road is no longer maintained, and at one point higher in the mountains, the road has washed away. An old truck lays in the valley below as if it had fallen off the cliff.”

As this article says,   “Almost all freight, clothing, pots, pans, food stuffs and lumber came to Carson City by way of this road. If you wanted to visit family in California or spend a vacation at the Lake, this was how you went.”

Here’s a site that makes KCR look stunning but, they’re on bikes.
http://www.bikecarson.com/2008/06/24/kings-canyon-to-ash-canyon-loop/

This site says “Climbing from 5400ft above Carson City to 7000ft at Spooner Summit, Kings Canyon is no slouch for elevation gain. Most of the gain takes place in the first 3 miles of the climb, so expect to get the worst over quickly.”

The road is hard-packed dirt and rock, with very few sandy spots along the first 3 miles. During this time, the grade is fairly steep, giving the rider a good aerobic workout. After a couple switchbacks, the road contours along the hillside and makes for a small saddle, which marks the end of the steep climb and the beginning of the longer, easier gradient. The road stays pretty much on contour for the next 5 miles, with very minor dips. A few hundred feet below through the pine trees is Highway 50 to Spooner summit, but traffic noise is almost non-existent. Depending on the season, there are a few sandy spots along this section, but nothing serious. The final mile includes a quick steep climb, and then you pop out just above the NDOT highway maintenance station on Spooner. Note: this road is drivable with a 4WD and high clearance, so don’t be surprised if you run across motorcycles, ATVs, and Jeeps.

Finally, here’s a link to a topo map that can be enlarged even more once yo’re there by clicking a magnifier.

NV_KingsCantonRoadMap

3-day motor tour to cross Iowa's Lincoln Highway

August 21, 2009

The 2nd Annual Iowa Lincoln Highway Motor Tour will cross the midwestern state on August 28–30. The Friday-to-Sunday trip begins in the west at Desoto Bend and heads eastward with stops in Carroll, Jefferson, Boone, Nevada, Marshalltown, Tama, Youngville, Cedar Rapids, Mechanicsville, Lowden, and ending at Clinton. Here are some photos from the 2008 tour by Bryan Osberg.

IA_MotorTour08aABOVE: Approaching the Union Pacific Bridge via old brick section of Lincoln Highway, just past Cornell College in Mt. Vernon.

IA_MotorTour08bABOVE: The first stop on the second day was Youngville Cafe.

IA_MotorTour08cABOVE: Lunch day 3 at the Brickstreet Station in Woodbine.

Visit the Iowa LHA page for a full itinerary and more info.

More Lincoln Highway signs for Tracy, California

August 20, 2009

From the Tracy Press, a story that more Historic Lincoln Highway signs are being placed in Tracy, California.

CA_Tracy sign

On Wednesday morning, city employee affixed a Lincoln Highway sign to a metal post on westbound Byron Road just west of Corral Hollow Road, joining three signs were on 11th Street. A second new sign was placed just east of Civic Center Drive on eastbound 11th Street. LHA member Mike Kaelin said signs will soon be placed on the Old Altamont Road between Tracy and Livermore.

LHA president Bob Dieterich adds, “The credit for this belongs to Mike. He has gotten signs installed on Mountain House, Summit Garage at Altamont Pass, and Banta Inn. He has been working with local politicians and is close to agreement for signing the entire Altamont Pass Road.”