Lincoln Highway News

The Lincoln Highway Buy Way — Aug 7, 8 & 9, 2008 — is a yard sale that stretches hundreds of miles along the famous coast-to-coast road. Homeowners, businesses, and civic groups set up antiques, yard decorations, and lots of other things to buy for mile after mile. The event has grown to include Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and West Virginia: click here for details about some of the larger organized events in each of ths states. Here’s more info from the Ohio release:

The Lincoln Highway Historic Byway created this event four years ago (in 2005) on the outside chance that it would ‘go’ and we’ve been busy managing it ever since,” said Sara Lou Brown, Wyandot County’s Visitor Bureau director and president of the state-designated byway group. The first year saw over 250 yard sales across the Ohio portion of the Lincoln Highway, America’s first coast-to-coast paved road.

As the original road was improved from 1913 to 1928, it took several parallel alignments in a few areas, which may confuse “non-history-savvy” shoppers, but thanks to many organizations wanting to bring traffic to their door, a new traveler’s guide and map will be printed showing not only the road map of the highway, but also a listing of many yard sales and community events along the way. This free guide will be available in mid July.

Mike Hocker, executive director of the byway noted that “we think we are going to have over 700 yard sales in Ohio, parts of Indiana, and even Illinois this year…but the best news is that yard salers, of which we have virtually no control, seem to be organizing into larger and (cooler) venues for the hot August fun. This makes for safer traffic and parking, provides for restrooms and other creature comforts, and makes for longer browsing of more “stuff.” Communities are also adding festival-type activities such as concerts, car shows and rallies, food and kids’ activities…all to make the event more enjoyable for those travelling.

Yard Sale participants may also upload their yard sale information onto the byway website, (www.historicbyway.com) which shoppers can then print out and take with them to follow as they shop.

For more information and official yard sale supplies or details about listing in the travelers guide, call (419) 468-6773.

Click the image below for a print-ready flyer from Ohio: