• Update to recent murder of Lincoln Cafe owner: No word on the cafe itself in Belle Plaine, Iowa, but bond was set at $500,000 each for three people accused, and at a preliminary hearing yesterday, arraignment was set for August 13 in Iowa County District Court. According to the Cedar Rapids Gazette, “Marengo Police … Continue reading »
Posted in July 2009 …
Lincoln exhibition to open in New York City
The New-York Historical Society will open an exhibition, Lincoln and New York, on October 9, 2009. New York of course lays claim to the Eastern Terminus and a few blocks of the cross-country Lincoln Highway. The exhibition will trace the relationship between the man and the city; it will run through March 25, 2010. The … Continue reading »
PA Lincoln Highway Gateway Enhancement Plan
Anyone who has driven the Lincoln Highway near Lancaster, Pa. — especially east of the city on US 30 — knows that traffic congestion makes it near impossible to enjoy the road’s heritage. Now the Lancaster County Planning Commission has released an enhancement plan to address traffic, signage, and accessibility. You can view the PDF … Continue reading »
Ohio brick Lincoln Highway pillar restored
LHA director Mike Buettner sent info and images from a Mid-Ohio Chapter/Lincoln Highway Association work day a few weeks ago. The original brick pillar that is one mile east of Oceola (Crawford County) was in dire need of repair. Saturday, led by Richard Taylor, members of the chapter did those repairs. According to my road … Continue reading »
Road food tips at Ride To Eat / LHC review
Lincoln Highway fan Steve Jones wrote me to mention a road food website that he manages: ridetoeat.com/. It lists nearly 1,000 eating places, some with descriptions. Steve explains below it’s not the same as a recommendation guide. It’s not really about places to eat while on the road (that’s well-plowed ground) but more about places … Continue reading »
Ohio’s old Dutch Mill roadhouse being rehabbed
Mike Hocker, Executive Director of the Ohio Lincoln Highway Historic Byway, reports that while delivering Lincoln Highway travelers guides, he met Mike Van Doren and his wife Dawn, new owners of the old Dutch Mill east of Van Wert, Ohio. The couple did not at first realize the building’s historical significance but it, and the … Continue reading »
Summer Festival at 1866 Austin NV church
“Soup, Sin, & Salvation” — a Celebration of Restoration, is the theme for the annual dinner and auction to be held this Saturday, July 25, 2009 in St. Augustine’s former church in Austin, Nevada. St. Augustine’s is the state’s oldest Catholic church building (1866) and a popular stop for tourist along the Lincoln Highway/US 50. … Continue reading »
Three more blogs of Lincoln Highway adventures
Following up on last week’s Lincoln Highway adventures of Bill and Karen, another couple, Dave and Peg, are driving a 1929 Model A across the country. They picked up the Lincoln Highway west of Canton, Ohio, and are heading to California. (Note, they just detoured off the LH to see Mount Rushmore.) Follow along at … Continue reading »
Donner Summit icon Norm Sayler honored
The Auburn Journal reports that Norm Sayler, who served as president and manager of Donner Ski Ranch for 46 years, was honored on July 5 for his contributions to the community. He received the 2009 Community Person of the Year Award at the annual Donner Summit Area Association Picnic from Placer County Supervisor Jennifer Montgomery. … Continue reading »
Murder shocks, closes Lincoln Cafe in Belle Plaine
According to the Cedar Rapids Gazette, Curtis C. Bailey, co-owner of the Lincoln Cafe in Belle Plaine, Iowa, was murdered Sunday by his common-law wife and two other people, reportedly her son and his girlfriend. LHA director Van Becker sent the photo and alerts us that the story was reported yesterday on Cedar Rapids KCRG-TV … Continue reading »
Ride along on a Lincoln Highway trip blog
Perhaps the most fun, colorful blog ever to follow a Lincoln Highway road trip is being posted by Bill and Karen McKibbon. They set out from Ontario, Canada, and joined the LH at Joliet, Illinois. They’re following the old road west to the Pacific (at which time they continue northward), taking tons of photos like … Continue reading »
Boots’ Jeep and military convoy anniv wrap up
The retracing of the 1919 military convoy route made headlines at it crossed the U.S. the past month. The tour commemorated the 90th anniversary of the first transcontinental U.S. Army motor transport convoy, most of it along the Lincoln Highway. Some of the participants also posted updates. Marilyn Boots reported on her travels with Dennis … Continue reading »
PA’s Mountain View Inn might reopen
The Mountain View Inn, a historic and beloved hotel located between the Lincoln Highway and Route 30 east of Greensburg, Pa., closed in January but now has a buyer and a potential sales agreement. According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, First Commonwealth Bank, owner of the historic inn, is in preliminary talks with a private group … Continue reading »
Grand View Ship Hotel book cover released
After much back and forth debate, Stackpole Books has finalized the cover to my next book, The Ship Hotel: A Grand View Along the Lincoln Highway. It shows the Ship in the early 50s, when crowds were still coming despite the lure of the parallel Pa. Turnpike. I was hoping for more nautical touches but … Continue reading »
Pearl China store closing after 82 years
An 82-year-old Ohio business will close at the end of summer. The Review of East Liverpool, Ohio, reports that Pearl China, located on Dresden Avenue, a bypass of the Lincoln Highway, is closing due to the owners’ retirement. The photo below shows its location along Dresden/old US 30, with 4-lane US 30 behind it — … Continue reading »
Famous Phila Lincoln Highway piece to change
A small segment of Lincoln Highway on the northeast border of Philadelphia is due for change next summer; whether that will affect an 18th century stone arch bridge remains to be seen. Here’s a scene and a video walk along the road and bridge by Rick Sebak when filming his PBS special, A Ride Along … Continue reading »
Doc walks Lincoln Highway for health care reform
Dr. Ogan Gurel is walking the Lincoln Highway from Chicago to Washington, D.C., to bring attention to the health care crisis. LimaOhio.com reports that Gurel is in central Ohio, easily spotted by an American flag sticking out of his backpack. The image below is a screen shot from that site. The idea for The Walk … Continue reading »
Restored Black and Orange cabins dedicated
The Bridger Valley Pioneer reported on last Wednesday’s dedication of the restored Black and Orange Cabins in Fort Bridger, Wyoming. The motel along the Lincoln Highway dates to the 1930s. Many Lincoln Highway fans visited the unrestored cabins at the 2008 LHA Evanston conference. The cabins, with carports, were an extension of the Rocheford Hotel … Continue reading »
New show features roads, roadside attractions
Beginning tonight, July 7, NBC debuts Great American Road Trip with seven families crossing the U.S. while competing in wacky challenges — a lite version of The Amazing Race. Interestingly, the eight episode show is produced by BBC Worldwide. While the Lincoln Highway is not mentioned, it could likely show up; meanwhile, Route 66 gets … Continue reading »
A word from Wyoming on windfarms
Former LHA president Randy Wagner always makes clear his opposition to windfarms and their impact on the view along Western roads like the Lincoln Highway, so as an Easterner, I asked him to explain. Below is his response. Windfarms are destroying the natural Western landscape and are bringing to an end the wide open spaces … Continue reading »
