Author: James Lin

People from Omaha, Neb., Sarasota, Fla., Reno, Nev., and even small European countries found common ground last week learning about the history of southwest Wyoming and the route of the historic Lincoln Highway, which meanders through much of Uinta County and northern Utah.

• ‘Rails, trails and highway tales:’ The Lincoln Highway Association Conference comes to Evanston, Unita County (Wy.) Herald, June 24, 2008

Here are some highlights of Evanston, Wyoming and the surrounding area, courtesy of Mieke Madrid from the City of Evanston. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Church Buttes, a unique rock formation along the old Lincoln Highway east of Evanston

Eagle Rock, also along the old Lincoln Highway east of Evanston

A tunnel built in 1920 east of Evanston

The newly restored Machine Shop, where many conference activities will be held

The newly restored Roundhouse

Historic Depot Square, located on the Lincoln Highway

Sunset Cabins, along Bear River Drive (Lincoln Highway)

A Lincoln Highway concrete marker near Depot Square

And here’s a message from Shelly Horne, the chairman of the 2008 LHA Conference.

Dear Fellow Lincoln Highway Enthusiasts:

This year is a rare opportunity for you to attend an exceptional Lincoln Highway conference without travel costs blowing a head gasket in your budget. Evanston, Wyoming will host this year’s conference. A quaint, interesting, historical town, Evanston is located on the highway just down the road apiece.

The theme of the conference is “Rails, Trails, and Highway Tales.” Evanston was an end of track town on the U.P.R.R. in 1868. It has a rich railroad history and many preserved railroad buildings and artifacts that you will enjoy. It has one of the few remaining original roundhouses west of the Mississippi with an operating turntable. Come ride it. Evanston sits near many of the old trails that people traveled from east to west to expand our great nation. If you like, you can visit the Mormon, Oregon, and California trails as well as the Pony Express route, all within easy driving distance.

And highway tales… we have hundreds of them. The first Wyoming Lincoln Highway consul was P.W. Spaulding from Evanston. He owned the first car in Uinta County, was a successful attorney, and a personal friend of Henry Joy, first president of the Lincoln Highway Association. We will be exhibiting a rare original LHA “Notable Service Award” given to P.W. Spaulding in the early years of the association. We will be giving a replica of this award to every attendee of the conference, a nice watch fob or key ring, and very rare. Hugh Colpharp will display his replica of the ten-millionth Ford Model T at the conference.

You could hardly cross the wide open country of Wyoming or the deserts of Utah without a water bag dangling from your radiator. So we have replicated the desert water bag, complete with cork and rope, as a tote bag for your memorabilia collection at the conference. We love replicas. You will be provided with a special table decoration at the annual banquet, a crystal-like replica of an old antique Packard automobile engraved with the LHA logo. Take it, cherish it, put it in your water bag replica with your LHA medallion.

The tours will be exciting. West in Echo Canyon you will explore Mormon history and learn how the canyon walls were used to defend against Johnson’s army; travel past the “Witches” to Taggart, to Wanship and the Echo reservoir. East to Fort Bridger and the Black and Orange cabins, then on to Miller’s crossing. See an eagles nest high on the bluffs of Church Butte. On the return trip to Evanston, watch film of the original military convoy that crossed the country from Washington, DC to San Francisco on the Lincoln road. See the comments of a young Lt. Col. Dwight D. Eisenhower about his experience on the convoy.

The slate of speakers who will be addressing the conference is top notch. They will present a myriad of topics from notable Lincoln Highway people, to Utah highway history, to the 1908 New York-to-Paris Automobile Race. Then as dessert, we will be entertained by Willie Le Clair, Shoshone Indian, with stories of the Shoshone and Chief Washakie in Evanston.

Tour historic Evanston. Visit the Sunset Cabins on the Lincoln Highway. See Evanston’s original Lincoln Highway markers, and meet and visit with your LHA counterparts from across the country to exchange “Highway Tales.” You will be amongst the privileged few to attend and view the first Lincoln Highway Art and Photo show assembled by Ms. Kell Brigan, an LHA member in California.

If gas and airfare prices continue to rise it will become more expensive to attend future conferences. This is the time, this is the place, the 16th annual LHA conference, June 17th to 21st in Evanston, WY. Complete a registration form (visit www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org) by May 2nd to be eligible for a free conference reimbursement drawing. See you here!

Shelly Horne
LHA Conference 2008 Chair