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Many links to newspaper articles are valid only for one week to one month after publication.
by Russell "ypsi-slim" Rein
hey - remember me? I need to apologize again for being semi-incommunicado the last month and a half. While on vacation I caught the flu - there's nothing like driving through the mountains on a two lane at night in the rain with a headache, fever and severe congestions. After being laid up in bed for week I was diagnosed with a subsequent sinus infection just in time to go to Austin, TX for work so I could get Mountain Cedar Fever - a toxic pollen condition I was previously unaware of, see: Cedar Fever. I am now on my second antibiotic regimen and am slowly getting better.
I will be catching up on correspondence and web work over the next couple a weeks. Enough whinin' - here's your Lincoln Highway E-Newsletter
Sad news to report - first, LHA member Michael Buettner reports:
On a sad note, I learned today that Hal Meeks, who wrote "On the Road to Yellowstone" about the Yellowstone Trail, has passed away after a short battle with cancer. Hal was an LHA member, and offered me great encouragement after I did the first edition of the LH road guide for Ohio. I wrote to him earlier this month, requesting feedback about the Yellowstone Trail article I recently prepared. I will be returning condolences later today by way of an e-mail, and will offer suggestions that if Hal did not designate a place for his collection, that the U of M [Michigan] would be a good choice. I am comfortable giving this suggestion, because his daughter (who wrote me today) specifically mentioned his books and research.
Mike has a short article about the Yellowstone Trail tied to his research about named highways in Ohio. It is dedicated to, and has additional information about, Hal Meeks: On The Road to Yellowstone
Editor's note:
I met Hal because of our mutual fascination with Bob's
Bar-B-Que restaurant just off the Lincoln Highway in
Rolling Prairie, IN. We corresponded by e-mail some
years back, and met in person at a Lincoln Highway
Conference, when Hal set up in the bookroom after his
Yellowstone Trail volume was published. Hal was a
retired Geography Professor from the University of
Vermont, with great interest in the historic highways.
More bad news - second, the Lincoln Highway has been continuously in the news for the last month due to a freak accident on a NJ Bridge that killed two local Police officers. LHA New Jersey Director Mitchell Dakelman was interviewed regarding the bridge after the accident. The lift bridge, between Newark and Jersey City is called the Lincoln Highway Bridge, and opened in 1954. The police officers drove off the bridge during a foggy night when the lift was in the up position, and the warning lights had failed, and a guard rail was broken.
The New York Times ran
an article with some bridge history, and a picture
two days after the Sunday night, Dec 25th accident:
A Design From an Earlier, Steel-Heavy Era [requires free account login]
Here's some ABC TV local NY channel 7 articles
about the accident:
Search Resumes for a Missing Police Officer & Communications Breakdown In N.J. Accident?
And some articles from the New York Daily News:
N.J. cops die in river plunge
The Jersey Journal reports that there will be a tribute to
the officers on the TV show - "America's Most Wanted"
http://xrl.us/jy8i
More bad news........? An ebay seller e-mailed me to inform that the Graystone Hotel in Bedford, PA burned down. I can't find any news stories about this. Anybody have any more info?
Rollin Southwell sends a Lincoln Highway Association Conference update:
2006 CONFERENCE is online. Sandra Kelly has put all the 2006 conference programs and Cole College room information on the web. There is a registration form that can be printed and mailed the to the treasurer. CHECK IT OUT AND REGISTER EARLY.
2007 CONFERENCE - Little is known about the 2007 conference other than the dates are June 18-22, 2007 in Fort Morgan, Colorado.
The LHA California Chapter newsletter, The Traveler, features a story about George Clark's Interpretive Plaque to be installed next to the LH Western Terminus Marker in San Francisco. George had to literally fight City Hall for permission, but persevered, and at considerable expense prevailed. The Plaque will be installed at 10:00 am on February 11, 2006 at the LH Western Terminus, Palace of the Legion of Honor, Lincoln Parr, San Francisco, CA. A State Chapter meeting and lunch will follow. Way to go - George! This active Chapter has plenty of activities including 4 LH tours planned for 2006. Get more info at: www.LincolnHighwayAssoc.org/ca
Great news from Nebraska - the Kearney Hub reports that
The Lincoln Highway Scenic & Historic Byway designation
has been extended border to border. LHA Nebraska Director
Bob Stubblefield was interviewed for the article:
Lincoln Highway nearly border to border
Visit the State Scenic Byway site:
Lincoln Highway Scenic Byway
The Illinois LHA Chapter newsletter, Land of Lincoln
News reports that their website has recently been
overhauled - check it out at:
www.LHAIllinois.rochelle.net
The Ohio Lincoln Highway Historic Byway - News Brief reports that their "Buy-Way" Yard Sale was selected as a top pick by Ohio Magazine's January '06 ("the Best of") feature. They also announce that their annual meeting will take place on Wednesday, April 26 at the Shisler Center, in Wooster, OH. More details later.
Merrillville, IN - The Historic District Committee has
development plans with a transportation theme including the
Old Sauk Trail and the Lincoln Highway, from
NWITimes.com:
Historic district plans unveiled
CBS Early Show recently featured the Indiana LH town of
Warsaw, "When Barbara Lindquist invited The Early Show
to visit, she called it the Orthopedic Capital of the World.
A catchy phrase like that caught the attention of The
Saturday Early Show anchor Russ Mitchell, who
headed to Indiana as part of the continuing "Tour My Town"
series....":
A Town With Backbone: Warsaw, Ind.
Brian Butko reports in -
Hi guys,
I was interviewed by Clear Channel broadcasting that serves Toledo, Lima, and Columbus for a segment to air tomorrow, Saturday Jan 21: Travel Savvy with Dan Armitage. I believe in Lima that's on WIMA. We did 3 segments in the second half hour of the show, talking about roadside giants, Lincoln Highway, and Isaly's. Nothing you haven't heard before but glad the media is picking up on this, and they'd like to do another segment just on the LH some time.
The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette had a nice review of Brian
& Sarah's Book - Roadside Giants, with pics:
Guide to ‘Roadside Giants’
Brian was interviewed by the Lancaster Intelligencer
Journal regarding the end of the Columbia Drive-In
Theatre and other LH attractions, and the threat they face
due to modern development:
Grand old highway by Carla Di Fonzo [May require
quick free login]
Jan Shupert-Arick, LHA Indiana Director, reports:
The Allen County (Indiana- near Fort Wayne) Highway Department is now working with the Indiana Lincoln Highway chapter to place metal signs and 1928 posts along the routes where they have jurisdiction. The 9 mile section between the Ohio state line and New Haven, Indiana is an original section and sweet section that takes you through Townley, Zulu, and the historic French Settlement of Besancon - on the national register. Along a curve in this section you can see three alignments of the Lincoln Highway/U.S. 30. We are very excited about welcoming drivers coming from the east and look forward to more progress in marking the highway in the coming months.
Jan also sent this article with an early LH tie-in with Studebaker:
South Bend News-Times, Sunday, 14 September, 1913
South Bend Put on Route of Lincoln Highway Through Efforts of Clement Studebaker, jr.; Road From Gotham to Frisco to Cost $10,000,000
Through the efforts of Clement Studebaker, jr., of the Studebaker Corporation, South Bend was placed on the Lincoln Highway, the route of which was announced today. By persistent work and financial donation to the building fund of the national road he was able to show the committee in charge the desirability of having South Bend on the route.
Although no definite local route has yet been announced it is believed the highway will pass through the heart of the city, entering it on the east possibly along Jefferson boulevard, from Mishawaka and thence west out along the Michigan Avenue road to Laporte. New Carlisle may also be touched by the highway.
It is estimated the highway will cost over $10,000,000, which will be provided by popular subscription. Already $5,000,000 is pledged. The road which is to be constructed of concrete whenever practicable, will reach from New York to 'Frisco and will be open to lawful traffic of all descriptions. No toll charges are to be paid.
Through Thirteen States.
Thirteen states will be traversed by the Lincoln highway according to the proclamation from the national offices of the Lincoln Highway association in the Dime Bank building of Detroit, Mich. The states which will be honored by this memorial to Abraham Lincoln are New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada and California.
Starting in New York city the highway passes through Jersey City, Newark and Trenton to Philadelphia, then west to Pittsburgh, through the north central section of Ohio, over to Fort Wayne and South Bend, skirts Chicago, enters Joliet, Rochelle, Sterling and other Illinois cities, reaches Iowa at Clinton and leaves at Council Bluffs, passes through Omaha, goes to Denver and north to Cheyenne, west through Green River and Evanston to Salt Lake City, finds it way into Nevada by may of Tippet's ranch and after reaching Reno goes to Lake Tahoe, California, finally ending on the Pacific seaboard at Oakland and San Francisco.
The directors of the Lincoln Highway Association have endeavored to select a route of easy grades yet combining the scenic splendors of the country. Some of the points either on, adjacent to or to be connected by branch highways are Gettysburg, Washington, Canton, the resting place of McKinley, the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky, the home of Lincoln at Springfield, Ill., Lincoln's birthplace in Kentucky, the scenic splendors of Colorado, the Grand Canon of Colorado, and the many varied wonders of Utah, Nevada and California.
The Proclamation.
[This article continues with much of the text of the Lincoln Highway Proclamation - an announcement of the routing. On this date, 9/14/13, large broadsides prepared by the original LHA were posted. Your editor has one of two known copies.]
From Public Opinion, Chambersburg, PA:
Grant to aid upgrades along Lincoln Highway Area — The state will spend $155,000 on improvements to the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor, a heritage park primarily along old U.S. 30 from Westmoreland through Adams counties.
The heritage area grant will help renovate the Majestic Theatre marquee in Gettysburg and replace the holiday lamppost décor and staging area in Gettysburg. The grant will be matched with private, local and federal dollars. The grant also will partly fund projects in Westmoreland County:
- Construct the Lincoln Highway Experience and Welcome Center in Ligonier Township.
- Upgrade the lighting at Ligonier Theatre.
- Upgrade the Saint Vincent Gristmill in Latrobe.
- Develop a streetscape design for the Borough of Irwin.
For more information about the Heritage Parks Program visit the Pennsylvania Heritage Areas Program web site.
The Quad City Time's Bill Wundram takes a drive along the
Lincoln Highway in Iowa:
No reason to be rushed along ...
A Jersey Journal article about James Earle Fraser's Lincoln
statue on Kennedy Blvd. on Jersey City, "Historians regard
Fraser's Lincoln statue as the symbolic eastern portal of the
Lincoln Highway, the nation's first transcontinental roadway,
which leads from Times Square to San Francisco, where
Fraser's moving Native American Indian monument, "The
End of the Trail," concludes the line."
http://xrl.us/jvoh
Kearney, NE will host the 150th Anniversary of the Mormon
Handcart Pioneers. It will be in conjunction with the annual
Wagons West Celebration at Trails and Rails. Trails and
Rails Museum, Great Platte River Road Archway
Monument, Fort Kearny State Historical Park and the
Kearney’s Visitor’s Bureau are joining together to sponsor
the event this June, per the Kearney Hub:
Struggle of Mormon trek across West honored during handcart celebration
Bob Lichty, President of the LHA sent a few links regarding
the American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Official's (AASHTO) 50th Anniversary
celebration of the nation's Interstate system. A lot of info
is available at their website:
www.interstate50th.org
The year 2006 will mark the 50th anniversary of the federal law that brought America its unparalleled Interstate Highway System. June 29, 2006, will mark the 50th anniversary of the day federal legislation was signed to begin one of the biggest engineering projects ever undertaken: the U.S. Interstate Highway System.
On of their special activities is a "recreation" of the 1919 Army Motor Convoy across the Lincoln Highway. Taking place between June 15-29, 2006 the new convoy route uses the Interstates (?) instead of the original LH route. Too bad they couldn't have coordinated this activity with the 2006 LHA Conference in Cedar Rapids. Instead - they will be driving through Des Moines on I-80!
Six states also have their own celebrations:
A bumper sticker in my work cubicle proclaims, "My other car is a Tucker." Alas, that car is a 1/24th scale model I also have on display. The Tucker club is having their annual conference this year in the LH town of Kearney, NE:
This June, TACA will journey into the heart of our nation Celebrating the Pioneering Spirit of Preston Tucker and his dream to push past the confines of the ordinary with the extraordinary—the Tucker ’48. Join us June 22nd – 25th in Kearney (pronounced "CAR-knee"), Nebraska for an exciting weekend Celebrating the Pioneering Spirit of the old west, and of Preston Tucker and his dream car.
Read more at their website:
www.TuckerClub.org
The Old Spanish Trail Association is back. Lots of info
about this route from the Tallahassee Democrat:
Old trail may get new life
Scott Piotrowski, from the Historic Roads Preservation
Group, sends this article about the Yellowstone Trail in
Schenectady, from timesunion.com:
http://xrl.us/jtah
From the Daytona Beach News - Ormond Beach, FL's
Centennial ...."coincides with the celebration of the 90th
birthday of the Old Brick Road, a nine-mile stretch of the
Dixie Highway that first brought motor vehicles to Florida."
http://xrl.us/jvnp
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that
$154,000 is to be forwarded to the National Road Heritage Corridor, which includes Fayette. Donna Holdorf, executive director of the National Road Heritage Center, said the Fayette projects involve:
- $15,000 to create a map and guide for the entire National Road.
- $48,500 to install kiosks along the National Road in Pennsylvania and to establish visitors centers.
- $53,500 to create a one-act play on the first congressional debate on spending federal money for the National Road, followed by a debate series.
- $20,000 for restoration work at Mt. St. Macrina Retreat Center, near Uniontown.
- $17,000 for repairs to Nemacolin Castle in Brownsville.
Ebay Sales:
An automobile shaped beer bottle opener from the Lincoln Highway Garage in DeKalb, IL went for $45.89 [must be a cross-collectible].
A cast aluminum license plate topper from Little America, WY closed at $103.50
I was the lucky winner on 7 heretofore unknown [to me] foldout Lincoln Highway road maps put out by the LHA, circa 1916, covering NY to Fort Wayne, IN; part of a larger set, and I don't believe these are in the original LHA archive at the Univ of Mich.
A printed black & white postcard of the American Hotel in Oakland, CA with a boxing image went for $87.
Three apparently unused porcelain signs for the Colorado to Gulf Highway went for $76.02, $130.26 and $160.26 in consecutive auctions:
A worn Dixie Highway brass and enameled radiator badge closed at $62.72.
I was the lucky winner of a slightly worn booklet, Flight of the Gray Goose, the account of a 1925 cross country speed run on the Lincoln Highway by L. B. Miller in his Wills Sainte Claire automobile. You can read more about it at Craig Harmon's LH website.
A Rock Mountain Motorists Inc. porcelain sign of the area around Viona, CO attracted one bid for $999.99.
A shield shaped porcelain Official Automobile Blue Book Hotel with a few bullet holes brought $156.49.
Ok - grab your seats - an ashtray from the Lighthouse Bar in Fernley, Nevada garnered 18 bids and closed at $788.98.
A 1920's Automobile Road Map and Vacation Guide to Ontario, Canada closed at $61.17.
Check out the dance floor at the State Line Country Club in Lake Tahoe, NV.
A real-photo postcard with a caption of West on Lincoln Highway in Bristol, IN showed up last month. The only problem is that Bristol is about 7 miles north of Goshen, and 5 miles east of Elkhart, on SR 120, way off the LH?
A rare real-photo view of the lobby of the Mapes Hotel in Reno closed at $115.50.
An advertising piece from the 1941 DeSoto Transcontinental Photo News. This "newspaper" relates the story of 2 women driving a De Soto across the country withouty shifting by using the new Fluid Drive with Simplimatic Transmission.
A 1914 real-photo view of the smelter in McGill, NV with an Ely, NV postmark brought $62.55.
A faded photograph of a National Refining En-Ar-Co Gas Station on the LH in Joliet, featuring a sign that said "Control Lincoln Highway" went for $27.29 [the LH Control Station in Joliet is usually listed as the Woodruff Hotel].
A modern chrome postcard of the Rancho Codova Lodge on US 50 in CA brought $22.
An old LH cloisonné pin brought $54.05. I believe this was a premium with original LHA membership.
A 1929 Official Road Map of Florida closed at $100 after 13 bids.
A 1920's map of the Best Road in Wyoming brought $47.
A modern chrome postcard of the Malt-A-Burger Drive-In on US 40 and US 83 in Oakley, KS closed at $47.22.
A shield-shaped 1937 US 66 Illinois road sign brought $1,180 [Sorry no pics].
A 1935 Official State Highway Map of WY brought $56.57, and a 1936 one of Nevada brought $66.06.
A real-photo postcard of the Iceberg-shaped Gas Station in Albuquerque, NM closed at $152.49.
A real-photo postcard of the Cove Mtn. Tea Room on the LH near McConnellsburg went for $52.
A 1931 bus pass from the Joliet, Plainfield and Aurora Transportation Co. brought $46.56.
A 1920 AAA Lee Highway fold-out road map, worn and torn, still closed at $124.50.
A 1907 Glidden Tour book of rules governing the tour, and with itinerary, failed to meet the reserve when it closed at $227.50.
A real photo birds-eye view of the LH in Ely, NV closed at $76 [This was similar to the color printed postcard view I reprinted for last year's LHA conference in Ely].
Check out this snapshot real-photo postcard view of a guy with his Hudson in the desert, at a culvert that says, "To San Francisco". Can anyone ID the location?
A very nice real-photo view of Annie Clemenc, Heroine of the Copper Country Strike, Michigan 1913, draped in an American Flag brought $1,025! [Not really road related but shows the increasing interest in real-photo postcards, especially ones related to social history].
That's all for now.
yer pal,
ypsi-slim