Lincoln Highway

Lincoln Highway is a historic transcontinental highway that spans across the United States, connecting New York City to San Francisco, passing through Chicago, Iowa City, Omaha, Cheyenne, Salt Lake City, and Sacramento. The highway was named after Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, and was established in 1913 by the Lincoln Highway Association, a group of entrepreneurs and automobile enthusiasts, including Carl G. Fisher, Frank Seiberling, and Henry B. Joy. The construction of the highway was supported by various organizations, such as the American Automobile Association and the United States Chamber of Commerce, as well as notable figures like Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft.

● History

The concept of a transcontinental highway was first proposed by Carl G. Fisher, the founder of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, who envisioned a road that would connect the East Coast to the West Coast of the United States. The Lincoln Highway Association was formed in 1913 to promote and develop the highway, with the support of Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, and other prominent businessmen, including John Jacob Astor IV and William Randolph Hearst. The highway was officially dedicated on October 31, 1913, in Times Square, with a ceremony attended by Governor of New York William Sulzer and other dignitaries, such as Mayor of New York City John Purroy Mitchel and United States Secretary of the Treasury William Gibbs McAdoo. The construction of the highway was a significant undertaking, involving the collaboration of various state and local governments, including the New York State Department of Transportation, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and California Department of Transportation, as well as private companies like Standard Oil and United States Steel Corporation.

● Route

The original route of the highway spanned approximately 3,389 miles, passing through 11 states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and California. The highway followed existing roads and trails, such as the Old National Road and the Oregon Trail, and was improved and paved over time, with the support of organizations like the American Association of State Highway Officials and the United States Bureau of Public Roads. The route took travelers through various cities and towns, including Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Toledo, South Bend, Chicago, Des Moines, Omaha, Cheyenne, Salt Lake City, and Reno, and passed near notable landmarks like the Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, and Lake Tahoe. The highway also intersected with other notable roads, such as the Route 66 and the Dixie Highway, and was influenced by the work of engineers like Henry Lawson Webster and Thomas MacDonald.

● Landmarks

The Lincoln Highway passes through various notable landmarks and attractions, including the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Rockefeller Center, Willis Tower, Millennium Park, Indiana State Capitol, Ohio Statehouse, Cedar Point, Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and Yosemite National Park. Travelers on the highway can also visit historic sites like the Gettysburg National Military Park, Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, and the Golden Gate Bridge, as well as cultural institutions like the Art Institute of Chicago, Cleveland Museum of Art, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The highway also passes through various national forests, including the Adirondack Park, Shawnee National Forest, and the Sierra National Forest, and offers scenic views of the Great Lakes, Mississippi River, and the Mojave Desert.

● Impact

The Lincoln Highway had a significant impact on the development of the United States, facilitating the growth of automobile tourism and the expansion of the highway system. The highway played a crucial role in the development of the automobile industry, with companies like Ford Motor Company, General Motors, and Chrysler benefiting from the increased demand for cars and trucks, and was influenced by the work of innovators like Henry Ford and Ransom E. Olds. The highway also contributed to the growth of roadside attractions and motels, with entrepreneurs like Kemmons Wilson and Howard Johnson establishing successful businesses along the route, and was supported by organizations like the American Hotel and Lodging Association and the National Restaurant Association. The Lincoln Highway also had a significant cultural impact, inspiring works like Jack Kerouac's On the Road and John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, and was influenced by the music of artists like Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan.

● Preservation

Efforts to preserve the Lincoln Highway have been ongoing since the 1980s, with the establishment of the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor in Pennsylvania and the Lincoln Highway National Historic Trail in California. The Federal Highway Administration has also recognized the highway as a historic route, and various state and local governments have established historic markers and interpretive centers along the route, including the Lincoln Highway Museum in Iowa and the California Lincoln Highway Association. The National Park Service has also designated the highway as a historic trail, and the Library of Congress has established a collection of documents and photographs related to the highway's history, including the work of photographers like Dorothea Lange and Ansel Adams. The preservation of the Lincoln Highway is an ongoing effort, with the support of organizations like the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the American Planning Association. Category:Historic highways in the United States