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URL of article: http://www.nebraskahistory.org/publish/publicat/history/full-text/NH1992Linc_Hwy.pdf Date: 4/15/2013 Article Summary: The Lincoln Highway, officially dedicated in October of 1913, traversed 13 states and was promoted by a network of state and local boosters. The 450 miles of the road in Nebraska followed the Platte River Valley. Cataloging Information: Names: A C Pardington, H E Frederickson, William Whitmore, Effie Gladding, Claire Boltwood [fictional Sinclair Lewis character], John Romsdal, George Wolz, Anton Kracl, Warren Belasco, Norman Fuessle, Ed Launer, Walt Meier, Florene Betts, Hilda Vasey, Rome Miller, Keywords: "seedling mile"; Americans on the Road: From Autocamp to Motel; Travel [Magazine]; Enterprise [Blair]; Lincoln Highway; Platte Valley Transcontinental Route Association; Symphony Club [Ogallala]; Photographs / Images: red, white, and blue markings on a telephone pole in Gothenburg; Grand Island meeting of Lincoln Highway Association members, 1913; the Lodgepole building with Lincoln Highway marker in front, 1911, Lodgepole's Stone Hotel; paved "seedling mile" near Kearney, October 1915; Part of the Lincoln Highway, 1917; Map by Dell Darling showing the Lincoln Highway; from The Complete Official Road Guide of the Lincoln Highway 1916: The Midway Hotel and J L Chapman's Garage ads; Lincoln Highway route from east to west through Sidney THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY IN NEBRASKA: THE PIONEER TRAIL OF THE AUTOMOTIVE AGE By Carol Ahlgren and David Anthone The idea ofthe Lincoln Highway was Valley, a major transportation route. mayor and others for short speeches. Most of our retail stores will be decorated in red, white, conceived when a group of automobile The valley, which has been called the and blue.2 manufacturers and businessmen met "Great Platte River Road," forms a At eight o'clock that evening, Fredrick­ in 1912 and formed an association to relatively narrow corridor through the son lit the oil-soaked wood before a establish the nation's first transcon­ state where nineteenth-century routes crowd of 10,000 people; simultaneous­ tinental highway. The goal of this Lin­ were located: the Mormon and Oregon­ ly, whistles were blown throughout the coln Highway Association was to California trails; the Pony Express city. The mostimpassioned speech was develop a paved, marked, toll-free route; and the Union Pacific mainline, by Omaha businessman Rome Miller: highway that would provide the most the nation's first transcontinental The Lincoln Highway is nearer the Lincoln idea direct route between New York and railroad. The Lincoln Highway in Ne­ than anything ever suggested. Lincoln came from San Francisco. braska represents a twentieth-century the people. He belonged to the people. The Lin­ coln Highway will be a memorial which can be When the Lincoln Highway was addition to the Platte River Road; as seen, employed, and enjoyed by all the people.' officially dedicated in October of 1913, the nation's first transcontinental From the Missouri River to the Wyom­ it was only a red line on paper highway it too was apioneer trail. ing border, Nebraska towns - Valley, delineated along existing roads On October 8, 1913, over 200 Fremont, Kearney, North Platte, and through thirteen states. For over a delegates of the Platte Valley Ogallala - had fireworks, parades decade until it became part of the Transcontinental Route Association and bonfires. federal numbered highway system, the met at the Merrick County courthouse Near Kearney, farmers placed torch Lincoln Highway was promoted by a in Central City. A month earlier the lights along a twenty-mile stretch into network of state and local boosters proposed route of the highway had the city. In Valley Counsel William called counsels. Headquartered in De­ been determined. Representatives at Whitmore, owner of the local stock­ troit, the association solicited the meeting included local good roads yards, backdated his diary to include donations, sold $5 memberships, and boosters, state and local counsels, and mention of the celebration. Between encouraged the construction of con­ the vice-president of the Lincoln brief entries concerning weather and crete sections called seedling miles. Highway Association, A. C. Pardington. crops, Whitmore noted, "We had a big Cities and towns on the route were The delegates unanimously endorsed celebration, bonfire, speeches, lunch encouraged to rename streets and the highway, and Central City became and parade."4 In western Nebraska boulevards "Lincoln Way." Guide­ the first city in the country to ratify the Ogallala's Symphony Club performed, books were published which described Lincoln Highway Proclamation. I and speeches were given about the road conditions, highway markings, A few weeks later the association highway's namesake. Fredrickson sent towns, garages, and hotels. launched its first major promotional a telegram which advised area The 450 miles of the road in Ne­ event: the official dedication of the residents to watch the sky for a reflec­ braska followed the Platte River route. On October 31, 1913, cele­ tion of Omaha's bonfire.5 brations occurred from New York to After the 1913 celebrations, San Francisco. H. E. Fredrickson, Ne­ automobile enthusiasts continued to Carol Ahlgren is an architectural historian at braska's counsel, described the prep­ boost the road for almost fifteen years. the Nebraska State Historical Society. David arations in Omaha: Through its national publicity cam­ Anthone, a former contractor in Historic Pre­ I have eight large loads of old Iwoodenl street car servation, is a graduate student at tires and three barrels of good burning oil for our paign, the association tried to keep the Columbia University. bonfire, 100 dollars worth of fireworks and the highway in the front page news. Press 173 Nebraska History - Winter 1992 releases were sent to newspapers in Red, white, and blue markings on a towns along the route. To encourage telephone pole guided the traveler donations, newspapers were provided along the Lincoln Highway in Gothen­ with reproductions of the Lincoln burg. (NSHS-D272-01E3) Highway membership certificates sold to Woodrow Wilson and Thomas Edison.6 family's 1916 Buick, looked for the red, The certificates were one way to pro­ white, and blue markings. They spot­ mote the highway and meet the goal of ted them on telephone poles, fence ten million dollars set by the associa­ posts, and even rocks, and called out to tion. Pennants, cigars, paperweights, let their parents know thatthey were on and radiator emblems depicting the the right road." route from coast to coast were also While the route was easy to follow available. In Central City local boosters through rural areas, in larger towns and claimed that they wanted to place a cities it could be more difficult. radiator emblem on every car in Automobile bluebooks provided assis­ Merrick County, and paperweights on tance with directions based on local the desks of people who did not own landmarks and buildings. To take the cars. The Central City Nonpareil Lincoln Highway through Schuyler, claimed: Nebraska, in 1923, motorists were Whether you are an auto owner or not, you are instructed: entitled to have a certificate and the road means At banks. Right 1 blk., then left at city hall 2 blks. as much to you as it does to the man with the big 4-cor.; right. End of road at barn; left. Right·hand touring car.? road; right.12 The route was quickly marked from Travellers during the early years also coast to coast by red, white, and blue passed existing landmarks that would bands painted on telephone poles and become even more well-known on the metal signs with Lincoln's profile or the transcontinental route. One of these, a letter "L."8 After a transcontinental large sign near Kearney, was located at journey in 1915, Effie Gladding de­ the Watson Ranch, nicknamed the scribed the experience in Across the "1733 Ranch" because of its equidis­ Continent by the Lincoln Highway. She tant location from Boston and San and her traveling companions were Francisco. The sign was featured on the guided by the markers: cover of an early Lincoln Highway sometimes painted on telephone poles, some· times put up over garage doors or swinging on guide book and in 1915, Effie Gladding hotel signboards . .. We learned to love the red, stopped to take a picture. A woman liv­ white and blue and the familiar big L which told ing across the highway informed her us we were on the right road." that "almost every motor party . A character in Sinclair Lewis's 1924 stopped to photograph the sign."13 novel Free Air was also guided by the The enormous barn, orchards, and road markings. Claire Boltwood, a fields of the 1733 Ranch are gone, as is wealthy young woman from New York the later 1733 dance pavilion. However, City, makes a transcontinentaljourney. the sign remains, and the name con­ As she crossed the GreatPlains she was tinues with the new housing develop­ exhilarated by the motion and space: ment named "1733 Estates." One mile Nothing, it seemed, could halt her level flight west, the Covered Wagon tourist across the giant land ..