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A Historic Road Trip
A Historic Road Trip
Long Live the Lincoln Highway
By Darcy Dougherty Maulsby
If you’ve ever traveled on an interstate – or any paved road, for that matter – you owe a debt of gratitude to the visionaries who promoted the Lincoln Highway. In 1913, the Lincoln Highway became the first coast-tocoast highway, connecting New York City to San Francisco. It passed right through Iowa, from Clinton to Council Bluffs.
The Lincoln Highway is what we know as Highway 30. As much as 85% of the original highway is still drivable in Iowa, according to the Lincoln Highway Association. Today, countless pieces of the past are waiting to be discovered along the historic Iowa route.
When you enter Iowa from the east on the Lincoln Highway, you’ll pass through Clinton and DeWitt. Check out DeWitt’s 1727 German Hausbarn, which was originally located in Schleswig-Holstein in central Germany. It was reassembled in DeWitt’s Lincoln Park in 2008 with the help of many community volunteers. The Hausbarn retains its historical integrity, including an impressive, thatched roof and a German Hausbarn Museum.
The past also comes to life in Lowden. Since 1915, a hotel influenced by the Prairie School style of architecture championed by Frank Lloyd Wright has graced the downtown area. Today, Don and Mary Schliff and their family own the Lincoln Hotel, which they refurbished in 2019. “We appreciate the Lincoln Hotel for its unique architecture, its place in American transportation history, and its connection to the Lincoln Highway and Lowden,” Mary says.
While there are plenty of attractions in Cedar Rapids, don’t overlook the Youngville Café west of the city. In 1931, Joe Young, a widower in his 70s, built this destination near the presentday junction of Highway 30 and Highway 218 as a business and home for his recently widowed daughter Elizabeth “Lizzie” Wheeler. The Youngville Café was a prime example of new economic options available to women, thanks to the Lincoln Highway.
Another popular pit stop is the Lincoln Café in Belle Plaine, which has been serving meals since 1928. When Travel Iowa assembled the ultimate county-by-county restaurant tour in 2018, featuring one must-visit restaurant in each of Iowa’s 99 counties, the Lincoln Café made the list. Heading west out of Belle Plaine on the old Lincoln Highway, you’ll drive by Preston’s Station, with its riot of color from vintage metal signs for Star Tires, Texaco Motor Oil and more.
See an Iconic Bridge, Rose Gardens and More
When you arrive in Tama, be sure to check out the iconic Lincoln Highway Bridge, which was constructed in 1915. The county supervisors opted to add architectural expression to the otherwise typical concrete slab structure to distinguish the bridge from the hundreds of others along the route. Guard rails spelling the name “Lincoln Highway” on both sides of this bridge showcased this structure as an early advertisement for the Lincoln Highway.
When you reach State Center, you’re in the “Rose Capital of Iowa.” For decades, the town has celebrated the Rose Festival each June. You can also visit State Center’s beautiful, landscaped garden, where residents have spent decades nurturing and showcasing many varieties of roses, old and new.
As you cruise past farms and barns on your way to Story County, you might notice signs pointing to the historic Reed/Niland Corner. Located at the intersection of the Lincoln Highway and the Jefferson Highway (which ran from Winnipeg, Canada, to New Orleans), the Reed/Niland Corner started in the 1920s. Today, you can stop by for a slice of pie.
There’s plenty to see in Nevada, Ames and Boone, as well as Greene County. You’ll find the Iowa Lincoln Highway Museum in a former bank in downtown Grand Junction.
In Jefferson, the Lincoln Highway passes near the Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower, which has graced the town since 1966 and chimes throughout the day. You can ride to the top of the tower via an elevator and view the horizon from the glassenclosed Paul Nally Observation Deck. You may even spot some art in surprising places – on the rooftops of downtown Jefferson. The rooftop art includes “Patches of Greene,” featuring four quilt squares painted on sheets of aluminum representing Greene County, from the railroad to wind energy.
When you’re back on the ground, discover more art in the pocket park south of the courthouse square, or head over to the Thomas Jefferson Gardens of Greene County, Iowa (TJGGCI), southeast of the courthouse square. TJGGCI features themed gardens and honors the legacy and ideals of President Thomas Jefferson, who frequently extolled the virtues of the agrarian life and championed self-government.
Explore more horticultural heritage west of Jefferson at Deal’s Orchard. The fourth generation of the Deal family runs this orchard and agritourism destination, whose roots date back to 1917. In the fall, enjoy the family fun zone and Apple Acres, which includes a corn pool, pedal tractors and more.
Like movies and classic TV? Check out the Donna Reed Theatre in Denison after passing through interesting communities like Glidden, Carroll and Arcadia. The theatre honors the Hollywood star who grew up on a farm south of Denison and starred in movies like “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
Just down the road in Dunlap, you’ll notice a vibrant Lincoln Highway mural. In 2021, Jill Schaben teamed up with the Dunlap Community Development Corporation and a small crew of local volunteers to paint six murals in six months. “Ambition met funding, and Dunlap became a lot more colorful,” says Schaben, a graphic designer who coordinates Dunlap’s annual Art at the Park event.
Community spirit is also alive and well in Woodbine, which is known for its classic brick streets along Lincolnway Street. Woodbine’s ability to redefine what’s possible for small-town Iowa began to take root several years ago in an unlikely place – an old grain elevator by the railroad tracks at the edge of town. While most people saw a decrepit building that should be torn down, Deb Sprecker saw potential.
Sprecker, the executive director of the Woodbine Main Street program, explained her vision for what the old elevator could become – namely, a towering piece of artwork. The community agreed and chose a design featuring a field with contour farming strips, a conservation practice that protects soil and water quality. The design also honors the unique formation of wind-deposited soil in the nearby Loess (pronounced “luss”) Hills, located in parts of western Iowa along the Missouri River.
Not only did the grain elevator help revitalize the town, but so did businesses like Good Fellows, a restaurant located at the former Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge 405 in downtown Woodbine. “People see that good things are happening here,” says Todd Waite, co-owner of Good Fellows. “Woodbine proves there’s still opportunity in a small town.”
Pizza King Serves Up the American Dream
When you travel the Lincoln Highway in Iowa, leave room for serendipity – those times when you find something good unexpectedly. It might be the Squirrel Cage Jail, a three-story, rotary-cage jail built in 1885 that is now a museum (and allegedly haunted).
Then, there’s Pizza King in Council Bluffs. The menu includes everything from steaks to lasagna to pizza, with flavors as diverse as the Athenian Delight, a flat-crust pizza topped with gyro meat, tomatoes, onions, black olives and feta cheese.
Dan Poulos and his wife Kathy have owned and operated Pizza King for more than 50 years. Attention to detail and exceptional customer service have helped Pizza King thrive for decades. The Poulos family is a classic example of how ambition, hard work and grit can still help you achieve the American dream. “We’ve accomplished a lot of things,” Kathy says.
That’s just a sample of what you can explore along the Lincoln Highway in Iowa. Whether you want to spend a few hours, a day or a week, this ultimate road trip offers the opportunity to wander off the interstates and savor an authentic taste of Iowa.
