Day 2: August 26, 2001
Highbridge & Cabins


The tall trestle at Highbridge Kentucky that Granny called their "first bit of sightseeing" is still intact and still impressive. The same cannot be said for the ferry they rode across the river or the bridge that later replaced it. The picture of the loaded ferry is from John L. Butler's excellent book, First Highways of America and was taken in the 1920s. The ferry must have looked about the same when the Ford & the Overland crossed.

Granny's Letters:


I believe Granny's reference to "Quakertown" should have been "Shakertown" and its still there with its many large buildings. Today it offers dining and overnight accommodations along with a look at history. The "miles and miles of stone fence" are still there, too.

Some buildings in Springfield that caught our eye and with dates indicating that they were around during the 1920 trip.

When I recently learned that Lincoln's cabin was inside a building, I assumed that this was a recent development. Nope, that pillared structure was completed in 1911 so Frank & Gertrude saw and recorded the same thing we did. The color picture is one I took today and the other is one that was taken, probably by Granny, on the 1920 visit. Chris realized that the older print was reversed and then there was no doubt we had an 80 year old "vacation shot". Patterned shadows from the windows reinforce that. This is the only picture I can verify as being from the trip and the first evidence that others may survive.

In Bowling Green, we quickly found the fountain that had "icicles 2 ft. long hanging from it". We did not find the H. A. McElroy store.

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