Day 1: April 22, 2005
Points of Beginning


Prev
Next
My primary guide for this trip is Mike Buettner's excellent "A History and Road Guide of the Lincoln Highway in Ohio" which means the more or less final 1928 alignment. But before starting west along that route, I headed a few miles east from East Liverpool. At least some of the roads I drove were part of an earlier Lincoln Highway alignment although that's not the reason I drove them. I drove them to reach this marker for the "Point of Beginning" of the initial survey of the lands in the North West Territory. The marker is on OH-39/PA-68 at the Ohio-Pennsylvania border.
Here, at Fifth & Broadway in East Liverpool, is the "point of beginning" for my Lincoln Highway drive across Ohio. Of course, this isn't the precise entry point of the LH into Ohio but Mike uses this more convenient location to start his guide. The Lincoln Highway marker that now stands in front of the Museum of Ceramics has been moved there from somewhere else but it does have the proper directional arrow pointing along Fifth Street.

That last picture is of the eight hillside garages shown in Drake Hokanson's "Lincoln Highway - Main Street across America". Note that the two rightmost garages now have light colored doors.

I couldn't figure out what this giant archer's purpose is or if he even has a purpose. He stands along Rollercoaster Road in front of a farm with no signs or any other hints of commercialism. There are lots of goats on the farm but I can't figure a connection. Trail's End and the Capehart are on US-30.
Breakfast was at this O'Mahoney built diner in Lisbon. The diner opened in Lisbon in 1955 and was moved to this location in 1979. Earle & Jacki Hensman took over in 1992 and the place is actually called Earle & Jacki's Steel Trolley Diner. It even says that on the sign behind the patriotic banner. About a block west of the diner, this replica (I believe) brick pillar is set in some nice green space near the court house.
I actually turned around to get this picture. (You knew I was on the wrong side of the road, didn't you?) Scenes with winding and dipping roads are common in these parts, but this one, complete with Mail Pouch barn, magically appeared in its entirety when I topped a hill.
This could be the most photographed Ohio Lincoln Highway landmark that is not on the Lincoln. It's the Spread Eagle Tavern in a section of well preserved buildings about two blocks off the highway in Hanoverton.
The brick section is one of several on the wonderful Baywood Street between Minerva and Robertsville. That is also Baywood in the second picture which looked like it could have been taken several decades ago. Although they are neither universal nor uniform, there are quite a few modern signs and markers to help keep you on the older Lincoln Highway alignment. If you have an idea of where you're going, these will certainly help you get there but I think it would be pretty tough to follow the highway using only those signs.
The Canton Classic Car Museum isn't actually on the highway but it's close enough. The day had started dry but the promised rain had been threatening since the start and teasing since leaving Minerva. At Canton, it became steady - not heavy, but steady. I had planned on stopping at the Museum in any case but the rain made it even more appropriate. This place is packed with neat cars and all the trimming. I've picked two of my favorites for samples. The blue car is a 1932 Stutz and the black one is a 1933 Auburn. They are both "Boattailed Speedster" models and both were built in Indiana. In the museum, they sit facing each other.

The last picture is not from the museum but a showroom just up the street. When I first entered the museum, I was greeted by Norm and he got me started through the displays. I was unaware that former Ohio Lincoln Highway League president, Bob Lichty, was no longer in charge of the museum. When I asked about him, Norm told me about Bob's current job and introduced me to Dennis Dickey, his replacement at the museum. After touring the museum and chatting with Norm & Dennis, I walked the block or so to Motorcar Portfolio but still did not get to meet Bob. Bob was on the road but what I did find was an acre or so of classic automobiles - all for sale. The last shot is of that remarkable "used car lot".

Also not quite on the highway but really cool is the Carrousel District in Mansfield. In 1991, the world's first new carrousel in nearly sixty years opened here and helped pump life into the whole neighborhood. The first three pictures are of that carrousel. The next two are of Carousel Magic where new carrousel animals are created and old ones repaired. The last picture is of a street in the district. Gotta love that neon - including the new sign at the Coney Island Diner.

[Prev] [Site Home] [Trip Home] [Next]