In 1913, Carl Fisher proposed a coast-to-coast rock highway, and automobile and tire company executives quickly joined the effort to put America on wheels. At the inaugural meeting on July 1, 1913, newly elected president Henry Joy proposed dedicating the highway to Abraham Lincoln, creating a cause that Americans across the nation could rally behind. A successful marketing campaign helped persuade the public and eventually the federal government that better roads were needed. The Road Act of 1916 provided seed money for road improvement, and the Federal Highway Act of 1921 reflected the need for an interstate road network by providing $75 million to state highway departments. The Lincoln Highway became the most famous road in America and stood as a testament to the vision and perseverance of entrepreneurs who created the first successful all-weather coast-to-coast automobile highway. In the early 20th century, as bicycling gave way to the expanding automotive industry, demand for improved driving conditions grew as muddy, treacherous roads, broken-down vehicles, and impassable stretches became intolerable to an increasingly mobile public. In Illinois, the Lincoln Highway brought together scenic communities celebrating distinctive history and culture along the first paved road in the state, including a 179-mile section that is the only portion of the route to receive National Scenic Byway designation.

Photo: Darren Jefferson Clay

Oregon, Illinois · USA