WLM
| history
American Road Trip, and introduced
Wyoming to scores of travelers that crossed
in their automobiles. I enjoyed reading the
stories of individuals and their interaction
with the road. The human element makes
the history palpable. I greatly appreciate
Mr. Franzwa for his efforts in writing The
Lincoln Highway – Wyoming, and highly
encourage you to scour your local public
library for a copy. W L M
Thanks to Mike Osborn for sending in this
story...
Highway Department and he was a
recycler way before it was cool. When
he found out the rocks (carefully shaped
stones) forming the base of the Lincoln
Highway support for the bust would just
be disposed of, he said he’d take them.
p. 50: Ames Monument, Sherman Hill; p.
51: Toll Gate Rock, Green River; p. 52, top:
Lincoln Highway Association certificate
given to Warren Richardson of Cheyenne
for his monetary support of & membership
in the LHA; p. 52, bottom: street scene in
Burns, 1920; p. 53, clockwise from top left:
concrete laid for the Lincoln Highway,
1920s; William Jennings Bryan speaks
in Burns, 1916; Parco Hotel, Parco – now
Sinclair; Cheyenne volunteers gather to
work on Lincoln Highway; p. 54: Summit
Tavern interior between Cheyenne &
Laramie; p. 55, left: Jack Nicholas at
Summit Tavern; p. 55, right: Waffles the
Bear at Summit Tavern
image courtesy Ludwig/Svenson Collection
As I read Mr. Franzwa’s book, I realized
that what I began thinking was the history
of a highway was far greater than that;
this 100th birthday marks the hallmark of
an age in American living. Roads such as
the Lincoln Highway brought us the Great
As you probably know, the bust of
Lincoln currently occupying the highest
point on I-80 used to occupy the highest
point on the Lincoln Highway. It was in
fact commissioned with that in mind-although it didn’t occupy that point very
long because the bust was installed just
a few years before I-80 was completed
and Lincoln had to move--or risk the
fate of the Ames Monument.
My grandfather, Gardner Manfull, was
the district engineer for the Wyoming
He talked a driver into hauling the stones
up to our cabin on Libby Creek (at that
time under construction) and used them
to build our fireplace. The cabin was