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Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway: A National Scenic Byway
Based on the historical routes, the byway features many loops — paved and unpaved — giving you a feeling for the history of the road and what it was like to travel in the original days of the automobile.
Join us and thousands of other travelers along the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway
Iowa’s section of America’s original Main Street. A community-driven statewide historical effort to preserve the story of the places and people of the byway.
We are committed to the conservation, preservation, and responsible use of all of the byway’s natural, historical, cultural, and community resources while building upon local assets, strengthening and sharing its economic vitality.
What will you experience?
→ Original Landmarks
→ Rural Landscapes
→ Urban Vitality
→ Iowa’s Unique Topography
The Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway is Iowa’s longest and most historic byway, traveling through more than 460 miles of history, recreation, and welcoming Iowa communities.
The Lincoln Highway was the first improved highway across the United States. Learn more about the byway and its history, find out about attractions and events along the byway with our Interactive Trip Planner.
The Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway Guide explores the history and attractions, county by county, along the Lincoln Highway in Iowa, including easy-to-use maps. It can be downloaded or picked up at welcome centers, businesses, and attractions throughout Iowa.
NEW! Survey of National Historic Register Sites
The Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway Corridor Management Plan, published in 2016, identified 319 properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1966. There had been no updated inventory of their physical conditions. This survey brings a greater understanding of the scope and depth of the properties’ preservation and maintenance needs. Prepared by Shellie Orngard, 2024.
Watch these byway videos featuring breweries, distilleries, and wineries in eastern Iowa!
Want to know more? Read our most recent blog posts!
A New Era Begins at the Reed-Niland Corner: Community, Preservation, and a June 14 Celebration
After a year of planning, meetings, and community collaboration, the historic corner officially has a new future as the Reed-Niland Corner, Inc. takes over.
Carnegie Libraries byways Tour: Cornell & Mt Vernon
In 1901, Cornell College and the City of Mount Vernon were offered a grant from Andrew Carnegie. This collaboration is possibly the only one of its kind in the country. Although, the library outgrew itself, the collaboration did not.