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Books for the byways

by Jeanie Hau | Oct 16, 2024

Hello byway readers!

The theme for the Iowa Byways newsletter last month (be sure to sign up if you haven’t already) was “Books on the Byway.” I definitely did not have room to list all of the books that I found on the topic of The Lincoln Highway! I also realized that I don’t even have a complete “list” for either the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway or the Iowa Valley Scenic Byway. We were also given the option to list where to buy books on the byways or where to enjoy reading books while on the byways. With approximately 43+ communities on the Lincoln Highway in Iowa, that would be a task for our tiny newsletter and even this tiny blog!

What I will do is tell you about some of the newer books that are on my reading list. I will give you the local bookstores that I found and let you find your own favorite café or park to read in!

Check out our Lincoln Highway Activity Guide, our Lincoln Highway Recreation and Camping Guide, and our Iowa Valley Resources Map for ideas of places to enjoy a byway book.

Iowa Valley Scenic Byway Map and Resource Guide

The best recently published book about the Lincoln Highway is After Ike: On the Trail of the Century-Old Journey that Changed America. Author, Michael Owens provides a narrative for the First Transcontinental Convoy of 1919, as he crosses the same route in modern times (2022). Everyone should grab this book and read it before the documentary comes out in 2025. I have seen an early viewing of the documentary at the Lincoln Highway Association’s Annual Conference. The documentary does a wonderful job of portraying the historic highway and includes a favorite cast of characters from the Lincoln Highway Association.

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The book that I am most excited about reading is Eric Steven Zimmer’s Red Earth Nation: A History of the Meskwaki Settlement (2024). Located in Tama County, Iowa, the Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa, is known as the Meskwaki Nation, or the “People of the Red Earth.” The Meskwaki Nation purchased an 80-acre parcel of land along the Iowa River in 1857. That parcel has grown to more than 8,000 acres. Zimmer spent ten years writing this book to be certain that he got it right for the Meskwaki Nation. Through the Iowa Meskwaki Nation’s story, he explores the #Landback movement of Native nations.

Back Roads and Better Angels: A Journey into the Heart of American Democracy by Francis S. Barry (2024) focuses on a man and his wife who take the ultimate RV trip across America along the Lincoln Highway. Barry uses Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War as a guide to gain insight on Americans today amidst recent political divisions. I am hoping that this book is inspirational to a point that it can propel me through the 560 pages.

The Worldly Game: The Story of Baseball in the Amana Colonies by Monys A. Hagen edited by Peter Hoehnle

The newest book to be published about the Amana Colonies that I am looking forward to reading is The Worldly Game: The Story of Baseball in the Amana Colonies by Monys A Hagen, edited by Peter Hoehnle, published by Penfield Books (2024). When baseball was first introduced to the Colonies, the elders deemed the sport forbidden (verboten). With little else to do in their free time, the game quickly became the most popular sport of the seven Amana Colonies. Then the automobile was introduced to the colonies and the communities were suddenly introduced to the world. Baseball’s popularity dwindled.

The Iowa Baseball Museum of Norway located north of the Amana Colonies would be a great stop to get the full experience of this book.

The Lincoln Highway in Iowa: A History by Darcy Dougherty Maulsby (2023).

The Lincoln Highway in Iowa: A History is a recent book by Darcy Dougherty Maulsby (2023). I must admit that I have this book but that I haven’t read it all the way through yet. It has functioned more as a source book for me to find an interesting place or story. Which makes it a great glove compartment book for a trip on the byway.

Brian Butko has written several books on the Lincoln Highway and kept an awesome Lincoln Highway blog from 2007-2022. I recently purchased his, The Lincoln Highway ~Photos Through Time (2013). The book I (and every byway traveler) is looking forward to most by Brian is, Scouting the Lincoln Highway: Adventures on the 1928 Safety Tour in an REO Speed Wagon. And honestly, I am full of anticipation for his first novel, The Quarry, described as “a haunted historical mystery.” Will a certain historic highway be mentioned?…

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles German

Speaking of fiction, there is one little book that has brought much attention to the Lincoln Highway. That is a not-so-little book by Amor Towles, The Lincoln Highway (2021). And… there is a movie in the works! Towles is an expert storyteller and although I haven’t read this one yet, I am a huge fan of his style. His story twists can change the view of what a story is really about. Talking about exposure, I just found out that the book has been printed in Spanish, Swedish, Italian, German, and Chinese.

Another fiction book that I found with a setting of the Lincoln Highway is, Niland Corner, by Paul Berge (2021). Berge is an aviation writer and this quick little story is sure to put a smile on your face as the story weaves around the Niland Corner.

The last book I will talk about here is An American Songline: A Musical Journey Along the Lincoln Highway by Cecelia K Otto (2015). What a concept this book is based on! Cece traveled the Lincoln Highway (all of it) and gave concerts of vaudeville-era music in every state she passed through. The book follows her journey bringing music and history together. Oh yes, and there is a CD of the music you’ll need also!

Here are the locally owned book venues that I was able to find on the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway . Send me the ones that I missed!

Dog-Eared Books in Ames

The Book Shoppe, Inc. in Boone

Swamp Fox Bookstore in uptown Marion

Next Page Books in Historic New Bohemia in Cedar Rapids

Next Page Books New Bohemia Cedar Rapids Iowa

Along the Iowa Valley Scenic Byway I was able to find:

Amana Heritage Society Museum is the go-to place for books on the history of the Amanas.

Bumble Books in downtown Amana is taking on the environment by specializing in Print-On-Demand books by independent authors, they also sell new and used books.

Fireside Winery, just outside of Marengo, has a novel new Storyteller book club at the winery! They order their books from Dog-Eared Books in Ames!

Let me know what books you are reading for the byways.

Let me know where you get your books on the byways.

And let me know where your favorite place to read your byway book is.

A little piece of useless information about me:

Drake Hokanson’s 1988 book was a book I picked up back in 1989,

I didn’t know then what propelled me to do so….

See you on the byways!

Add to my book lists below!

Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway: This list includes Iowa specific books but does not include other state specific books that exist. Available at Lincoln Highway Trading Post: Buy here first to support the Lincoln Highway Association. If they do not have your book check your local bookstore as they can order and ship to you if the book is still in publication. Thrift sites may have a book that is out of publication.

Scouting the Lincoln Highway: Adventures on the 1928 Safety Tour in an REO Speed Wagon by Brian Butko, Not published yet

Red Earth Nation: A History of the Meskwaki Settlement by Eric Steven Zimmer, 2024, 358 pages

Back Roads and Better Angels: A Journey into the Heart of American Democracy by Francis S. Barry, 2024

Lincoln Highway: Discover America’s Forgotten Main Street by Publications International Ltd., 2023; 144 pages

The Lincoln Highway in Iowa: A History by Darcy Dougherty Maulsby, 2023; Iowa

After Ike: On the Trail of the Century-Old Journey that Changed America, Michael S. Owen, 2022; 224 pages; available at Trading Post

Greetings from the Lincoln Highway: A Road Trip Celebration of America’s First Coast-to-Coast Highway by Brian Butko (Centennial edition w/revised text and new images 2013, 2019) (3 total editions)

Ford Model T Coast to Coast: A Slow Drive across a Fast Country by Tom Cotter, 2018; 224 pages; available at Trading Post

An American Songline; The Book: A Musical Journey Along the Lincoln Highway by Cecelia Otto, 2015; 309 pages; available at Trading Post

Across the Continent by the Lincoln Highway by Effie Price Gladding, 2015; 120 pages

The Lincoln Highway: Photos Through Time, Brian Butko, 2013; 136 pages; available at Trading Post

Lincoln Highway Companion: A Guide to America’s First Coast-To-Coast Road, by Brian Butko, 2009; 193 pages

America’s First Highway by Greg Roza, 2009; ages 9-12; 32 pages

The Lincoln Highway: Coast to Coast from Times Square to the Golden Gate by Michael Wallis and Michael S. Williamson, 2007; 304 pages

Lincoln Highway: The Road My Father Traveled by D. Lowell Nissley, 2006; 212 pages

American Road: The Story of an Epic Transcontinental Journey at the Dawn of the Motor Age by Pete Davies, 2002; 274 pages

All the Way to Lincoln Way: A Coast to Coast Bicycle Odyssey by Bill Roe, 2000; 192 pages

The Pacesetter: The Untold Story of Carl G. Fisher by Jerry M. Fisher, 1998; 440 pages

Link Across America: A Story of the Historic Lincoln Highway by Mary Elizabeth Anderson and Randall F Ray, 1997; ages 7-13; 52 pages; available at Trading Post

The Lincoln Highway: Iowa by Gregory M. Franzwa, 1995; 187 pages Iowa

The Lincoln Highway: Main Street Across America by Drake Hokanson, 1988; 256 pages

The Lincoln Highway: The Story of a Crusade That Made Transportation History by Lincoln Highway Association, reprint of 1935 edition (reprints: 1995, 2018, 2022); 396-204 pages

The Complete Official Road Guide of the Lincoln Highway, reprint of 1924 edition (5^th Edition); 566 pages; available at Trading Post

The Complete Official Road Guide of the Lincoln Highway, reprint of 1916 edition (2^nd Edition)- print on demand with a leather cover through Walmart

The Complete Official Road Guide of the Lincoln Highway, reprint of 1915 edition (1^st edition of 5 editions); 160 pages

Pan-Pacific International Exposition Miniature View Book by Robert E. Reid, 1915; 66 pages; available at Trading Post

Hints to Transcontinental Tourists Traveling on the Lincoln Highway by FH Trego, reprint of 1914 edition; 12 pages; available at Trading Post

Lincoln Highway: Route Road Conditions and Directions by FH Trego, reprint of 1913 edition; 32 pages; available at Trading Post

Fiction: The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles, 2021

Fiction: Niland Corner by Paul Berge, 2021 Iowa

Iowa Valley Scenic Byway:

Red Earth Nation: A History of the Meskwaki Settlement by Eric Steven Zimmer, 2024

The Worldly Game: The Story of Baseball in the Amana Colonies by Monys A. Hagen, published by Penfield Books, 2024.

A Change and A Parting: My Story of Amana by Barbara Selzer Yambura and Eunice W. Bodine, 2022; 264 pages

A Century of Amana Life: Echoes of Elise by Jeremy H. Berger, 2020; 297 pages

Amana Colonies, Iowa, Images of America, 1932-1945 by Peter Hoehnle, 2016; 130 pages

The Inspirationists, 1714-1932 by Peter Hoehnle, 2015; 374 pages

The Amanas Yesterday by Joan Liffring-Zug Bourret, John Zug, 2013, 48 pages

German Recipes Old World Specialties and Photography from the Amana Colonies by Sue Roemig Goree and Joanne Asala, 2013; 128 pages

The Amana People: The History of a Religious Community by Peter Hoehnle, 2003; 96 pages

Village Voices, Stories from the Amana Colonies by Various Authors published by Free River Press, 1996

Ghost of the Amana Colonies by Lori Erickson, 1988; 172 pages

Amana Colonies by Joan Liffring-Zug Bourret and John Zug, 1985 (2^nd Edition)

Amana Today: A History of the Amana Colonies from 1932 to the Present by Lawrence L. Rettig, 1975; 249 pages

Historical Fiction by Melanie Dobson: Legacy of Love Series books 6 & 7: The Society, 2020; 320 pages and The Stranger, 2020; 299 pages

Historical Fiction by Judith McCoy Miller Home to Amana Series and Daughters of Amana Series, 2010-2014

‘Big Boy’ visits Belle Plaine by Jeff Morrison

by Prairie Rivers of Iowa | Sep 25, 2024

The Union Pacific’s No. 4014 “Big Boy” steam locomotive stops in downtown Belle Plaine, Iowa, on Thursday, September 5, 2024. The train’s trip across Iowa closely followed the Lincoln Highway. Photo by author.

BELLE PLAINE — Little boys love Big Boy. Big boys love Big Boy. On Thursday, hundreds of people turned out to see Big Boy.

“Big Boy” is the nickname of the 25 huge trains built in 1941 for the Union Pacific Railroad. The Omaha World-Herald introduced it as a “mastiff among puny terrier locomotives.” There are seven remaining in museums. That number used to be eight, but No. 4014 was pulled out of a California museum and restored in the 2010s. Five years after its initial excursion in 2019, the last Big Boy returned to Iowa as part of an eight-week, 10-state “Heartland of America Tour.”

John Sutherland, 75, of North Liberty was seeing Big Boy for the first time. “Railroading runs in my family’s blood. My grandfather worked for the Pullman-Standard Steel Car Co. and my great-grandfather was the line superintendent for the Michigan Central Railroad.” He’s not much of a train spotter, but the opportunity to see Big Boy was too good to pass up.

The Iowa-Illinois portion of Big Boy’s 2024 trip followed trackage that was originally part of the Chicago & North Western Railroad and closely parallels U.S. Highway 30 and the Lincoln Highway. Its public stops were in Carroll, Belle Plaine and Grand Mound. Those stops doubled as service periods, since the world’s largest operating steam locomotive requires a high degree of maintenance.

George Kornstead of Iowa City was wearing a Hawkeye Model Railroad Club shirt. He grew up around the rail hub in Duluth and Superior. “Steam is incredible, it really is, to watch how back in the day when people were working on railroad, how hard it was and how intensive it was to keep steam available on the locomotive. Lot of work. The fireman really makes his money.”

Big Boy pulls into Belle Plaine with Lincoln Highway Mural in background

The World-Herald in 1941 said at the first Big Boy’s launch, “A single tender loading of coal would heat a six-room home for three years.” This Big Boy has been converted from using coal to using oil.

Steven Ritchie, 6, wore a “Big Boy” T-shirt. His father, Roger, said Steven has seen a lot of train videos and sings “the Big Boy song.” Andrew Schamberger of Hudson wore a C&NW T-shirt. His sister, Becca Scott of West Branch, loves the old steam engines.

According to the UP’s website, No. 4014 racked up a million miles of travel in its 20 years of original service in Wyoming and Utah. It’s nearly twice as long as a standard diesel locomotive and more than half the length of a Boeing 747 jet. The Big Boys “had a 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement, which meant they had four wheels on the leading set of ‘pilot’ wheels which guided the engine, eight drivers, another set of eight drivers, and four wheels following which supported the rear of the locomotive,” the website says.

The Union Pacific’s “Big Boy” glistens during a light rain shower in downtown Belle Plaine, Iowa, on Thursday, September 5, 2024. Engine No. 4014 was built in 1941, decommissioned in 1961, and restored in time for the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad in 2019. Photo by author.

Big Boy’s visit was a way to connect with railroad history. Paul Duffy, 85, is from “Tama, really,” but now lives nearer Belle Plaine. He worked for the C&NW and then with UP after the two railroads merged. He had been stationed at multiple points along the railroad in Iowa through his career. His oldest of five daughters, Laurie Duffy, remembers going to the station in Tama with her children to wave at Paul as his train went by.

As Big Boy finally pulled into Belle Plaine 55 minutes after its scheduled arrival, the only rain in a week’s worth of weather showed up with it. It did not dampen the spirits of those who waited, although busloads of elementary school students were only able to get a short glimpse of the train before leaving.

On the other track, a modern UP train with a long line of double-stacked shipping containers prepared to resume its trip west. Freight trains have been going through Belle Plaine for more than a century and a half, and Thursday was no exception.

After the wheels had been greased up and spectators got their fill of pictures, Big Boy’s engineer pulled the whistle and rang the bell. The 83-year-old engine began to chug its way toward Cedar Rapids for the night.

Roll on, Big Boy, roll on.

My other work can be found on my website, Iowa Highway Ends, and its blog.

I am proud to be part of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative.

Jeff Morrison

From “Green Corn Dance” to “Powwow:” the Meskwaki Nation’s End of Summer Tradition

by Jeanie Hau | Aug 6, 2024

The Meskwaki Nation located in Tama County has celebrated the end of summer every year for over 100 years with the Meskwaki Annual Powwow. Family and friends travel from all over the country every year to participate in the Annual Powwow which features dancing, singing, handcrafts, food, games, and fun. Dance styles and content have evolved over the years but the reminiscing, reconnecting, and celebrating unity remains the focus of the event.

Meskwaki Powwow Facebook page

Before 1900, the Meskwaki Tribe would gather every fall during harvest to celebrate the harvest of the crop with a feast. The village was centrally located and the people would celebrate while making final preparations for the storing of the crop for the coming year. They called this celebration the “Green Corn Dance.”

Then in the early 1900s, the smallpox epidemic ran through the village and the federal government burned the village homes to eradicate the disease. The government then built the settlement houses that were spread out across the land in hopes of preventing future diseases. This caused a separation of the population and the arrival of individual crop lands and various harvest times instead of a central common harvest.

CW Wright State Historical Society Wikiup

CW Wright, State Historical Society of Iowa

Powwow Lincoln Highway 1917 Meskwaki Nation

Meskwaki Powwow Facebook Page

To fill the missing sense of celebratory community, from 1902-1912, the Meskwaki Tribe gathered at the old village site and a new event was created but without the harvest. “Field Days” had replaced the “Green Corn Dance.”

“Field Days” became popular with more and more people from outside the settlement. The Meskwaki realized that they could share their culture with the outside world and possibly provide income for the settlement during this festive event and so in 1913 the Chief appointed 15 men to plan the celebration. These men changed the event name to “Powwow” and moved it to the current Powwow Grounds.

The Meskwaki Annual Powwow is now the largest event of its kind in the nation. It has only been canceled during World War II and during the Covid-19 outbreak of 2020/2021.

Meskwaki Powwow Facebook page

All are invited and encouraged to attend the Meskwaki Annual Powwow with open minds and open hearts to learn from the Meskwaki culture during this festive event. Various games, activities, and food vendors as well as traditional foods are available to all. Powwow etiquette is an important way to show your respect and to ease your comfort in an unfamiliar cultural environment. The celebration begins on Thursday August 8 and last for four days with Grand Entry beginning at 1 pm and 7 pm daily.

Meskwaki Powwow Facebook page

Meskwaki Powwow Facebook page

The Grand Entry can now be livestreamed if you can’t make it in person. New this year is the Bible’s Fatboy Powwow Highway Ride benefiting the Meskwaki Band Florida Trip; grab your cars and bikes and meet at the Meskwaki Travel Plaza 9:30 am Aug 10^th and ride the gravel-to-grounds route. What a way to celebrate the end of summer!

The Meskwaki Powwow Grounds are along both the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway and the Iowa Valley Scenic Byway.

Visit Prairie Rivers of Iowa for more Byway Buzz.

Iowa Valley Scenic Byway Iowa Prairie Rivers of Iowa

Freedom Rock Tour and a Liberty Rock on the Lincoln Highway and the Iowa Valley Byways

by Jeanie Hau | Jun 27, 2024

Hello byway travelers!

I am writing today from the National Lincoln Highway Association’s Annual Conference in Elkhart, Indiana! Since I am here all week I thought that I would share with you the feature that I submitted for the Iowa Byways monthly newsletter. If you would like to learn more about Iowa’s other byways be sure to sign up for the newsletter at: https://iowadot.gov/iowasbyways

It seems fitting that as we get ready to celebrate America’s Independence Day that we should celebrate the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway. The Iowa byway gained National Scenic Byway status in 2021 for the historical significance to our country as the first planned transcontinental highway across the United States.

On July 1, 1913 Carl Fisher’s coast-to-coast rock highway was officially named the Lincoln Highway after the 16^th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. The Lincoln Highway Association was officially incorporated and tasked with promoting the Lincoln Highway to local governments and the public. It was no coincidence that Lincoln, a martyr for freedom, was chosen by Henry Joy (the association’s first president) to represent the roadway. Lincoln was a martyr of freedom and the idea of having an improved road across the country that anyone could use to move about freely was the goal. The road soon became known as the “Main Street Across America” and an avenue to a new life for many.

The Lincoln Highway has another significant date in July and that is July 7, 1919 when the first of its kind Transcontinental Motor Convoy left Washington DC to meet up with the Lincoln Highway in Gettysburg and traverse the route. There were 81 military vehicles, 37 officers, and 258 enlisted men who began the trip. Not all of them made it the distance. The Convoy traveled through a muddy Iowa from July 22- July 28th. Read more on the Transcontinental Motor Convoy

Many of the 43 communities across Iowa’s Lincoln Highway choose the fourth of July as their community’s annual town celebration. Belle Plaine has held a July 4^th celebration for many years and good ol’ George Preston would even pull his two-headed pig in the parade. Mount Vernon’s Lincoln Highway Nitty Gritty has about the best name out there and highlights history through antique displays and shopping in the streets and local businesses. The larger towns of Clinton, Council Bluffs (at the historic General Dodge House), and Ames have annual celebrations as do some of the smaller towns like Logan. But the town that wants to really own the fourth of July is Marshalltown, the location of Iowa’s Veteran’s Home which also happens to be one of the largest Veteran’s Homes in the country.

All this talk of freedom and veterans brings us to the topic of this month’s newsletter, Iowa’s Freedom Rocks. The first Iowa Freedom Rock was painted in Adair County in 1999. Artist, Ray “Bubba” Sorensen II wanted to give veterans unique recognition on Memorial Day. Eventually Bubba began a Freedom Rock Tour, where his goal was to paint a Freedom Rock in every county honoring the history and veterans who had connections to the county. Bubba has even started a 50 State Freedom Rock Tour. There is now a Freedom Rock in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties, a 100^th one in Altoona, and a Liberty Rock in the Lincoln Highway community of Glidden. Read more about this special rock, Freedom Rocks along the byways and other byway events in the July newsletter!

Safe Travels!

Iowa’s Scenic Byway Coordinators

The Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway traverses through 13 Iowa counties. Of those 13 counties, five of the communities are home to their counties’ Freedom Rock but there is another rock that is on the Lincoln Highway that is not a Freedom Rock. It is the Glidden Liberty Rock. The Carroll County Freedom Rock was complete when the community of Glidden approached Bubba wanting their own rock. The fact that Glidden has ties to the beginning of WWI and the end of WWII inspired the artist to say yes. The Glidden Liberty Rock portrays Merle Hay, the first Iowan and one of the first three Americans killed in WWI, the “Enola Gay” plane that dropped the bomb to end WWII, injured veteran Ralph Neppel, and a Vietnam Vet Donald Sparks, MIA.

Liberty Rock in Glidden on the Lincoln Highway

The Lincoln Highway Freedom Rock Tour also includes: Clinton County (Clinton), Cedar County, Linn County (the 99^th rock completed), Benton County, Tama County (features Meskwaki Code Talkers), Marshall County (Marshalltown), Story County, Boone County (Boone) , Greene County (Jefferson), Crawford County , Harrison County (Lincoln Highway/Loess Hills Interpretive Center), and Pottawattamie County (Lewis & Clark Trail).

Located in the Gateway Park & Preserve in Marengo, the Iowa County Freedom Rock is protected beneath a lighted pavilion. One side of the rock features Marengo born Marine Sgt. Major Bradley Kasal. Kasal was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroic action during a firefight in which he was severely injured during Operation Phantom Fury in the Gulf War. Williamsburg native, Eugene Ely, an aviation pioneer who was credited with the first shipboard aircraft take-off and landing is featured beneath the American flag. Army Air Force veteran Dr Burns Byram is also featured on the rock. Byram would fly his restored military plane, “Tangerine” low over the town of Marengo to announce that the doctor had arrived. Other Iowa Valley Scenic Byway counties include the Benton County Freedom Rock which features Army, Navy, and Air Corps heroes and the Tama County Freedom Rock which features the Meskwaki Code Talkers.

I hope you have enjoyed this Lincoln Highway and Iowa Valley Freedom Rock Tour. Have a wonderful July and I will see you on the byway!!

Where Was I on the byway? Part 1

by Jeanie Hau | May 16, 2024

“Where Was I on they byway?” began as a post on our Facebook page that was telling people, “Hey look what famous Lincoln Highway Café is open again!” Since I began work as the byway coordinator for the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway, there was speculation as to whether or not the beloved Cronk’s Café in Denison was gone forever or if the new owners would save the tradition. I had seen the Cronk’s sign lit up on a previous trip, but the restaurant wasn’t open. On this trip it was open and what better way to announce to our followers than with a good old fashioned hot beef sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy (or pork in this case)? The post was very popular, most people knew where I was and they were just as excited as I was that Cronk’s would live on in the form of Cronk’s Café American and Mexican Restaurant.

This Facebook post of the bridge and asking, “Where am I on the byway,” was an impulsive live post as I was doing sign inventory on the byway. Bridges on the byway are so beautiful in whatever form or shape they are in, and people love them! Everyone knew that I was at the Wapsi Bridges between Calamus and Wheatland. I learned from followers that the bridges had been closed since the 1990s and that there were holes in the steel underneath that were big enough for a person to get through. The bridges here are actually a series of three bridges. Funding is secured for the replacement of the middle bridge (with a wider decking) and the county is currently seeking funding for the western-most bridge. A Pony Truss bridge is at the eastern side of the section of roadway and will not be restored as a roadway. It will be wonderful to open this stretch of the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway to drivers again! I also learned that there was an amusement park here!!

Wheatland Calamus bridge over Wapsi River

Pony-tress bridge over the wheatland calamus bridge

Where was I on the byway that I saw this guy?

I had gotten a kick out of this guy when I toured this museum. Our friend had his dental work (yes, real teeth) done in a historical dentist chair at one of the many buildings on site. A 1928 Lincoln Highway marker is at its original location here tucked near a lilac shrub. There are many buildings to check out from the 1800s, hiking trails, a video presentation, a gift shop, and a weekly farmer’s market from May to October. The highlight is at the top of the hill where you can stand on the ridge by the Lincoln Highway metal railing and take a selfie viewing the Lewis and Clark Trail, the Western Skies Scenic Byway, the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway and the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway!

So where was I?

I was at the Harrison County Iowa Welcome Center and Historical Museum!

Harrison county welcome center museum display

Harrison County Welcome Center Lincoln Highway bridge model

Welcome Center Selfie Station on Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway National Scenic Byway

This post was the first regular Wednesday, “Where Was I on the byway?” Alas, our followers did know exactly where I was!! : Answer to yesterday’s “Where Was I on the byway?” is atop the hill ridge between Ogden and Boone in the Des Moines River Valley. Seven Oaks Recreation – Boone IA is located on the same ridge about a 1/2 mile south on Hwy 30. (photo credit of Seven Oaks goes to Jeff Robak posting in I grew up in Iowa!).

This post was one of my favorites although highly controversial in the Lincoln Highway world. I thought it was incredibly interesting and educational and hopefully I opened some minds.

Here is the post: I am always checking the Lincoln Highway Association map to see where any concrete Lincoln Highway markers are. I had to do some searching to find these two, but I found them! Where was I?

The comments were of surprise (the surprise emoji) and shock and I quickly learned why. I will answer the “Where Was I?” first.

Wednesday’s Where Was I on the byway? …was Carlyle Memorials in Denison, IA.

The three original concrete Lincoln Highway markers lay on the ground on the west side of the building and according to the National Lincoln Highway Association map, at one time served as a wheel block for parking. This unique use for the damaged markers does allow for a good study in how they were constructed. You can see that the colors were all created separately and laid in the posts. This also shows us that the color is IN the concrete. If you have an original marker on your property, do not use paint to touch it up. A good power-wash is all that is needed to refresh it!

I also learned from followers that the 1913 cornerstone was from the St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church/School from Denison. Carlyle Memorials is storing it for them as they have often done for other Denison residents.

I may be frowned upon by some in the Lincoln Highway Association for my opinion, but I say to, “Value what you have as you have it.” In 1928 there were 2,436 markers installed by the Boy Scouts at approximately 1 mile apart. As time continues to pass many of the markers have been lost and rarely can you find one in the original location. The markers at Carlyle Memorials could have ended up buried in the ground on a farmer’s land somewhere or (more likely) in a DOT’s dumpsite. They aren’t missing. They are right there for you to discover (with the owner’s permission) where you can see how they were made to last 104 years along a highway. I would like to add that the owners are 3^rd generation small business owners and completely respect and honor their history and the history of the Lincoln Highway.

With that, I will end this blogpost. I am enjoying the “Where Was I on the byway?” postings and learning from you, the readers. I hope to give you a fairly accurate count of how many 1928 markers that Iowa still has in the coming year (it is over 30). Keep following me and I will see you on the byway!

Raccoon River Valley Trailhead in Jefferson Honors History and the Lincoln Highway

by Jeanie Hau | Mar 18, 2024

Coming from the east along the Lincoln Highway through the town of Jefferson, there is a location where the car seems to be drawn to a stop and the traveler is compelled to get out and explore. On the north side of the road is a beautiful, landscaped area with plants and sculptures while on the south side there is the restored and welcoming Milwaukee Railroad Depot (along with the county Freedom Rock!). Both sides of the road are part of the Raccoon River Valley Trail (RRVT) trailhead.

The Railroad Years

The Chicago & North Western Railroad brought the railroad tracks to town in 1866, and by 1906 the Milwaukee and St Paul routes ran through Jefferson as well connecting Des Moines and the Iowa Great Lakes Region. Replacing smaller versions of a depot, the current depot was built from a standard Milwaukee plan between 1906 and 1909. There was once a cast iron horse trough that was attached to the building. Because Jefferson was the county seat of Greene County, the depot here was larger than most with two waiting rooms, indoor plumbing, and an express and baggage room. Greater ornamentation was also given to the structure. Jefferson Milwaukee depot historical photo

The Lincoln Highway Cruises In

By 1913, the Lincoln Highway was proposed and its paving across Greene County came soon afterward from local and city funding. The city square was just a few blocks west of the Milwaukee Depot, and in 1918 a grand Classical Revival style building made of limestone was built to replace the brick county courthouse. In that same year, resident E.B. Wilson donated a statue of Abraham Lincoln to honor the Lincoln Highway and the new courthouse. This new ease and popularity of automobile travel became the preferred way to get from place to place. By 1952 the passenger service on the Milwaukee RR was discontinued. By the middle of the 1980s freight service ceased operation as well.

A New Use

It was time for a new use for the old railroad right-of-way. Through a vision of the Iowa Trails Council and the Conservation Boards from Dallas and Guthrie counties, the Raccoon River Valley multi-use Trail (RRVT) was born in 1987, with the first paved trail in 1989. The 12-mile addition from Jefferson to the south was completed in 1997 after Greene County joined the group. Today, the trail is an 89-mile paved surface running from Jefferson to Waukee, with plans to connect to the High Trestle Trail by the end of 2024.

One of the goals of the Raccoon River Valley Trail Association was to keep the history alive in the towns along the trail and to give new life to the communities. There are signs noting historical points of significance along the entire route, several restored or remaining train depots, and signs that remain from the railroad days.

The Jefferson Trailhead

The addition of the Milwaukee Depot Trailhead in Jefferson has been significant to telling the story of the Lincoln Highway. Thousands of bicyclists, joggers, walkers, skaters, campers, cross-country skiers, birdwatchers, hunters, fishermen and naturalists from all across the state are drawn to the Raccoon River Valley Trail. The Lincoln Highway interpretive signs at the trailhead are only the beginning to how Jefferson tells the Lincoln Highway history.

Freedom Rock Greene County

Jefferson and the Lincoln Highway

Adjacent to the Raccoon River Valley Trail is the Greene County Freedom Rock, the 53rd in the state, and completed in 2016. The Lincoln Highway is one of four subjects painted on the rock. In the Greene County News, October 28, 2016, artist Bubba Sorensen states that the rocks are to thank veterans for their service and to tell the unique stories of each county. The Lincoln Highway scene depicts the 1919 U.S. Army motor transport corps convoy across the Lincoln Highway and then LTC Dwight D. Eisenhower looking toward the convoy.

Approximately one block to the west of the RRVT is the Deep Rock Gas Station. Built in 1923, the building was in use until the 1990s. The site was given to the city in 2007. Using federal EPA “brownfield” funds, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources removed the station’s seven underground tanks. Using other grants and fund sources the station was restored and rededicated in 2014. An interpretive sign is located at the station to provide more insight on the historic Lincoln Highway.

A few blocks farther to the west is the Greene County Museum and Historical Center housing Lincoln Highway memorabilia. A sidewalk painting of the Lincoln Highway roadway leads from the museum to the Thomas Jefferson Gardens and ends at the town square. An interpretive sign along the sidewalks speaks of the Lincoln Highway.

Mahanay carillion Tower At the center of the town square is the Greene County Courthouse, the Abraham Lincoln Statue, a 1928 Lincoln Highway Marker, and the Mahanay Memorial Carillion Tower. The tower allows for elevator rides to a 128-foot-high observation deck with views to rooftop art, to the surrounding counties and to… the Lincoln Highway. interpretive signs Lincoln Highway

The Raccoon River Valley Trail is nationally recognized as an exceptional rails-to-trails conversion and was a 2021 inductee into the rail-trail Hall of Fame. It has the longest paved loop trail in the nation and connects 14 Iowa communities with a unique outdoor recreational experience. Visit their website to plan your next railroad biking adventure and to support the communities built along railroad and Lincoln Highway history!

Lincoln Highway – A Poem by Amelia Kibbie

by Amelia Kibbie | Dec 8, 2023

Hover then click the arrows to move from one verse to the next (best seen on desktop).

Lincoln Highway

by Amelia Kibbie

It’s hard to imagine now

as our modern mobiles whisper past

that along this road

horses and herds of cattle passed

and the air was splattered

with the jangled rattle of Model A’s and T’s

the clattered patter of Tin Lizzies.

New York, New York

1914 Times Square

This city, our homegrown gotham

the gateway to America

and the road started there or ended — beginnings and endings

are muddled, as is our mixed memory
and truth-stained history.

Named for Lincoln

who put pen to paper and called for freedom

freedom, the siren song of the automobile

“Life is a Highway”

“Every Day is a Winding Road”

“Bacon and eggs to fix…”

Never mind that the children of those he freed

had to use the Green Book to

keep them safe as they traversed this path

and many others.

Was that freedom?

Nostalgia is not memory

but from sea to shining sea,

follow the hood ornament

until you’ve reached the terminus

the Golden Gate, so named

by a pathfinder-colonizer

All that’s left is the open ocean.

Think of this place

where we stand

as a bead strung on a necklace

that adorns the decolletage of our country

some jewels bigger or more intricate than others

but hanging on the same chain

and just as precious.

Traveled to this day,

the roads were the pride of ancient Rome

a piece of history, yes

but to us

this road leads home.

About the author :

Amelia Kibbie is an author, poet, and lifelong educator. Her debut novel Legendary was published in 2019 by Running Wild Press. Amelia’s short stories have appeared in several anthologies, including the pro-human sci-fi collection Humans Wanted, We Cryptids, Enter the Rebirth, and My American Nightmare: Women in Horror. The literary journals Saw Palm, Quantum Fairy Tales, Wizards in Space, and Intellectual Refuge have featured her work. Her next project is to renovate the turn-of-the-century church she just purchased into a home with the help of her husband, daughter, and four cats. She served on the Lisbon Historic Preservation Commission and as Mt. Vernon/Lisbon Poet Laureate in 2020. Her most recent publication is a book of poems paired with and inspired by the photography of Robert Campagna, a local photographer who was once her teacher. Final Elegance is available by special order — email ameliamk1983@gmail.com for details or visit ameliakibbie.com.

Prairie Rivers of Iowa Has Had a Busy and Productive 2023

by Penny Brown Huber | Nov 8, 2023

Hello and Happy 2023,

Prairie Rivers of Iowa has had a busy and productive 2023 in Iowa, working on a variety of important initiatives related to creating a healthier natural environment and preserving the rich cultural heritage of Iowa. As we end this year, we have touched kids, families, landowners, historic homeowners and business owners, communities, natural resource professionals, like-minded not-for-profits and oversaw a national prairie conference in Iowa.

Here’s a summary of some of the key accomplishments and initiatives this year:

EDUCATIONAL VIDEO SERIES – We created a weekly video series for YouTube and Instagram The Clean Water Act: 50 Years, 50 Facts. We produced 45 short videos filmed at dozens of locations (including knee deep in a marsh) and featuring 5 music parodies. The educational videos covered various aspects of water conservation, law and policy.

Water Testing Ioway Creek Near Stratford in Hamitlon County

MONTHLY STREAM MONITORING – Conducted monthly monitoring of at least 15 streams, providing updates in the Prairie Rivers monthly newsletter. Additionally, coordinated volunteer “snapshots” with neighboring counties and supported school groups interested in water monitoring. Additionally, we published a 65-page report analyzing water quality data, including a novel way of looking at the data.

SECURED A NATIONAL FOUNDATION GRANT – This grant assists us in building a network for interpreting water quality monitoring data. Seven partners joined Prairie Rivers to focus at sharing best practices, looking for tools to monitor E. coli in our streams, providing a monthly opportunity to express their concerns and planning for an Iowa Water Summit in 2024.

TWO TRASH CLEANUPS — (1) May 2023 — Cleaned Ioway Creek by canoe, S. Grand to S. 16th St (Ames), 40 participants. The trash collected weighed 3,020 pounds and included 20 tires and three rims. Partners included: Story County Conservation, Skunk River Paddlers, the City of Ames, Outdoor Alliance of Story County. (2) August 14, 2023 – Cleaned a tributary of Ioway Creek in Stuart Smith Park (Ames), on foot, nine volunteers, 350 pounds of trash removed. Partners included Iowa Rivers Revival, Green Iowa AmeriCorps and the City of Ames.

POLLINATOR CONSERVATION – Launched a 10-year plan involving over 40 persons serving on a committee to support pollinator conservation. This plan is aimed at conserving pollinators and their habitats, which are crucial for the environment. You can see the plan at www.prrcd.org.

Monarch Magic Family Fun Event on September 9th, 2023

MONARCH MAGIC – Held the first Monarch tagging event in September, where over 300 kids, their families, and others learned about pollinators and tagged 146 Monarchs. We had 10 sponsors and partners at Ada Hayden Heritage Park and plan to do it again in 2024.

HISTORIC RESOURCE PRESERVATION – Received a grant from Iowa Cultural Affairs and successfully surveyed 319 historic listings on the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway. In 2024, we will present the findings to elected officials and other interested persons in the 43 communities along the Byway to inform and develop a plan for the restoration and preservation of these important Iowa heritage properties.

BYWAY COORDINATOR AND PROJECTS – Hired a new Byway Coordinator, Jeanie Hau, who is actively working to support our Byway projects. Prairie Rivers signed a new contract with the Iowa DOT to support work on the Iowa Valley Scenic Byway extending our efforts to preserve Iowa’s heritage. This Byway begins on Highway 30, Montour turnoff, and travels through the Amana Colonies for a total of 77 miles.

TRAVELING EXHIBIT — The Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway traveling exhibit called The Promise Road: How the Lincoln Highway Changed America has been displayed at various locations, allowing visitors to learn about the rich history of this historic road. It’s available for display in museums, libraries, and other community spaces. So far the exhibit has traveled to Jefferson, Grand Junction, State Center, Nevada, Linn County Historical Society: The History Center, Cedar Rapids History Museum, Nevada Library, Marion Public Library, Carroll Public Library, Harrison County Welcome Center, and currently at the Council Bluffs Public Library.

Lincoln Highway National Heritage Byway Traveling Exhibit

We cannot do this work without your support!

Today, we are asking you as a supporter to make an end-of-year gift of $50.00 to Prairie Rivers of Iowa. Your support shows us to keep up the good work! You can make a gift here online or by going to our donation page for additional options. We know that as good stewards of the land, you see how important this work is today.

It is so important for a not-for-profit to receive gifts from individuals. Hearing from you encourages and supports our very difficult work in support of the natural and cultural resources in Iowa.
Thank you!

Board of Directors
Reed Riskedahl, President
Mark Rasmussen, Treasurer
Doug Cooper, Secretary
Erv Klaas
Bob Ausberger
Chuck Stewart
Rick Dietz
Jim Richardson
Christopher Barber

Staff
Mike Kellner, Marketing and Public Relations
Dan Haug, Water Quality Specialist
Jessica Butters, Pollinator Conservation Specialist
Jeanie Hau, Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway & Iowa Valley Scenic Byway Coordinator
Carman Rosburg, Office Manager
Daniel Huber, Technology
Shellie Orngard, Historic Properties Consultant

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Meet Our New Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway Coordinator

by Mike Kellner | Oct 3, 2022

On the surface Prairie Rivers of Iowa’s new Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway (LHHB) Coordinator Jonathan Sherwood radiates a friendly, yet quiet demeanor. Already it has become apparent he knows how to bring people together as a great listener with empathy and thoughtfulness. Despite his calm exterior, digging deeper, we have quickly learned he has a deep passion for historic preservation and community development.

Something else everyone should know about Sherwood is that he was born for his new role being from, and now once again living in, the Lincoln Highway community of Nevada, Iowa. Some of his earliest memories include enjoying spirited parades during Lincoln Highway Days. “Nothing compares to the quality of life in Central Iowa and growing up one house off the Lincoln Highway,” he relates.

In his new role, Sherwood is taking on the often gargantuan task of bringing together governments, businesses, civic organizations, tourism officials, history buffs and transportation enthusiasts together as Prairie Rivers continues a new chapter of Byway management. According to Prairie Rivers of Iowa Executive Director Penny Brown Huber, “Jonathan is an excellent listener which is a skill that helps when reaching out to so many different community leaders.”

As byway coordinator, Sherwood’s duties will encompass working across the 13 Iowa counties and 43 towns that stretch along the Lincoln Highway in Iowa, river to river, east to west from Clinton on the Mississippi to Council Bluffs on the Missouri.

Lincoln Highway National Heritage Byway Coordinator Jonathan Sherwood

Prairie Rivers of Iowa LHNHB Coordinator Jonathan Sherwood during a recent visit to the historic Reed Niland Corner at the intersection of the Lincoln and Jefferson Highways.

He is committed to restoring, protecting and preserving the cultural and natural resources in Iowa. “This work provides the opportunity for me to work on some of the things I’m most passionate about, people, transportation, and the environment,” says Sherwood.

According to Huber, some of the reasons Sherwood was hired for the position include his degree in community and regional planning from Iowa State University and his previous work experience in transportation and rural communities with an emphasis on geographic information systems (GIS). “His time working with communities to utilize trails for economic development activities made him an excellent fit to be the LHHB Coordinator,” states Huber.

Sherwood is a member of the Institute of Certified Planners (ACIP) and is currently pursuing a Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) degree at ISU. He is replacing Shellie Orngard as the new LHNHB Coordinator who is now focused on Prairie Rivers special projects including an evaluation of properties along the Lincoln Highway that are on, or should be, on the National Register of Historic Places. To contact Sherwood email him at jsherwood@prrcd.org.

In his spare time, Sherwood enjoys gardening and traveling to Iowa’s state parks. Be sure to keep an eye out for him along the Byway!

Lincoln Highway National Heritage Byway in Iowa

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.

Prairie Rivers of Iowa’s LHHB program is 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.

Please join us and thousands of other travelers along the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway – Iowa’s section of America’s original Main Street.

A Mother’s Love: The Race to Provide

by Jessica Butters | Aug 28, 2022

A speck of sunlight warmed the face of a mother, causing her to wake and stand up. She took a few steps toward the sunlight, letting it warm her cold legs in her tunnel. Looking back at the wall of her nursery, she knew she had limited time to finish her work. Behind that wall was a row of rooms, one for each of her eggs. Each nursery room was provisioned with pollen and walled off from the others, providing a safe place to hatch, overwinter, and hopefully emerge next year. Her antennae started twitching excitedly. She tried beating her wings; they buzzed. She was warm and ready for another day’s work.

She cautiously peeped over the lip of her nest entrance. She was a metallic green sweat bee, and just last week she watched as a parasitic bee invaded one of her neighbors’ nests, ending the hope of a future generation from that mother. To keep all her efforts from being in vain, she had to leave and enter her nest in complete secrecy. She scanned the area around her, checking for someone perched on the tops of rocks or hidden in the shaded spaces between grass stems. So far so clear. She stepped out of her nest, allowing the sun to warm her entire body. Looking around once more, and seeing no sign of threat, she zipped off to start her chores.

Gathering pollen was her favorite chore. She had already started a new nursery cell; all there was left to do was to lay an egg and provide a provision of food. Using the sun as a compass, she navigated to a large patch of gold that she had seen yesterday. The yellow rays of one unoccupied flower caught her eye, and she flew into its center, landing on a blanket of brown bristles topped with yellow tufts of pollen. The buzzing of other insects at neighboring flowers reverberated in the air around her, and caused the flower to tremble even more in the breeze. The air was slowly growing cooler each day. It was taking her longer and longer to warm up enough to fly in the mornings. The frantic buzzing of other insects confirmed a sense of fear she didn’t quite understand. She sensed that she must hurry.

Thinking of her young ones back at the nest, she worked as quickly as possible, picking up pollen and snatching a mouthful for herself every now and then. As she moved across the flower, she let her body brush against as much pollen as possible. She paused periodically to comb this pollen from her abdomen, head, and feet to tuck it onto her back legs where she had thicker, hooked hair that was much better at holding pollen in place. The sun shone on, warming her even more. Through the race to gather and provide for her family, it was nice to be out in the sun and surrounded by velvety gold rays. The bristled brown underneath felt good on her feet and belly. Once she was through gathering here, she remembered a bright purple area that had looked promising.

After a while, the little sweat bee had as much pollen as she could carry. Pushing off the sunflower, she flew back toward her nest, only pausing once for a breath on a stand of purple flowers. Back on the ground, she felt around with her antennae until she found her own nest entrance. She peered inside her dark nest. All was quiet, just how she left it. She glanced behind her. No one had seen her; her family was safe.

As she pulled pollen off her legs and rolled it into a loaf, she had a sense that this may be the last nest she would finish. She felt much more tired compared to a few weeks ago. She was particularly proud of this nest: it was in a well-hidden location, its walls were smooth, and she had a good mix of pollen from different flowers within each loaf she had made for her children. Although she would never get to meet them, she was glad they would have all the nutrition they would need to start a successful life. She hoped they would find the yellow and purple flower patches. She grew more tired. Maybe one more pollen collecting trip before she turned in for the day.

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