Celebrating 100 years of cross-country travel

[caption id="attachment_841" align="alignright" width="274"] Near Omaha cars still cruise on a stretch of original brick pavers from the Lincoln Highway Scenic & Historic Byway, which celebrates 100 years in 2013.[/caption] Today’s vacations or weekend road trips are often as much about getting there as it is enjoying the final destination. But that hasn’t always been the case. In fact, in the early 1900s, the journey was more of an exercise in patience and determination than it was a relaxing getaway. Many travelers know little of the road that paved the way for cross-country travel. This year, the Lincoln Highway turns 100, and there’s no better time to celebrate this oft-forgotten icon. In 1913, entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher dreamed of the construction of a paved, coast-to-coast roadway that would extend from New York City to San Francisco. That dream became the Lincoln Highway, which extends 3,380 miles across 13 states. In Nebraska, the route runs the entire length of the state, from Omaha to Kimball. And it’s Nebraska that will play host to the highway’s national celebration. Kearney, which is exactly halfway between Boston and San Francisco, will welcome thousands of car enthusiasts and history buffs from around the world as the site of the Centennial Celebration, June 30–July 1. Twin auto tours will leave from San Francisco and New York and meet in Kearney’s historic cobblestone downtown on the first day of the celebration. Visitors can relive the golden age of the Lincoln Highway as they cut loose with flapper girls, mingle with impersonators of their favorite 1910s–1950s celebrities and enjoy free silent and talkie movies of the era. On Sunday, July 1, the celebration moves to an old-fashioned tourist camp at the Great Platte River Road Archway to experience the life, leisure and travel of the period through hands-on exhibits. Check out this Lincoln Highway map and video to learn more about the Lincoln Highway in Nebraska. For additional information, go to the Lincoln Highway Centennial page.