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American Road Magazine
Celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear…And the joys of driving them today!

630 National Parks Highway - Original Bridge


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Sorry I didn't post a report last night (Wednesday, 6/30/2010) but I got in late and lost an hour in crossing into a new time zone.

 

This morning the big skies over Missoula Montana are blue with a few large clouds. Perfect vacation weather. Yesterday my route took me through Spokane where I need to research where the old road crosses the river. I got a few photos of the old auto camp, some ghost signs, and the Davenport Hotel in the 1917 Guide.

 

I tried to spot the 1917 offices of the National Parks Highway which were at 911 Main St, but I believe the Federal Building now on the site was build after than time. I drove east on the old route (Sprague Ave) and over the Idaho State line to Coeur d'Alene, and through its lakeside downtown. Pretty, but not much there that I could readily identify with the early NPH. I drove out on the lakeside road and picked up the old road, conveniently signed as the Yellowstone Trail. This will be the case all the way through Idaho and Montana.

 

The YT/NPH takes you around an inlet and gives you a taste of what the old road was like. I was a little uneasy on driving along a sheer drop with no guard rails. We are spoiled! Part of it is gravel, so the wash job I gave the car in Coeur d'Alene was a waste. I stopped at Kellogg and Wallace, ID and took pictures of the old hotels and even one of the former Yellowstone Garage. Wallace is a terrific town when it comes to old buildings. It holds a place in my heart since it had for many years the only stop light on the I-90 interstate.

 

Further on, the little town of Mullen also on the NPH/YT I followed the old road out of town. It is marked on maps ........ you guessed it....Yellowstone Trail. I have in earlier years followed it all the way over the pass, but this year I was forced to turn back because of rough road. It would be no problem with a pick up or SUV, but I saw no reason to puncture the oil pan or knock the wheels out of alignment on the convertible. So I turned back after perhaps 10 miles and picked up the interstate at Mullen and headed for Missoula.

 

I have traveled this section of the YT/NPH several times so I didn't take the old route, except to visit the Albert Hotel and make a stop at a place I had preciously passed by, the Savenac Historic Tree Nursery at Haugan, MT. I can tell you without a doubt that I have been making a gross error all these years! The Nursery has a beautiful intact National Parks Highway bridge on its original alignment!!!! Oh, did I say National Parks Highway bridge? Guess what they call it....Yellowstone Trail Bridge....and John has one of his signs posted prominently on a tree next to the bridge access. Good job, John!!!

 

I attribute much of the modern recognition of the Yellowstone Trail to John and Alice Ridge and the association he formed. I run into his work in just about every town and village along the route. I feel right at home!

 

At the Savenac Nursery when I stepped into the visitor facility, I said that I heard that they has a National Parks Highway bridge on the property. "No No," they told me , it was a Yellowstone Trails bridge! I explained to the hosts that they then had twice the glory, both Yellowstone Trail bridge and National Parks Highway Bridge. We enjoyed a great chat about the nursery and old auto trails. Nice folks, just like you always meet on the auto trails.

 

I took a bunch of 3D photos of the bridge. I will try to get them posted this evening along with the others taken yesterday. The sun is shining and that means its time to hit the road!

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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