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Lincoln Highway & The Great Salt Lake Desert


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I have a question that I hope somebody on this board can help me with.

 

I am planning a road trip following the Lincoln Highway from the San Francisco Bay Area to Salt Lake City. I am using a strip map (year unknown) as reference and trying to re-concile it with the Delorme Gazateer for Northern California, Nevada, and Utah. Finding the general route is not a problem until I get to Ely, Nevada. From their the strip map that I have shows the Lincoln Highway going north out out of Ely, then east through the Shell Creek Range and Antelope Range to Ibapah & Gold Hill, Ut. After Gold Hill the road heads south and then east across the Great Salt Lake Desert.

 

My questions are these:

 

Is the part of the Lincoln Highway that passes through the Great Salt Lake Desert still accessible or does it lie within the Dugway Proving Grounds? There is a road shown on the Delorme map that goes south of the Dugway Proving Grounds labeled as the Pony Express Trail but I do not believe that this road is the Lincoln Highway.

 

Also, has anybody driven this part of the Lincoln Highway and can you offer any advice? (other than gas up and carry plenty of water?)

 

Cheers,

 

Rick

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I always have a "meal book" in my car to read when I'm eating alone. By remarkable coincidence, Brian Butko's "Greetings from the Lincoln Highway" is my current "meal book" and, by incredible coincidence, I ended today's lunch time read at the Utah-Nevada border. Before noon today I had now idea what the Dugway Proving Grounds was but now, thanks to Brian, I can sound like an expert for the next two minutes.

 

Brian explains that the original LH route is inside Dugway and inaccessible without special permission. He gives Pony Express Road as the route around Dugway and says that it is definitely NOT the Lincoln Highway. I've never driven this but can pass along Brian's description of "a dusty drive full of sagebrush and grasshoppers".

 

I'm pretty sure I can get away with passing along one or two more passages before Brian gets upset, but it sounds like you could benefit greatly from having your own copy of "Greetings...". Among the many places offering it is this nearby trading post: http://americanroadmagazine.com/catalog/pr...products_id=135

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Thanks for the info Denny. I will definitely have to pick up a copy of that book and read it before I hit the road. I've looked at the area on google earth, looked at the topo maps, but none of that can really give you a true picture of what the traveling would be like. To bad that section is sealed off within a military base and the bypass around it doesn't sound like to much fun.

 

Cheers,

 

Rick

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Thanks for the info Denny. I will definitely have to pick up a copy of that book and read it before I hit the road. I've looked at the area on google earth, looked at the topo maps, but none of that can really give you a true picture of what the traveling would be like. To bad that section is sealed off within a military base and the bypass around it doesn't sound like to much fun.

 

Cheers,

 

Rick

 

Here’s a case where being right may provide the wrong advice! DennyG is one of our most knowledgeable members and he is correct, you can’t stay on the Lincoln all the way between Ely and Salt Lake City. You will have to detour around Dugway along the Pony Express Trail for about 40 miles, but that isn’t exactly a bad experience! In fact I consider it a bonus.

 

When you are out buying books buy two of the Gregory M Franzwa series, The Lincoln Highway - Nevada and the Lincoln Highway - Utah. They are the definitive word on the Lincoln in those states. Franzwa is the founder of the modern Lincoln Highway Association and he not only provides detailed descriptions of the road and pictures, he provides hundreds of detailed maps showing the route.

 

I have traveled much of the Lincoln in both Nevada and Utah several times, and you will regret it if you miss the Ely to Salt Lake drive. It can be taken in a passenger car and I have done much of it in my sedan. The only real deterrent is weather as it is dirt and will become slippery mud in any serious rain storm.

 

I had planned some time ago a post and pictures of the road as far east as Ipabah, but hesitated because my last trip was a year and a half old, and therefore a little stale. I think now I may finish it and post it.

 

I am a long time Lincoln Highway fan and I promise you are in for some sweet road tripping on the old Lincoln in Nevada and Utah. There are fascinating sites all along the way, and because much of the road follows the Pony Express and Overland Stage routes of the 1860’s you get a double treat. The towns, old Hotels, deserted ranches, and abandoned Pony Express Stations along the way will take you back to the old west like no where else, and I know!

 

For example Sir Richard Burton made a stage coach trip along the route in 1861. At the Sand Springs Pony Express station he describes a man dying in the corner of the room. In the 1970’s the station was rediscovered buried under the sand and preserved for those who will walk a few hundred yards. You can stand in the old rock station, beside the fireplace where the man lay dying, and unless it’s the 4th of July, you are likely to be completely alone with only the sound of the wind blowing, as it did then.

 

Or stop at the International Hotel in Austin and have one of the best burgers you ever ate. The old International has been serving Lincoln Highway travelers since the beginning, and looks like it did back then. Or stop at the bunkhouse at Eastgate and look at the names and dates carved for the last 90 years by travelers along the Lincoln.

 

Spend awhile at Stone House where a Pony Express Rider took an arrow to the skull, and Lincoln Highway travelers stopped for water and perhaps a meal. You will have the place to yourself, without the fear of arrows.

 

Stop at the deserted Tippetts Ranch where a young Dwight Eisenhower and his army convoy stopped and camped in the teens, and where early travelers wet their whistle at the bar and got suppilies and gas at the store.

 

The goodies go on and on.

 

When do you plan to make the trip. If you want suggestions, all of us can help.

 

Oh, and I have old maps of the Lincoln from 1913 on, and turn by turn directions from 1920 and before in my collection. Happy to share in any way.

 

(And BTY I am writing this from memory so I will correct any mistakes in dates, etc )tomorrow

 

We have to Keep the Show on the Road

 

Dave

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Proving once again, there's nothing like personal experience. Glad you shared yours, KtSOtR. Brian includes much more than grasshoppers in his description of the area and I did him a disservice by going for the catchy quote. The way that Brian describes the path through Dugway makes me believe that he received that "special permission" at some point. He may even say that in the book but I just can't recall that now.

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I have a question that I hope somebody on this board can help me with.

 

I am planning a road trip following the Lincoln Highway from the San Francisco Bay Area to Salt Lake City. I am using a strip map (year unknown) as reference and trying to re-concile it with the Delorme Gazateer for Northern California, Nevada, and Utah. Finding the general route is not a problem until I get to Ely, Nevada. From their the strip map that I have shows the Lincoln Highway going north out out of Ely, then east through the Shell Creek Range and Antelope Range to Ibapah & Gold Hill, Ut. After Gold Hill the road heads south and then east across the Great Salt Lake Desert.

 

My questions are these:

 

Is the part of the Lincoln Highway that passes through the Great Salt Lake Desert still accessible or does it lie within the Dugway Proving Grounds? There is a road shown on the Delorme map that goes south of the Dugway Proving Grounds labeled as the Pony Express Trail but I do not believe that this road is the Lincoln Highway.

 

Also, has anybody driven this part of the Lincoln Highway and can you offer any advice? (other than gas up and carry plenty of water?)

 

Cheers,

 

Rick

 

Why would I drive the old Lincoln between Ely and Salt Lake? Because no where else in America can you truly immerse yourself in what travel was like 90 to 150 years ago in this country. Now that is a pretty bold statement, and if some of my forum friends want to dispute that opinion, let the fun begin!

 

As you well know, the two lane roads of America provide wonderful windows into the past, and a palette for the senses that is almost never offered on the interstates. It is hard to find an old two lane road not worth traveling. And I love them all. Each has its special character. You truly can get your kicks on old Route 66, and as far as I’m concerned every American should. And a drive along the Oregon Coast on old 101 will make you forever hunger for salt water taffy and the crash of Pacific breakers on a rocky shore.

 

But the Lincoln in Nevada and Utah will make you marvel at what early auto travelers routinely experienced, and even what stagecoach travel was like in 1861. It is truly possible to hear and see in your mind’s eye a Pony Express rider approaching in a cloud of dust, or envision the 1915 auto traveler who perhaps stayed in the bunkhouse at Eastgate, carving his name and initials into the sandstone wall before he left. And who can pass a deserted brothel in the middle of the desert without at least a little reflection?!

 

I recognize that folks differ in their preferences, so I need to be clear about what the Lincoln in this area is and isn’t. It definitely is not anything like Las Vegas or Disneyland! And what is there has not been “restored.” You won’t see a Living Museum of Pony Express History, complete with shootout and Indian attack.

 

What you will see is westerners still living a small town or genuine ranch life. And if you know where to look you will find the past quietly laid out before you in so many ways you will leave with a lifetime of memories. And perhaps best of all, it will be yours to enjoy without crowds, waiting lines, or for the most part, other tourists. In fact, it is likely to be at times a lonely experience on the Loneliest Road in America. If you don’t enjoy the shadows and roadways of your mind, you may not like the Lincoln as much as I do.

 

It won’t always be that way because, as you well know as a pro yourself, old road travel is growing by leaps and bounds. If you are a young man, do it before it is overrun with folks looking for souvenirs to carry home, and if you are an old codger like me, do it before you are confined to your easy chair!

 

You could make the whole trip without rolling a tire on an inch of dirt road. Or you could go for the full Monte and travel about 150 miles of dust and dirt, past ranches, express stations, and desert watering holes, like it was in 1913 or 1919. Or you could do about 90 miles of smooth dirt, and enjoy a really good sample of the old Lincoln, without a compass! If you don’t do at least the 90 mile sampler, you will kick yourself forever.

 

Before I close this little stream of consciousness, I want to add a unique resource to your list. It is easy get, free, and an unbelievably rich treasure trove of old Lincoln Highway photos. Go the University of Michigan website and look at the photos taken in the teens along the Lincoln in Utah and Nevada (and California for that matter). The UofM has the Lincoln Highway archives on line, and it is unbelievably rich. (I’d do a Google search on “University of Michigan” “Lincoln Highway”)

 

Many of the sites you will view in the photos are there today. One of my favorites is the one of Tippets (or Tippetts, or Tippet, depending on who spells it) Ranch about 70 miles northeast of Ely. You can stand today where that picture was taken and nothing but the roadside sign has changed. Even the huge wooden hay lift is still there, as are the buildings.

 

More later, as my objective is to Keep the Show on the (American) Road!

 

Dave

 

PS. Denny's the man! He is so well connected and informed he practically glows. I do have the advantage of having driven a good deal of the route between Ely and Salt Lake City, but not all. I'll post some pictures and maps. When do you plan to leave?

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First let me thank you both for the wealth of information that you are passing along. This is great stuff, keep it coming.

 

My objective for this trip is to, just as you said, "immerse yourself in what travel was like 90 to 150 years ago in this country." I have no desire for a Disneyland type of experience. I plan on taking 5 or 6 days for the entire trip with most of it being spent between Carson City and Salt Lake City. As far as dusty and unpaved roads go - I look forward to it, that's why I went for the 4 wheel drive option when I bought my truck.

 

 

I plan on making the trip in the July-August timeframe. I know that is not the best as far as temperature is concerned but it is the only time I have available. I like to start planning a trip like this well in advance so that I can start making notes on my map about places to stop. I hate finding out after I get home about someplace that I should have stopped and didn't because I didn't know about it. So, thank you very much for the references, I have my homework to do.

 

Lastly, Dave, your stream of consciousness posting captured my sentiments exactly.

 

Rick

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...he practically glows.

:blush: Whoa! I assure you that, on the rare occasions when I glow, it has nothing to do with being informed. But I do certainly appreciate the praise and point to it as an example of how one can leverage a moderate amount of knowledge on a few roads in a small percentage of the country.

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First let me thank you both for the wealth of information that you are passing along. This is great stuff, keep it coming.

 

My objective for this trip is to, just as you said, "immerse yourself in what travel was like 90 to 150 years ago in this country." I have no desire for a Disneyland type of experience. I plan on taking 5 or 6 days for the entire trip with most of it being spent between Carson City and Salt Lake City. As far as dusty and unpaved roads go - I look forward to it, that's why I went for the 4 wheel drive option when I bought my truck.

I plan on making the trip in the July-August timeframe. I know that is not the best as far as temperature is concerned but it is the only time I have available. I like to start planning a trip like this well in advance so that I can start making notes on my map about places to stop. I hate finding out after I get home about someplace that I should have stopped and didn't because I didn't know about it. So, thank you very much for the references, I have my homework to do.

 

Lastly, Dave, your stream of consciousness posting captured my sentiments exactly.

 

Rick

 

Rick,

 

Great!! You are doing it right! You have enough time for the trip, enough time to get informed in advance, and not a bad time of the year to go. With all that going for you, you are certain to see through your eyes, and in your mind, what the old west was really like.

 

Our “price” for the advice will be that you share your experiences with us. You are going to get to visit some places I’ve missed, because I didn’t have the knowledge I do now. I would really enjoy hearing about your trip, as will lots of others.

 

I want to give you a few initial suggestions because they have added immeasurably to my enjoyment of the Lincoln in the area. I already told you about the University of Michigan site which you must visit, You will enjoy it more and more as you begin to link modern sites with the old photos. I downloaded and printed some, and even ended up providing some for the museum at Eureka, NV when I stopped there. I put them in a binder so I could compare the then and now as I traveled.

 

Second, because it is a rare first hand view of the area you will be traveling, see if you can get a copy of Sir Richard Burton’s book. The copy I have is titled “The Look of the West 1860, Across the Plains to California.” He was traveling the route right after the Piute uprising and the destruction of several stations and the death of several station keepers. It is a great read throughout, and an outstanding and often cited original source. It will “background” you so you will start to build the mental map which makes traveling the Lincoln such a great experience.

 

If you jump to ABE.Com today you can pick up a used reprint for under 10 bucks. But I also note some of the dealers want over $100 for a reprint, so maybe you should buy it soon.

 

Third, I would also start to review the Pony Express. The old Lincoln and the Pony Express are interwoven and a trip on the Lincoln is also a visit to the overland stage and Pony Express routes. Again you can start with a web site. There are several good ones. What I would look for are accurate descriptions of the stations, their history, and locations. Franzwa does a good job, but he isn’t writing about the Pony Express, so he doesn’t attempt comprehensive coverage.

 

I don’t know how you and computers get along. You referenced Delorme. That shows you know your stuff! If you have a laptop, and you don’t own their Topo USA disk set with the GPS unit, spend the money now to get the combination. You will be happy you did, not just because you can plan the trip with great tools, but because it is possible to make a wrong turn in the desert and the GPS display on the map as you drive can prevent that problem. Plus its fun to know where you are in real time!

 

A bit on the esoteric side, but you might enjoy reading contemporary (1911-1920) news accounts of the route from Utah newspapers. I recall a story where the sheriff went out to learn why ranchers were turning their irrigation water across the road out on the stretch you will be traveling. When you add it up, the circumstantial evidence was that they were adding to their income pulling stuck autos out of the mud with their teams.

 

There is a notice in one of my Blue Books or Lincoln Highway Guides that you should build a fire using the sagebrush if you get stuck, and Mr. Thomas(or Jones) will come out with his team to rescue you. My guess is that Thomas was digging ditches by day, and renting his team at night! Just speculation, of course! The Sheriff came back empty handed.

 

Utah has lots of old newspapers on line, and a search on the Lincoln Highway turns up lots of gems. Search first for Utah digital newspapers, then read about how the Lincoln was viewed by the people of the time.

 

Those leads should get you started!

 

BTY, you mention “strip maps” in your first post. If you have original 1917 or 1920 era ACSC or CSAA Nevada or Utah strip maps of the Lincoln, stop using them immediately, protect them in plastic sheets, scan them, and use the copies. You might be holding the Holy Grail for old map collectors like me! I sold three Lincoln Highway Strip maps for $160 not too long ago, and they were in California. A set for Nevada would bring at least twice that on Ebay. I paid over $300 for just the 1912 road description a few weeks ago, and now I’m broke.

 

I have Automobile Blue Books and both original and reprinted Lincoln Highway Guides in my collection, as well as old Topos and copies of old maps. I can make selected copies for your review on the Forum.

 

Well, that’s another drink from a fire hose.!

 

Thanks for helping Keep the Show on the Road!!

 

Dave

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Well, that’s another drink from a fire hose.!

 

I'll say. That's a lot to absorb. I am going to need some time to digest it all.

 

b]Our “price” for the advice will be that you share your experiences with us[/b]. You are going to get to visit some places I’ve missed, because I didn’t have the knowledge I do now. I would really enjoy hearing about your trip, as will lots of others.

 

Its a deal. Small price to pay for all the information I have recieved so far. I've done a fair amount of photography so expect to see lots of pictures.

 

If you have original 1917 or 1920 era ACSC or CSAA Nevada or Utah strip maps of the Lincoln, stop using them immediately,

 

I have copies of the strip maps in electronic form. I wish I had originals.

 

I was able to spend a little bit of time today browsing the University of Michigan photo archives. What a great collection of photos. I was able to figure out approximately where some of the photos were taken and others that I have to assume our now within the Dugway proving grounds. Specifically Black Point, Granite Mountain, and the Goodyear Section. Was the lighthouse ever built at Granite Point? That would be something to see if it was still standing.

 

 

I hope you don't mind if I start asking specifics related to sights that I need to see along the way as time goes on. Maybe break it down into a seperate posting on the forum covering a limited distance along the route? For instance a seperate post to discuss sights between Fallon & Eureka.

 

Thanks again for all the info!

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I'll say. That's a lot to absorb. I am going to need some time to digest it all.

Its a deal. Small price to pay for all the information I have recieved so far. I've done a fair amount of photography so expect to see lots of pictures.

I have copies of the strip maps in electronic form. I wish I had originals.

 

I was able to spend a little bit of time today browsing the University of Michigan photo archives. What a great collection of photos. I was able to figure out approximately where some of the photos were taken and others that I have to assume our now within the Dugway proving grounds. Specifically Black Point, Granite Mountain, and the Goodyear Section. Was the lighthouse ever built at Granite Point? That would be something to see if it was still standing.

I hope you don't mind if I start asking specifics related to sights that I need to see along the way as time goes on. Maybe break it down into a seperate posting on the forum covering a limited distance along the route? For instance a seperate post to discuss sights between Fallon & Eureka.

 

Thanks again for all the info!

 

Good thoughts! I will put the posts up on sections of the road. It may take a couple of weeks overall, but it will also spark my memory as I do a little research, and hopefully serve the interests of others with a similar trip in mind.

 

I think I should have the first section by tonight. I started at Carson City (not Fallon) and ended at Fallon. Carson City was on the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln, has an original Lincoln Highway post out front the state Museum that was put there in 1928, the Museum has the best bookstore for Nevada materials, and you can stop at Dayton, Ft. Churchill, and Buckland Station before you get to Fallon. At Fallon you can visit the terrific Overland Hotel with its buffalo and elk heads over the vintage bar, and its real cowboys and Indians at the rail, not to mention the opportunity for a possible feast on Rocky Mountain oysters in the restaurant.

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Well, I got the whole post up and previewed, and then hit the post button and got kicked off! Like the dreaded disk crash, everything went away and I couldn’t get back to the forum. I wanted to keep my promise to get the first section post up tonight, but maybe it will be in the AM.

 

I am going to prepare everything down to the last comma and hyperlink off line, then copy it to the forum. That way I won’t lose two hours of work so easily. This isn’t the fault of the American Road folks. They are great.

 

I should add that this is actually fun (glitches aside) as it gives me a reason to use my thousands of photos (No, I only put up five or six) and my map and guide collection. I also telephoned folks at some of the premo sites to check on their status, and talked as a consequence with some great people.

 

For example, one of the best stops on the Lincoln is in Fallon at the Overland Hotel and Saloon. It has a fantastic exterior, and is even advertised in 1920, but 2 years ago it was just maybe a little rough around the edges on the inside for a gentile guy like me!! But I discovered it has new owners (Mark and Judy) and they are doing a period renovation that sounds like it will not change all the good stuff, including the connection with the Lincoln, and add a bit of polish. I’m eager to stop there myself again, but I hope you will report on the place on your trip.

 

Well back to the drawing board after I feed ole Bo, the Malamute Wonder Dog

 

After all, we must Keep the Show on the Road!

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Sounds Great KtSotR!

 

Don't worry about too many pictures, the more the better. One of the purposes of the trip (or any road trip) for me is to take pictures. When I can see the photos that others have taken it helps stir those creative juices and increases the yearning to get on the road.

 

I've been doing some research myself over the last couple of days and I think I have mapped out where the Pony Express Stations where between Carson City and Faust, or at least where they think they where. I don't plan on hitting them all but those that are near US 50 are fair game. I also ordered a copy of Sir Richard Burton's book, $17 including shipping.

 

One of the things that I will be interested in is where to plan to stay for the night as my son and I travel. I was planning on camping for at least half of the week but expect that I will need a good shower every few days.

 

Looking forward to the information to come!

 

Rick

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Sounds Great KtSotR!

 

Don't worry about too many pictures, the more the better. One of the purposes of the trip (or any road trip) for me is to take pictures. When I can see the photos that others have taken it helps stir those creative juices and increases the yearning to get on the road.

 

I've been doing some research myself over the last couple of days and I think I have mapped out where the Pony Express Stations where between Carson City and Faust, or at least where they think they where. I don't plan on hitting them all but those that are near US 50 are fair game. I also ordered a copy of Sir Richard Burton's book, $17 including shipping.

 

One of the things that I will be interested in is where to plan to stay for the night as my son and I travel. I was planning on camping for at least half of the week but expect that I will need a good shower every few days.

 

Looking forward to the information to come!

 

Rick

 

 

Sounds Great KtSotR!

 

Don't worry about too many pictures, the more the better. One of the purposes of the trip (or any road trip) for me is to take pictures. When I can see the photos that others have taken it helps stir those creative juices and increases the yearning to get on the road.

 

I've been doing some research myself over the last couple of days and I think I have mapped out where the Pony Express Stations where between Carson City and Faust, or at least where they think they where. I don't plan on hitting them all but those that are near US 50 are fair game. I also ordered a copy of Sir Richard Burton's book, $17 including shipping.

 

One of the things that I will be interested in is where to plan to stay for the night as my son and I travel. I was planning on camping for at least half of the week but expect that I will need a good shower every few days.

 

Looking forward to the information to come!

 

Rick

 

I finally got section one up at about 8:40 PDT. Doing it offline and then copying to the forum worked better, I am learning.

 

It is more than great that you are traveling with your son. I raised my boy 30+ years ago as a bachelor father and our time and trips together are the most precious of my life. He is almost 40 now and we still discuss those adventures fondly.

 

Now that I know who is going on the trip, I’ll try to keep it in mind. How old is he?

 

If he is a youngster, he might enjoy the steam train ride at Ely. He should also enjoy Ft Churchill.

 

Another book I didn't mention because I can't find my copy here deals with Dwight Eisenhower and his 1919 convey along the Lincoln. He and the troops stayed at several places you will see. I’ll try to recall the title.

 

I have stayed in Fallon, Austin, and Ely. I'll give you the list via E-Mail.

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

Dave

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I finally got section one up at about 8:40 PDT. Doing it offline and then copying to the forum worked better, I am learning.

 

It is more than great that you are traveling with your son. I raised my boy 30+ years ago as a bachelor father and our time and trips together are the most precious of my life. He is almost 40 now and we still discuss those adventures fondly.

 

Now that I know who is going on the trip, I’ll try to keep it in mind. How old is he?

 

If he is a youngster, he might enjoy the steam train ride at Ely. He should also enjoy Ft Churchill.

 

Another book I didn't mention because I can't find my copy here deals with Dwight Eisenhower and his 1919 convey along the Lincoln. He and the troops stayed at several places you will see. I’ll try to recall the title.

 

I have stayed in Fallon, Austin, and Ely. I'll give you the list via E-Mail.

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

Dave

 

My son is 14 and I suppose he has the same interests as the typical teenager (skateboards, music, cars, etc.) but he also has a keen interest in American history. From your other posting (Carson City to Fallon) I know that he would enjoy Fort Churchill as well as the the Eisenhower camping spot.

 

Cheers,

 

Rick

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Great stuff - I have not personally driven the route around the Dugway bombing range but was told that it is best for high profile vehicles. Additionally it was recommended by locals in Tooele (including Jesse Peterson the Lincoln Highway Association Treasurer and former Tooele Sheriff) that you have a good spare tire, cell phone, food and water. Now I don't know if there is cell coverage there - there isn't in Ely. I have driven to the Dugway Proving Ground entrance, and then had a military escort some miles in to see an old one-lane Lincoln Highway cedar bridge and a historical plaque by the BLM. From this point the Lincoln Highway looks like a jeep trail into the horizon. We were allowed to take photos but only in one direction toward the bridge. Behind us was a building with mutiple fences and layers of razor wire, and signs like "Deadly Force Is Authorized." No kidding but from my reading on biochemical warfare I believe this is one of the sites where some nasty stuff is still stored. You can see a picture of the bridge at:

http://ludb.clui.org/ex/i/UT3143/

 

The eastern part of the Proving Ground is like a small abandoned city with all sorts of buildings that are no longer used as it is sparsely populated mostly with civilian employees. The western part is the bombing range which is gigantic and the northern part (the Wendover Range) runs to the Nevada border. The early Lincoln Highway continues through this area including the Goodyear cut-off. Some years ago, as part of the Lincoln Highway Association National Conference in Salt Lake City we drove all the way through the bombing range in buses with a military escort. It was very eery - all sorts or rusted vehicles, equipment, buildings and old mining stuff there I guess is used for targeting. I guess they held off bombing that day. At the Lincoln Highway National Conference in Ely two years ago the eastern tour did some old the old route east of US 93.

 

It is also fun driving the later Lincoln Highway - Victory Highway - US 40 route across the Salt Lake to Wendover. (almost every room at every Wendover Casino is $39.99) and then south to Ely. This route was also signed as US 50 some time ago. In Ely there are still nice but small rooms you can stay in on the top (6th) floor of the Hotel Nevada, which was the tallest building in Nevada in 1928. The Lincoln Highway paving was completed between Wendover and Ely in 1930 resulting in a "Californa Day" celebration in Ely. the LHA Conference was the 75th anniversary of this event.

 

ypsi-slim

 

I have a question that I hope somebody on this board can help me with.

 

I am planning a road trip following the Lincoln Highway from the San Francisco Bay Area to Salt Lake City. I am using a strip map (year unknown) as reference and trying to re-concile it with the Delorme Gazateer for Northern California, Nevada, and Utah. Finding the general route is not a problem until I get to Ely, Nevada. From their the strip map that I have shows the Lincoln Highway going north out out of Ely, then east through the Shell Creek Range and Antelope Range to Ibapah & Gold Hill, Ut. After Gold Hill the road heads south and then east across the Great Salt Lake Desert.

 

My questions are these:

 

Is the part of the Lincoln Highway that passes through the Great Salt Lake Desert still accessible or does it lie within the Dugway Proving Grounds? There is a road shown on the Delorme map that goes south of the Dugway Proving Grounds labeled as the Pony Express Trail but I do not believe that this road is the Lincoln Highway.

 

Also, has anybody driven this part of the Lincoln Highway and can you offer any advice? (other than gas up and carry plenty of water?)

 

Cheers,

 

Rick

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Great stuff - I have not personally driven the route around the Dugway bombing range but was told that it is best for high profile vehicles. Additionally it was recommended by locals in Tooele (including Jesse Peterson the Lincoln Highway Association Treasurer and former Tooele Sheriff) that you have a good spare tire, cell phone, food and water. Now I don't know if there is cell coverage there - there isn't in Ely. I have driven to the Dugway Proving Ground entrance, and then had a military escort some miles in to see an old one-lane Lincoln Highway cedar bridge and a historical plaque by the BLM. From this point the Lincoln Highway looks like a jeep trail into the horizon. We were allowed to take photos but only in one direction toward the bridge. Behind us was a building with mutiple fences and layers of razor wire, and signs like "Deadly Force Is Authorized." No kidding but from my reading on biochemical warfare I believe this is one of the sites where some nasty stuff is still stored. You can see a picture of the bridge at:

http://ludb.clui.org/ex/i/UT3143/

 

The eastern part of the Proving Ground is like a small abandoned city with all sorts of buildings that are no longer used as it is sparsely populated mostly with civilian employees. The western part is the bombing range which is gigantic and the northern part (the Wendover Range) runs to the Nevada border. The early Lincoln Highway continues through this area including the Goodyear cut-off. Some years ago, as part of the Lincoln Highway Association National Conference in Salt Lake City we drove all the way through the bombing range in buses with a military escort. It was very eery - all sorts or rusted vehicles, equipment, buildings and old mining stuff there I guess is used for targeting. I guess they held off bombing that day. At the Lincoln Highway National Conference in Ely two years ago the eastern tour did some old the old route east of US 93.

 

It is also fun driving the later Lincoln Highway - Victory Highway - US 40 route across the Salt Lake to Wendover. (almost every room at every Wendover Casino is $39.99) and then south to Ely. This route was also signed as US 50 some time ago. In Ely there are still nice but small rooms you can stay in on the top (6th) floor of the Hotel Nevada, which was the tallest building in Nevada in 1928. The Lincoln Highway paving was completed between Wendover and Ely in 1930 resulting in a "Californa Day" celebration in Ely. the LHA Conference was the 75th anniversary of this event.

 

ypsi-slim

 

Ypsi-slim knows his Lincoln Highway! Consider his statements to be the authority on any section of the road. He is a legend among those of us who enjoy the Lincoln.

 

Ypsi, thanks for the terrific info!

 

We are just trying to Keep the Show on the Road.

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Ypsi-slim knows his Lincoln Highway! Consider his statements to be the authority on any section of the road. He is a legend among those of us who enjoy the Lincoln.

 

Ypsi, thanks for the terrific info!

 

We are just trying to Keep the Show on the Road.

 

In my opinion you are both masters on the subject compared to a greenhorn like myself. Thanks for sharing the information that you have.

 

I have a couple of more questions in regards to that section of the Lincoln.

 

What year did the route that passes through what is now Dugway Proving Grounds switch to the the one that passes through Wendover? Was it prior to the creation of the US Highways?

 

When was the Lincoln Highway through Dugway Provings Grounds closed? I would assume that it was shortly after creation of the base in the early 40's?

 

I have a 1941 Road Atlas that was published by State Farm Insurance that shows the area prior to the creation of Proving Grounds but shows the route of the Lincoln Highway through the southern end of the Great Salt Lake as mostly an unpaved road with no designation and no indication of any military bases.

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In my opinion you are both masters on the subject compared to a greenhorn like myself. Thanks for sharing the information that you have.

 

I have a couple of more questions in regards to that section of the Lincoln.

 

What year did the route that passes through what is now Dugway Proving Grounds switch to the the one that passes through Wendover? Was it prior to the creation of the US Highways?

 

When was the Lincoln Highway through Dugway Provings Grounds closed? I would assume that it was shortly after creation of the base in the early 40's?

 

I have a 1941 Road Atlas that was published by State Farm Insurance that shows the area prior to the creation of Proving Grounds but shows the route of the Lincoln Highway through the southern end of the Great Salt Lake as mostly an unpaved road with no designation and no indication of any military bases.

 

Let me refer to the Lincoln Highway – Utah by Gregory Franzwa and Jesse Petersen.

 

I think you have to consider two sections of the Lincoln on the Dugway. The older 1913 route and the 1919 Goodyear Cutoff. The latter is the straight as an arrow route that crosses the Dugway and takes you via Gold Hill. The earlier route went by way of Fish Springs and followed a good part of the Pony Express route in the area. This route is also blocked by the Dugway and is the basis of my initial comment that you can detour around and enjoy the Pony Express for 40 miles as a bonus.

 

Peterson did a nice overview map of the three main routes, another good reason to buy the book. I think it would be taking too much liberty for me to copy it and post it without permission.

 

The Wendover route is dated to 1927, after the advent of numbered highways in the US (1926 was when we officially got numbered highways, but usually they don’t show as such on maps until 1927). Franzwa does a nice write up of the Wendover Route in the current issue of the Lincoln Highway Forum magazine. I would join (I am a member) if only for the publication.

 

I need to repeat the importance of the two (Lincoln Highway – Nevada and Lincoln Highway – Utah by Franzwa and Petersen) books because they are far better sources than I will ever be.

 

I have no idea when the Goodyear Cutoff actually was closed to public traffic. It probably had a value locally for some time, but it probably did not carry much traffic. I really don’t know. The Dugway was deactivated in 1946 than reactivated in 1950, so maybe the last date it was open was 1950.

 

Maybe Ypsi-slim will correct me and enlighten us.

 

I’m just trying to Keep the Show on the Road!

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