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

A Couple Of Yellowstone Trailside Notes


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-First, a bit of sad news from Appleton, WI....

 

The demolition of Valley Fair Mall, believed to be the USA's first true

enclosed mall shopping center (opened 1954-08-11) and located on the Yellowstone Trail here in Appleton, WI, has begun.

 

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...02/1003/APCnews

 

Also see:

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...0810&Ref=PH

for a good photolog of images of VFM from the mid-1950s.

 

BTW, although not mentioned in the articles, the mall was built in Menasha

township and was annexed into the City of Appleton in late 1983.

 

It really is too bad that this undesignated historical landmark has become so

obsolete in recent years as I fondly remember the place from my childhood.

Unfortunately, though, the winds of retail commerce have long since blown in

other directions.

 

:(

 

-Second, The former Green Bay and Western/Wisconsin Central railroad caboose that was previously on display along US 41 at North Fond du lac, WI is has been reconditioned by the Canadian National and is now on display in Yellowstone Trail park in North Fond du Lac.

Edited by Wisguy
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Wisguy,

Really appreciate the posts....good stuff!

 

Yep, let’s tear it down and “see what we got here.” They did that in my home town 50 years ago. Called it Urban Renewal. It took 50 years to recover.

 

But, the caboose came back...

 

Looks to me like you know your Yellowstone Trail! I have only been on the western sections (only as far east as mid Montana), but want to head further east when I get the opportunity. Since your other post recognized Seattle landmarks, does that suggest you have traveled the full length of the Yellowstone?

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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Wisguy,

Really appreciate the posts....good stuff!

 

Yep, let’s tear it down and “see what we got here.” They did that in my home town 50 years ago. Called it Urban Renewal. It took 50 years to recover.

 

But, the caboose came back...

 

Looks to me like you know your Yellowstone Trail! I have only been on the western sections (only as far east as mid Montana), but want to head further east when I get the opportunity. Since your other post recognized Seattle landmarks, does that suggest you have traveled the full length of the Yellowstone?

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

No, I haven't traveled it any farther west than Norwood Young America, MN. OTOH, over the past couple of years I have been studying its routing in deep detail using Blue Books, USGS topographic maps, historic maps including early 20th century 'plat book' maps, high-res air photos and so forth, recording my findings on printed out strip maps taken from USGS topo maps, kept in a bunch of three-ring binders. Right now I am working my way eastward from Chicagoland to about Buffalo, NY, now in the northeast suburbs of Cleveland, OH.

 

One interesting note from that area is that Cuyahoga County and the City of Cleveland, OH are right now majorly re-engineering Euclid Av from the square in downtown Cleveland eastward to University Circle on the city's far eastern edge (Euclid Av was the Yellowstone Trail). When they are done, there will be a Bus Rapid-Transit line with dedicated lanes down the center of the street with one lane for general traffic in each direction on the outside. I have heard nothing regarding any proposal to reroute US 20, so right now my assumption is that Euclid will remain US 20 after that work is complete and it will be fully usable for those wanting to drive it as a part of the Yellowstone Trail.

See: http://euclidtransit.org/home.asp for more on this project.

 

Yes, when I have the financial ability I definitely am planning to go on a few 'exploratory' roadtrips to field check everything. As of now, I have been on the entire trail from Norwood Young America, MN to US 31 (just southeast of Plymouth, IN) and on a couple of smaller sections in eastern New York and western Massachusetts (especially in the Albany, NY to Pittsfield, MA area), but the far eastern parts were driven during earlier roadtrips before I really learned about the Trail. :P

 

Mike

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Wisguy,

 

You definitely have the right tools! I want to pick your brain a bit as soon as I get back from a little road trip. I’m headed southward from my home in Washington. I want to do a bit of the Old Oregon Trail Highway (old US30). I am also going to do US20 from Bend, Oregon to Ontario, Oregon.

 

Your post prompted me to happily delay the trip a day and pull out my guides, maps and Blue Books. I have been doing Google and Virtual Earth most of the afternoon with a 1926 guide and the 1915-16 Pacific Coast Automobile Blue Book and it has added greatly to my anticipated travels.

 

I found the old alignments on both Highways and will enjoy them. The old US20 alignment is still dirt east of Bend to Millican. In case you happen to look, it is along Ford Road.

 

One of the possible but unlikely to find treasures is a water fountain mentioned in the 1926 Old Oregon Trail guide as 5.3 miles south of Durkee, Oregon. Sadly, it looks like the old US30 alignment may be obliterated there, but there is a road along the railroad tracks that might just be the 1926 road.

 

Several of the hotels and building pictured in the 1926 guide still exist, so I will certainly get some “then and now” photos.

 

I have to do a few things to get ready, so I will follow up when I get back.

 

 

Keep the Show on the Road

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Ohhhh my mouth is watering, KTSOTR. jim

 

Mobilene,

 

Thanks! It looks like there should be some good huntun'.

 

The old Oregon Trail Highway (US30) follows the Snake River for a bit and after a sample of the real Oregon Trail over the Blue Mountains, takes Deadman's Hill down to Pendelton. I think maybe they called it Deadman's Hill because of the brake failures on the grade in the old days! :D

 

My son, who lives in Bend, will probably take a bit of old US20 with me. It will probably be Tuesday before I get serious about the old roads.

 

I ended up renting a car. I signed up for the smallest economy car they had, but as often is the case they didn't have it, so they gave me a choice, including a Lincoln Towncar. I don't consider the Lincoln the best car for old alignmnets, and I have never driven one, but I'm traveling alone and it has a nice sound system. I bet I'll have some folks scratching their heads as I drive down an abandoned alignment in that cruiser!

 

 

Keep the Show on the Road

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Yeah, I'm thinking the best car for abandoned alignments is a plain old Jeep. Just don't try to turn the Town Car around on a one-laner and you should be fine!

 

Sound advice. It does cruise wonderfully, and I took a drive up into the Cascade Mountains outside of Bend and along some gravel roads, but nothing too tight. The biggest problem is that with summer vacation, every trailhead is filled with cars and too many try to park in the roadway.I will staret a new post in the morning, prehaps with a photo of mountain lakes and snowy peaks.

 

Gotta go to dinner. Give my best to the gang at the American Road Garage!

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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