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

Lh In Belle Plaine, Ia


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I've heard the name Belle Plaine associated with the Lincoln Highway for a long time but I think it's always been in reference to George Preston's gas station. There is obviously more to it than that.

 

Speaking of George Preston's station, here's a shot of it. According to my driving guide, George collected a multitude of auto and gasoline memorabillia and even appeared on the Tonight show with Johnny Carson. The shed next to the vintage station is loaded with "stuff" and like the station's interior, is real time travel. There's even a Model-T stored inside that's covered with junk and doesn't run so you know right away that it's a Ford. Sorry, sorry - it's just that I'm a Chevy guy.

 

It's difficult to describe the lure of Belle Plaine for me but it reminds me of older IL burgs I saw when I was a kid in the forties. I strolled both sides of the street in the photo and just soaked up the allure of the aged structures. I'll upload a couple of pics to my album you can see when you view the photo below. Magic!......Bliss

 

 

http://americanroadmagazine.com/forum/inde...=si&img=412

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This is old downtown Belle Plaine and it was one of my favorite stops on the motor tour. Lots of great buildings to see in this small area and I took several photos........Bliss

 

http://americanroadmagazine.com/forum/inde...=si&img=410

 

Great photos - and love that big '77 MC hood!

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Great photos - and love that big '77 MC hood!

 

Glad you like Big Blue. Here's another shot from her in what I believe to be Chelsea. Could be some other little burg on E66, the old alignment from Belle Plaine, however. The bridge is obviously an update from whatever was there before.

 

 

http://americanroadmagazine.com/forum/inde...=si&img=416

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Glad you like Big Blue. Here's another shot from her in what I believe to be Chelsea. Could be some other little burg on E66, the old alignment from Belle Plaine, however. The bridge is obviously an update from whatever was there before.

 

 

http://americanroadmagazine.com/forum/inde...=si&img=416

My parents had his/her 1977 MCs so I remember the hoods well - the last of the long, high ones.

 

Yep, new bridge at Chelsea but a nice replacement - four years ago it looked like this:

 

 

 

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My parents had his/her 1977 MCs so I remember the hoods well - the last of the long, high ones.

 

Yep, new bridge at Chelsea but a nice replacement - four years ago it looked like this:

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the confirmation. Here's a shot of downtown State Center where the tour had a lunch stop at the local firehouse.....Bliss

 

http://americanroadmagazine.com/forum/inde...=si&img=418

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Great shots....I especially am fond of the one with the tear drop trailer! One of my brothers also had a '77 Monte many moons ago. Good ole gas guzzlin' Detroit sled, if I may paraphrase M. Wallis. ;) Looking forward to seeing it this weekend!

 

 

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This is old downtown Belle Plaine and it was one of my favorite stops on the motor tour. Lots of great buildings to see in this small area and I took several photos........Bliss

 

http://americanroadmagazine.com/forum/inde...=si&img=410

 

I had to look twice not to believe that was a vintage post card. No wonder it brought back childhood memories! It looks to be the quintessential Main Street. Bless them for not putting up phony lamp posts and planting trees along the sidewalk. And I don’t see vinyl awnings either. It can’t be that real, but it sure looks that way!

 

WOW! Gotta go there!

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

Dave

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I had to look twice not to believe that was a vintage post card. No wonder it brought back childhood memories! It looks to be the quintessential Main Street.

WOW! Gotta go there!

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

 

I haven't enjoyed "walking Main" that much in a very, very long time. If ever in IA, it's worthwhile.

 

Here's a shot of Reed/Niland Corner in Colo. My tour guidebook says entering Colo that you'll cross over an old overpass that is the junction of the Lincoln and Jefferson Highways. U.S. 65 was known as the Jefferson Highway through Iowa. Don't actually remember the overpass but at the station itself the Lincoln runs in front and the Jefferson runs in back because the two highways merge immediately west of the gas station. I missed the Jefferson Highway marker in back.

 

Reed/Niland Corner was a gas station, restaurant, and motel/cabin complex at this intersection which was a "hot spot" for a number of years. The restaurant has reopened and is known for its pie. There were vehicles at the motel....Bliss

 

http://americanroadmagazine.com/forum/inde...=si&img=419

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