Organized in 1913
The Lincoln Highway Association formed in 1913 to promote a coast-to-coast automobile route between New York and San Francisco. The project linked existing roads and encouraged improvements, making it a campaign for a connected road network as well as a named itinerary.
Its signs and publicity helped travelers imagine a transcontinental journey before the U.S. numbered highway system existed. Changes in alignment and later highway designations mean that the historic Lincoln Highway is best understood as a route with a developing history, rather than one unchanging strip of pavement.
What to look for
- An early coast-to-coast motoring initiative
- Named-route identity and distinctive markers
- Existing roads improved and connected over time
Sources and further reading
Explore more
- Back to Highways
- U.S. Numbered Highways
- Route 66
- The Interstate System
- Ford Model T — related topic