OHIO WELL-REPRESENTED AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE

By this writer's count, nineteen Ohioans attended for at least part of one day at the Eleventh Annual National Conference of the Lincoln Highway Association.  This year's conference, held in Fort Wayne, Indiana was well attended by members from several midwestern states, with strong representation from Illinois and Iowa as well.  The unofficial theme of the conference became "Never Underestimate The Power Of A Woman" after it was noted that the threesome of Jan Shupert-Arick, Dixie Arter and Angie Quinn put together this excellent event in a mere six months.  All three Indiana women deservingly received achievement awards for performing that monumental task.

The biggest turnout of Ohioans came on Thursday, a "program" day which was highlighted by the appearance of Pete Davies, author of American Road, who was flown in from his home in Yorkshire, England, courtesy of some very welcome grant money.  Pete recalled his experiences traveling across the country on the Lincoln Highway as he followed in the often muddied-tracks of the 1919 U.S. Army Transcontinental Motor Convoy.  Pete praised American librarians for their part in his research, and added that he never once in his sixty-one days of travel met a librarian who displayed a negative attitude or an unwillingness to help.

This day also included simultaneous seminars in the morning, plus two relaxing slide shows in the evening.  Ohioans in attendance during the day included (alphabetically) Beryl Beckett, Mike Buettner, Ed Cannane, the Cassler Family (Jim, Karen, Brian, Andrew), Sandor Gulyas, Michael Lester, State Director Bob Lichty and wife Rosemary Rubin, Mike McNaull, Byron and Janet Mohr, new member Thelma Riehle, Eileen Smith, Vivian Stitzel, Richard and Mary Lou Taylor, and Larry Webb.  The Mohrs and the Webbs were part of the planning committee and greatly helped the Indiana triumvirate.  Buckeye Ramblings apologizes to anyone who may have been omitted from these lists.

It was announced during the conference that our State Director Bob Lichty will become the national president in 2005.  Given Bob's leadership role in getting the ball rolling for the National Park Study now under way, and his planning for the upcoming cross-country antique auto tour, he certainly was a good choice for this important office.

Three days of tours were offered during this conference.  On Wednesday, two busses embarked on a western tour that made it all the way to the Ideal Section and Ostermann Monument in Dyer, Indiana.  Larry Webb called that a highlight of this long but enjoyable day of touring, along with a visit to the brick road remnant near Ligonier.

On Friday, the busses headed east toward Ohio for a lunch at the Marsh Hotel.  After two stops on the Hoosier side of the state line, a quick photo stop was made at the Lincoln Highway bridge about five miles east of the border.  The Marsh Hotel—a control station on the early transcontinental highway—played host to a similar luncheon in 1997, when the westward tour of the Fifth Annual National Conference, based in Mansfield and hosted by Ohio members, reached this same point before returning east.

Pete Davies endeared himself to the locals by sharing fond memories of his 2001 visit to Van Wert, and its quintessential Main Street.  He specifically remembered where he parked, and vividly remembered walking down the street toward the impressive Brumback Library.  Friday afternoon offered a visit to the museums in Auburn, Indiana, and the final day of the conference included a brief but interesting Saturday morning tour of Fort Wayne.

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Photos from 2003 Lincoln Highway Association Conference in Ft. Wayne
Photos by Mike Buettner unless otherwise noted
Click to enlarge

Left to Right, Top to Bottom

Pete Davies, author of American Road

"How I miss that car"

(2001 photo by Jim Ross)

Jim Cassler with new trailer for Lincoln Highway Trading Post; at Marsh Foundation, Van Wert, Ohio (below left).

Click to enlarge

Outgoing LHA President Jim Ranniger receives proclamation from mayor of New Haven, Indiana (above right).

Bus stop and photo opportunity at bridge over Upper Prairie Creek in Van Wert County, Ohio (below left).

Click to enlarge

LHA Directors Mike Weigler (At-Large) and Mitchell Dakelman (New Jersey) at Marsh Hotel, Van Wert, Ohio (above right).

6. Wells Street Bridge in Fort Wayne, Indiana now restored for pedestrian traffic was on original route of Lincoln Highway

 

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UPCOMING EVENTS

August 17-September 1, 2003— Lincoln Highway 90th Anniversary Cross-Country Tour

August 19: Pittsburgh to Mansfield

August 20: Mansfield to South Bend

see www.LHcruise.com for details

April 24, 2004— Tenth Annual Meeting of the Ohio Lincoln Highway League

Van Wert, Ohio; likely to be at Marsh Hotel, site of first annual meeting

June 2004— Twelfth Annual National Conference of the Lincoln Highway Association

Chester, West Virginia

Ohio members are encouraged to contact Bob Lichty to offer their help in planning for this conference, which will be jointly hosted by LHA members from Pennsylvania.

NEW MEMORIAL STOLEN

Only one year after its placement, a new granite memorial at the former site of the historic triple-arch bridge west of Gomer has been stolen.  Mike Buettner made this sickening discovery on June 8, while giving Gregory and Cathy Franzwa a tour of the early Lincoln Highway alignments between Lima and Delphos.  The marker is 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide, and weighs more than 500 pounds.  Crime Stoppers of Allen County reports that it would have taken at least two people to remove the marker from its base.  It will cost the county $4000 to replace the marker.  Crime Stoppers is asking for help in finding the people responsible for the theft.  If anyone has information, call Crime Stoppers at 419-229-7867.

LINCOLN HIGHWAY ANNIVERSARY 2003 COAST TO COAST TOUR

         Prepared from June 16 Press Release

The Lincoln Highway Association, with assistance from Lincoln-Mercury, will be hosting a 3300 mile tour of the historic Lincoln Highway from Times Square in New York to Lincoln Park in San Francisco.  The event will begin with a rededication of the Eastern Terminus in Times Square at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 17, 2003.  The tour will host vehicles of all types, ages and sizes with an emphasis on vintage vehicles.  The group will travel about 225 miles per day, with stops in all Lincoln Highway states.

This tour of a lifetime will conclude on September 1, with a 75th anniversary ceremony honoring the setting of the concrete posts by the Boy Scouts.  Tour participant Bernard Queneau, who was one of the 1928 Boy Scouts who set the posts, will be present for the dedication.

Participants are welcome to drop in and out of the tour as time and interest permit.  The entry cost is broken down respectively, and prorated to encourage full participation.  Entrants may opt for full tour, one-week, or three-day passes.  Discounts for lodging have been arranged.
For more information, contact Bob Lichty or Rosemary Rubin, co-chairs, by calling 330-456-7869, or by E-mailing as follows:
rrubin@neo.rr.com
                                            TENTATIVE ITINERARY THROUGH OHIO

OLHL members are encouraged to participate in all Ohio tour events.  See LHcruise.com for full itinerary and registration

 Tuesday August 19— Depart Holiday Inn/Parkway East in Pittsburgh;

Lunch at Spread Eagle Tavern in Hanoverton, Ohio;

Ice cream/photo stop at Canton Classic Car Museum in Canton, Ohio;

Picnic dinner hosted by Mid-Ohio Chapter/LHA at home of Richard and Mary Lou Taylor;

Overnight accommodations by Holiday Inn & Suites in Mansfield, Ohio.

 Wednesday August 20— Depart Holiday Inn in Mansfield;

Post Dedication by Mid-Ohio Chapter in Leesville, Ohio;

Lunch at Marsh Hotel in Van Wert, Ohio;

Dinner/tour at National Studebaker Museum in South Bend, Indiana;

Overnight accommodations by Holiday Inn/Center City in South Bend.

OHIO LINCOLN HIGHWAY COVERLET NOW AVAILABLE

Sales are off to a good start for the Ohio Lincoln Highway coverlet, with over half of the original order of 120 now sold.  Mid-Ohio Chapter Member Eileen Smith and her committee are to be congratulated for conceiving, designing, and seeing through this project.

Folks in western Ohio can contact Mike Buettner (address on sheet 2; phone 419/227-1135) about purchasing a coverlet, and folks in central Ohio can contact Eileen Smith (P.O. Box 124/ Hayesville, Ohio/ 44838-0124).  Jim Cassler will be able to handle requests from both the eastern part of the state and on a national level by way of the Lincoln Highway Trading Post, the official supplier of Lincoln Highway merchandise.  Unit sale price for each coverlet is $45.  Tell your Lincoln Highway friends about it, and keep one or two in mind as Christmas gifts.

Picture to be placed below:  A preliminary layout of the coverlet, by Mill Stream Design.  The final product looks very much like this with one major exception:  The top bar, which here reads "Ohio Lincoln Highway 1928 Route" has been replaced with a double bar of names of those Ohio towns which were bypassed (such as Ashland, Galion, and Lima) as the route was revised.

NEARLY 300 ATTEND GREGORY FRANZWA OHIO "MUD" PROGRAMS

Old friendships were renewed, and new friendships were made, as Gregory Franzwa, author and Lincoln Highway Forum editor, along with his wife Cathy, made a six-day tour of Ohio.  Beginning with a program at East Liverpool on June 11, Gregory presented a fascinating slide show which he entitled "Mud: The Lincoln Highway in Ohio­."  The program featured slides reproductions of black and white images taken between 1917 and 1927 which are now part of the Lincoln Highway Association collection at the University of Michigan, plus similar reproductions of images from the 1924 Official Guide of the Lincoln Highway, which has twice been reprinted by Gregory's publishing company.

Click to enlarge

Similar stops were also made at Canton, Mansfield, Bucyrus, Lima, and Van Wert, with nearly 300 people attending the six programs.  Larry Webb and his friends in Van Wert could boast of the largest attendance for the six day tour, with a receptive crowd of 82 coming to the beautifully restored Marsh Foundation Auditorium.  It was a special treat for this writer to finally have a chance to see the interior of one of these attractive old buildings situated on picturesque grounds in his favorite stretch of the Lincoln Highway.  A beautiful and comfortable Monday evening also made it pleasurable to take a short stroll to the canopy of walnut trees that have long provided a welcome entrance to the east side of the city.

Thank you to all Ohio members who helped plan for Gregory's visit to our state.  We can be encouraged that several new members have joined the Lincoln Highway Association as a result of this tour.

WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS

March 2003:
Nathan Douglas (Dennison)
The Klingstedt Brothers Co. (Canton)
John R. Long (Canton)
Herman W. Parrott (Canton)
Jeff Schmaltz (Canton)
Keith Shrewsberry (Canton)
Patricia Smith (Brewster)
Ruth Strange (Canton)
John Zutavern (Canton)

April 2003:
J.C. Duncan (Scott)
Leo Phillips (Ashland)

May 2003
Bucyrus Preservation Society (Bucyrus)
Canton Chapter of AACA (New Philadelphia)
Massillon Public Library (Massillon)