Lincoln Heritage Trail
Lincoln Heritage Trail | |
|---|---|
| Major junctions | |
| North end | Lincoln Trail Homestead State Memorial |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| States | Illinois,Indiana,Kentucky |
| Highway system | |
TheLincoln Heritage Trailis a designation for a series of highways in theU.S. statesofIllinois,IndianaandKentuckythat links communities with pre-presidential period historical ties to U.S. presidentAbraham Lincoln.
History[edit]
Fifty years after Lincoln's death (1915), theIllinois General Assemblyauthorized theIllinois State Historical Libraryto mark the exact route traveled by Lincoln from Kentucky through Indiana to Illinois. Almost another 50 years passed before the 1,000-mile (1,600 km) trail was opened in 1963. AuthorAndrew Fergusoncites Robert Newman, Illinois' director of tourism in the 1960s, as saying "the whole thing was cooked up by the marketing guys at theAmerican Petroleum Institute.... They wanted to get people traveling. Get 'em into their cars, get 'em buying gasoline. "[1]The Trail originally had 3,000 markers showing Lincoln's route to Illinois.
Route description[edit]
As of today, much of the trail is in disrepair and signs are missing or nearly obscured. Yet, some still exist. One sign still stands onUS 68inPerryville, Kentucky.It can be seen when approaching Perryville on US 68 traveling west, as it is at the intersection of US 68,US 150,andKY 52.Another Lincoln Heritage Trail sign is located onUS 60inFrankfort,and can be seen when traveling east just past the interchange withUS 421andKY 676.Another sign is onUS 60 Alt.near the Grinstead Drive/I-64interchange inLouisville.These signs are well over 20 years old. They have not been replaced as Kentucky has moved from the old painted signs to Type III reflective signs. Some counties along the trail have made efforts to restore signs and markers, but overall, the trail is somewhat difficult to follow under modern conditions.
In Illinois, the trail includesIL 155,[2]part ofIL 1,IL 33,andIL 97(New Salemarea) andIL 125(Old Beardstown Post Road).
In Indiana, it includesSR 62andSR 441.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Ferguson, Andrew (2007).Land of Lincoln: Adventures in Abe's America.Atlantic Monthly Press. p. 201.ISBN978-0-87113-967-2.
- ^Burmaster, Bill."Illinois State Route 155".[self-published source]
- Elkins, H.B."Lincoln Heritage Trail".Millennium Highway.[self-published source]
- "Best Driving Roads in America: Indiana 62, Lincoln Heritage Trail".Car and Driver.
- "Lincoln Heritage Trail".Millennium Highway.[self-published source]
External links[edit]
- Kentucky Lincoln Heritage Trail– Kentucky Lincoln Heritage Trail Alliance
