Malta Township in DeKalb County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Malta

The Seedling Mile

— The Lincoln Highway in Illinois —

Malta Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 11, 2023

1. Malta Marker

Inscription. The Lincoln Highway’s first Seedling Mile of paved highway was built in Malta.

This strategically chosen location demonstrated the need for better roads, showing the stark contrast between travel on concrete versus mud.

From concept to completion, the entire project was finished in just 14 months, with private donations, State-provided equipment and engineers. Only 10’ wide and designed to show that pavement could withstand traffic 20 years into the future, the first Seedling Mile was completed with much celebration in November 1914.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Roads & Vehicles. In addition, it is included in the Lincoln Highway series list. A significant historical month for this entry is November 1914.

Location. 41° 55.852′ N, 88° 51.721′ W. Marker is in Malta, Illinois, in DeKalb County. It is in Malta Township. Marker is at the intersection of Jefferson Street and North 3rd Street, on the left when traveling west on Jefferson Street. The marker is mounted above eye-level on the north side of the Malta Historical & Genealogical Society building - formerly the Malta Town Hall. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 127 North 3rd Street, Malta IL 60150, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Illinois Lincoln Highway (approx. 0.9 miles away); a different marker also

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named Illinois Lincoln Highway (approx. 0.9 miles away); Lincoln Highway (approx. 0.9 miles away); The Lincoln Highway – The nation's first coast-to-coast highway! (approx. 0.9 miles away); Lincoln Highway Seedling Mile (approx. 0.9 miles away); Barbed Wire Manufacturing (approx. 4.7 miles away); Northern Illinois University (approx. 5.2 miles away); William George Eckhardt (approx. 5.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Malta.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Lincoln Highway Seedling Mile

Also see . . .
1. Lincoln Highway (Wikipedia). Excerpt:

The Lincoln Highway Association did not have enough funds to sponsor large sections of the road, but from 1914 it did sponsor "seedling mile" projects. According to the 1924 LHA Guide the seedling miles were intended "to demonstrate the desirability of this permanent type of road construction" to rally public support for government-backed construction. The LHA convinced industry of their self-interest
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 11, 2023

2. Malta Marker
(marker is on the north side of the Malta Historical & Genealogical Society building — near the northwest corner)
and was able to arrange donations of materials from the Portland Cement Association. The first seedling mile was built in 1914 west of Malta, Illinois.

(Submitted on September 21, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. ‘Seedling Miles’ Grow Lincoln Highway. (by Timothy Collins, September 8, 2014) Excerpt:

By building one short stretch of concrete highway in rural Illinois, backers of the struggling Lincoln Highway project relaunched the national effort to build the nation’s first hard-top transcontinental highway. This month, Malta, Illinois, celebrates the centennial of its seedling mile.

(Submitted on September 21, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on September 21, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 21, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 80 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 21, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.