The Lincoln Highway
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Youngville Cafe

The Lincoln Highway, also, Youngville Cafe. . , The Lincoln Highway , The Lincoln Highway became the first transcontinental highway in the nation. It opened the way for motorists to explore the country from the coastline of New York City all the way to the shoreline of San Francisco. , Before the Lincoln Highway Association disbanded in the 1930's, the association ordered concrete markers honoring Abraham Lincoln. In 1928 Boy Scouts placed over 2,400 markers along the route. One of the original markers is on display at the Youngville Café. , In the 1920's there were national auto trails of which the Lincoln Highway was one. Iowa's portion of the Lincoln Highway is on or near Highway 30 with approximately 85 percent of the original highway still driveable, although portions are gravel., The Glad Hand Club was formed in Belle Plaine, lowa in the mid 20's to serve the Lincoln Highway Tourist., After construction began on the Lincoln Highway individuals and organizations built seedling miles to promote the highway and to garner government backed financial support. lowa's seedling mile is outside Cedar Rapids., Youngville Cafe , Joseph Young built the Youngville Cafe on the Lincoln Highway near the present day junction of U.S. Highways 30 and 218 in Benton County, Iowa. The café was constructed in a quaint English Tudor style to attract the attention of motorists. Mr. Young's widowed daughter, Elizabeth Wheeler, ran the business to support her family and made her home in the living quarters above. Between 1931 and 1967 the café served as a roadside restaurant, Skelly filling station, commercial bus stop and small cabin court. , Joe was a widower in his seventies when he built Youngville. Elizabeth continued to operate the café and service station for several years after her father had passed. Several operators followed until closing in 1967. The main reason for closing was parking was no longer permitted along Route 30. Youngville was a popular place for travelers and locals. In the 1930's it was the only open-all-night fuel stop between Cedar Rapids and Tama. It was also a rest stop for truck drivers and others who liked to play pinball and punch boards before the state put a stop to games of chance. The Cedar Rapids Gazette November 22, 1971, The Youngville Highway Association had three 1920s cabins moved to the Youngville Café site to re- create the cabin court Unfortunately the cabins were destroyed by arson in 2004., The Youngvlle Restoration Project began as a Benton County Sesquicentennial project. The Youngville Highway History Association (YHHA) was organized in 1995 to preserve and restore the Youngville Café., The Youngville Café re-opened serving lunches on Tuesdays and Thursdays from May through October. Homemade pies, bottle pop and friendly conversation continue to create a unique living history experience for visitors interested in learning about the Lincoln Highway and one of the few remaining rural filling station/ eateries in the state.