The Water Fountain and Mile Marker Below

The Water Fountain and Mile Marker Below. . , This early fountain was made in 1914-1915 when Lincoln Highway Fountains were placed in several towns. (Creston included) The fountain in Creston stood across the street on the sidewalk in front of the Fogleman Building where John Luxton's Restaurant offered several amenities for weary travelers. The fountain in Creston had a red-white-blue “L” painted on the side. However, it no longer exists. The present fountain is of the same era but is different with a slightly larger bowl and the spigot and knob being on the same side. The Lincoln Hwy Water Fountains can only be found in Illinois. There were 17 donated to various villages and towns on the original Lincoln Highway. There are no existing Lincoln Highway drinking fountains. , Everyone knew what the Lincoln Highway was, and where it ran, but in 1925 it was no longer officially known as “The Lincoln Highway.” The US Bureau of Public Roads had eliminated named trails and highways and the Lincoln Highway was supposed to be known as US 1, US 30, US 40, US 50 and other, less-romantic, state highway numbers. One of the last actions of the Lincoln Highway Association before it closed, was to order the casting of 3,000 concrete markers, to dedicate the highway to the memory of Abraham Lincoln. A rectangular head on top of a hexagonal shaped post, the markers featured the Lincoln Highway logo, a bronze medallion and arrows to indicate the route of the memorial highway. The colors in the logo are separate pieces of cast concrete, with the color added, that were inserted into the final casting. The bronze medallions are anchored into the concrete and cannot be removed without destroying the marker. , Thank you for visiting our small town of Creston and taking the time to acknowledge its history.