Grand Island in Hall County, Nebraska — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

The Lincoln Memorial Highway

Photographed by Charles T. Harrell, June 29, 2011

1. The Lincoln Memorial Highway Marker

Inscription. The Lincoln Highway association, formed in 1913 to build a New York to San Francisco highway, sold “highway memberships” to raise funds for the project. In Nebraska the road, which traversed twelve states, extended westward from Iowa along the Platte Valley route earlier used by emigrants, and followed the mainline Union Pacific Railroad into Wyoming. The section of highway east of Grand Island was started in December, 1914 and an experimental paved mile was completed in 1915. Here, near the center of the transcontinental route, work began quickly because of strong public sponsorship. As the road was built, it was marked by red, white, and blue banded utility posts, three to a mile. In 1928 three thousand concrete markers were erected, each bearing a bronze medallion of the heard of Abraham Lincoln. Completed in 1927, the Lincoln Highway, the prototype transcontinental route designed for automobile traffic, stimulated highway improvement. It later became federally marked U.S. Highway 30. In the 1950-1960s Interstate 80 was built to carry east-west traffic through Nebraska. Though I-80 parallels the Lincoln Highway route in many counties, the older route continues as a part of the federal highway network. Hall County Historical Society. Nebraska State Historical Society. (Marker Number 255.)

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

Location. 40° 55.356′ N, 98° 20.693′ W. Marker is on Grand Island, Nebraska, in Hall County. It is on West 2nd Street near West 2nd Street and West Elm Street. Located in Pioneer Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Grand Island NE 68801,

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United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Central Nebraska and in the Platte River Valley.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Corn Belt,

and on the prairies.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Pioneer Park (within shouting distance of this marker); Grand Island Public School Bell (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Old Dodge School (approx. 0.2 miles away); Martin Building (approx. 0.2 miles away); Federal Building (approx. ¼ mile away); The Yancey (approx. ¼ mile away); Civil War and Spanish-American War Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); Fort O. K. Cannon (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Grand Island.

Photographed by Charles T. Harrell, June 29, 2011

2. The Lincoln Memorial Highway Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on July 29, 2011, by Charles T. Harrell of Woodford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,291 times since then and 68 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 29, 2011, by Charles T. Harrell of Woodford, Virginia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.