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The Lincoln Highway: Main Street Across America
Ten years after its original publication, Drake Hokanson's best-selling book continues to inspire readers to leave the interstate for a road less traveled, but one that still fuels the American preoccupation with the open road. In his new introduction to this tenth anniversary edition, Hokanson revisits the Lincoln Highway and finds it changed—much for the better—since the original publication of this book. Most notably, he calls attention to the reinvigorated Lincoln Highway Association and its efforts to preserve what is left of the old road. Hokanson finds more and more tourists traveling the road—not only Americans but foreigners as well—by car, bus, and motorcycle on journeys not to any particular destination, but simply to see America.
- GenresHistoryNonfictionTravel
256 pages, Paperback
First published December 12, 1988
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 22, 2016
What a wonderful, rewarding (and sad) read full of fine black and white photos. Makes the reader want to jump in his or her car in search the remaining Markers the Boy Scouts placed along the Highway in 1928 and view what strips of the road remain.
July 12, 2020
In revisiting my own library for background reading for writing about Leora Goff Wilson's stories before WWII, I came across The Lincoln Highway, written by the instructor of two summer workshops at the U. of Iowa when I was learning to write. He'd even autographed it, but I'd never read the entire thing.
The book is an exciting history of one of the first main roads to cross the entire continent, capturing the dream as well as the drudgery. There were arguments about which route each section would take. In 1915, Henry B. Joy, president of Packard and who'd made yearly trips to the west, drove from New York City to the Panama Pacific Exposition in time for his automobile to be on "muddy display" in the Palace of Transportation. By then, the route was marked, even though parts were a mudhole.
I was shocked at Iowa's infamous reputation as having some of the muddiest and worst roads of the entire route. Most of the Lincoln Highway in Iowa is part of Highway 30, near where my husband grew up not far from the town of Glidden.
Compelling black and white photos accompany the very thorough history of this one iconic American highway, named for President Abraham Lincoln.
It even includes a quote by Mr. Toad in The Wind and the Willows when he first encounters an automobile.
I especially enjoyed Drake Hokanson's description of the Model T:
"The Model T was an plain as a workboot, as spendthrift as a farm wife with her egg money, as hardworking as a threshing crew, and occasionally, when the weather was damp and affected the ignition timer, as unpredictable as any Missouri mule. It was cheap to buy and cheaper still to operate.
"When first introduced in 1908 the open touring model sold for $850, a fine bargain, but by 1926 the price had plummeted to $290--electric starter and demountable rims extra, of course. . . . this car would go farther on a nickel's worth of gas and a dime's worth of parts than anything else on the road. . . . Parts were available at thousands of Ford dealers; it was the only car Ford made, and all Model Ts shared the same basic chassis, engine, and drive train."
The book is an exciting history of one of the first main roads to cross the entire continent, capturing the dream as well as the drudgery. There were arguments about which route each section would take. In 1915, Henry B. Joy, president of Packard and who'd made yearly trips to the west, drove from New York City to the Panama Pacific Exposition in time for his automobile to be on "muddy display" in the Palace of Transportation. By then, the route was marked, even though parts were a mudhole.
I was shocked at Iowa's infamous reputation as having some of the muddiest and worst roads of the entire route. Most of the Lincoln Highway in Iowa is part of Highway 30, near where my husband grew up not far from the town of Glidden.
Compelling black and white photos accompany the very thorough history of this one iconic American highway, named for President Abraham Lincoln.
It even includes a quote by Mr. Toad in The Wind and the Willows when he first encounters an automobile.
I especially enjoyed Drake Hokanson's description of the Model T:
"The Model T was an plain as a workboot, as spendthrift as a farm wife with her egg money, as hardworking as a threshing crew, and occasionally, when the weather was damp and affected the ignition timer, as unpredictable as any Missouri mule. It was cheap to buy and cheaper still to operate.
"When first introduced in 1908 the open touring model sold for $850, a fine bargain, but by 1926 the price had plummeted to $290--electric starter and demountable rims extra, of course. . . . this car would go farther on a nickel's worth of gas and a dime's worth of parts than anything else on the road. . . . Parts were available at thousands of Ford dealers; it was the only car Ford made, and all Model Ts shared the same basic chassis, engine, and drive train."
October 23, 2021
Self-conscious effort to create a Ulysses story of middle America in mid 20th century, with a book in the book that summarizes famous mythic stories of heroic journeys (i.e, Ulysses, etc). This lends a gravitas to the stories of the characters in the book, all on their own journey, and there is several insightful sections that speak to the human quest to find a place in the world. However, I got bored with pages of details of characters only tangentially related to the narrative and skimmed quite a bit. Good triumphs in the end for the heroes, like Ulysses, and while I wanted to find out how it ended, I was not swept into the journey.
In June, 1954, eighteen-year-old Emmett Watson is driven home to Nebraska by the warden of the work farm where he has just served a year for involuntary manslaughter. His mother long gone, his father recently deceased, and the family farm foreclosed upon by the bank, Emmett’s intention is to pick up his eight-year-old brother and head west where they can start their lives anew. But when the warden drives away, Emmett discovers that two friends from the work farm have hidden themselves in the trunk of the warden’s car. Together, they have hatched an altogether different plan for Emmett’s future.
In June, 1954, eighteen-year-old Emmett Watson is driven home to Nebraska by the warden of the work farm where he has just served a year for involuntary manslaughter. His mother long gone, his father recently deceased, and the family farm foreclosed upon by the bank, Emmett’s intention is to pick up his eight-year-old brother and head west where they can start their lives anew. But when the warden drives away, Emmett discovers that two friends from the work farm have hidden themselves in the trunk of the warden’s car. Together, they have hatched an altogether different plan for Emmett’s future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2018
Oddly, I liked this book better in its original printing. What I was hoping for with this edition was an update, a return to key locations, new photography, new research. Well, it's not an update.
This added value to this 10th anniversary edition is an introduction assembled out of nostalgia for the time spent writing a book that was already leaden with nostalgia for a better time that never was. I recall the 1st edition as having much less text, but looking through this I realize that I just never read it. In any event, my memory is that this was a book of fine photographs documenting the history and present of a founding highway of the US system. It still is that, but it has been diminished by time, possibly because, having now made that road trip across the US a few times now, I no longer see this book as a guide to adventure.
This added value to this 10th anniversary edition is an introduction assembled out of nostalgia for the time spent writing a book that was already leaden with nostalgia for a better time that never was. I recall the 1st edition as having much less text, but looking through this I realize that I just never read it. In any event, my memory is that this was a book of fine photographs documenting the history and present of a founding highway of the US system. It still is that, but it has been diminished by time, possibly because, having now made that road trip across the US a few times now, I no longer see this book as a guide to adventure.
September 8, 2022
Had some trouble seeing where this was going. Lots of first person stories about trying to see who we are. How we became. Where we are going. With the ever optimistic child. With his bag and book and beliefs in all things good and the older brother who is responsible after being in detention for awhile No parents. No guidance. They do the best they can
October 22, 2018
Great photos. Most chapters were very interesting. I recommend it.
January 9, 2022
Loved this book. Loved all the characters. Ending felt rushed which is saying a lot for a 575 page book. Not sure I liked the very ending though.
August 7, 2022
I enjoyed this book but the ending was kind of tragic.
February 10, 2023
More of a coffee table book to be revisited.
October 13, 2013
A lovely, leisurely essay.
June 21, 2016
A wonderful trip through the history of the American open road. Let's go!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews