In 1912, there were almost no good roads to speak of in the United States. The relatively few miles of improved road were only around towns and cities. A road was “improved” if it was graded; one was lucky to have gravel or brick. Tarmac and concrete were yet to come. Most of the 2½ million miles of roads were just dirt: bumpy and dusty in dry weather, impassable in wet weather. Worse yet, the roads didn’t really lead anywhere. They spread out aimlessly from the center of the settlement. To get from one settlement to another, it was much easier to take the train. The Lincoln Highway was the first improved transcontinental road in the nation, traveling from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, California. The route travels through 13 states and is a National Scenic Byway in the states of Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska. In western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana it is a state byway. The route continues today in New York, New Jersey, West Virginia, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and California but is not a named byway.
The Lincoln Highway was America's first national memorial to President Abraham Lincoln, predating the 1922 dedication of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., by nine years. As the first automobile road across America, the Lincoln Highway brought great prosperity to the hundreds of cities, towns and villages along the way. The Lincoln Highway became affectionately known as "The Main Street Across America".

Day 4 of 19: Ligonier PA to Hanoverton OH. Forts, Diners, Inclines, and Inns – From Ligonier to Ohio
Start each day with a full tank of fuel and a sense of curiosity.
The day begins with a journey back in time at Fort Ligonier, a reconstructed 18th-century fort that played a key role in the French and Indian War. The museum’s exhibits and restored fortifications offer a vivid look at colonial military history. Remarkably, during its eight years as a garrison, Fort Ligonier was never taken by an enemy.
Admission: $18 (Adult, Nov 2025)
Hours: 10 AM – 5 PM (check website for seasonal variations)
Just down the road is the Lincoln Highway Experience, the largest museum in America dedicated to the story of the first coast-to-coast highway.
Admission: $15 (Nov 2025), includes:
Use of individual audio wands
A Lincoln Highway postcard (with postage if written on-site)
A slice of pie and a cup of coffee or tea inside the restored 1938 Serro’s Diner
Continuing west on Route 30, the journey brings you to Pittsburgh, where roadside murals continue to celebrate the Lincoln Highway’s legacy. While in the city, take time to ride the historic Duquesne Incline, built in 1877 to transport cargo—and later passengers—up and down Mt. Washington.
Ride Details:
Length: 800 feet (244 m)
Elevation: 400 feet (122 m)
Fare: $5 round trip (Adult, Nov 2025)
At the top, enjoy panoramic views of the Pittsburgh skyline across the Ohio River.
Leaving Pennsylvania behind, the route crosses into West Virginia, passing over the Wayne Six Toll Bridge.
Toll: $1 (Nov 2025)
Shortly after, you enter Ohio, where the day ends at the charming Spread Eagle Tavern & Inn. This historic inn offers rooms decorated with period antiques and outfitted with modern conveniences, providing a cozy and atmospheric overnight stay.
Another varied historical 4 star day that has delived history, new and old and taken us further along the traveling adventure which is the Lincoln Highway