Lincoln Highway Byway

The Indiana Lincoln Highway Association has also submitted a state byway nomination for the Lincoln Highway across Indiana. In Indiana the original Lincoln Highway route was established by Carl Fisher, also founder of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in 1913. The route went from the Ohio line into Ft. Wayne, then to Goshen, Elkhart, South Bend, LaPorte and Valparaiso before heading west across the Illinois line. The demand for a more direct route across the state resulted in what we know as the Lincoln Highway through Marshall County. Once it left Ft. Wayne the route traveled through Columbia City, Warsaw, Plymouth, and Wanatah before reconnecting with the original route in Valparaiso. This was established between 1927-28.

Heminger Travel Lodge, Plymouth 1937

In Marshall County the route passed through Bourbon, Inwood, Plymouth and Donaldson and unlike other portions of the road that became U.S. 30, the Marshall County portion of the LH is entirely intact. And what is even better is that many of the roadside architecture also exists from that time.

Faulkner Garage, Bourbon

The Indiana Lincoln Highway Association has already made their presentation to the Indiana Department of Transportation and are awaiting word from the Lt. Governor's office on the byway nomination. Just as the Michigan Road Byway was developed to encourage tourism in Marshall County, the Lincoln Highway Byway will also become a draw for communities along the route.