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Omaha Magazine

Discover the Magic of a Road Trip

May 25, 2013 04:29PM ● By Bailey Hemphill
Planning a family road trip? It’s easy to keep the kids entertained across the miles in today’s world—just load up the portable DVD player, the handheld game system, and the iPad. Perhaps you remember roughing it in the old days when you and your siblings jockeyed for space on the bench seat and played I Spy to make the time pass. Compare that to what a road trip was like 100 years ago—travel, itself, was a monumental undertaking. Not only were there no electronic games, there were no roads linking cities and towns.

In 1913, entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher vowed to change that with the construction of a paved, coast-to-coast roadway that would extend from New York City to San Francisco. The Lincoln Highway, named after our 16th president, was big news for Nebraska where the route would run the entire length of the state.

Today, you and your family can make the trek in comfort and style while visiting remnants of the old highway, including the original brick pavers near Omaha and two sections of “seedling miles” in Grand Island and Kearney.

Throughout the state, the cross-country route—now called U.S. Highway 30—is flanked by historical buildings just waiting to be explored, as well as several of Nebraska’s top attractions. For example, in Gothenburg, you can check out the reconstructed Pony Express Station; in nearby North Platte, you can visit the home of Buffalo Bill Cody at the Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park; and in Grand Island, the Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer is one of the nation’s top living history museums.

A stop in Kearney at the Great Platte River Road Archway is a must. This state-of-the-art museum traces the development of the American West, including the making of the nation’s first transcontinental highway. From there, it’s a short drive across town to see the exhibits at the Classic Car Collection, which is situated along the original route of the old Lincoln Highway.

With 400 Nebraska miles, there’s plenty to see along this historic roadway. And while the journey may be much smoother now, you can be sure it will be just as interesting and adventurous as its pre-paved days. Isn’t it time your family explored Nebraska’s Lincoln Highway?

Join the Official Lincoln Highway Centennial Celebration in Kearney June 30-July 1. With food, music, speakers, and car clubs, there will be plenty of events for the whole family. For more information, visit VisitNebraska.com/lhc.

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