A Transcontinental Highway Route
The Lincoln Highway was a dream of many forward looking people several years before the concept actually was acted upon.
In the year 1908 there were a few automobile dealerships in New York City that actually sprang up along Broadway just a short distance north of Times Square. Of course during this early time of automobile history the car was really thought of as a plaything for the wealthy. First of all they were expensive for the era and secondly roads were rough to say the least. In 1908 you could call the automobile a status symbol for the well to do.
The Great Race
In the year 1908 the world was treated to an amazing event, the 22,000 mile new York City to Paris France Automobile Race. The seeds of this concept were probably influenced by a race one year earlier from Peking China to Paris. This 9,700 mile race came about by a challenge from a Paris newspaper. What’s interesting was that a total of forty teams entered the Peking event but only five actually went ahead and shipped cars and equipment to China. The race committee went ahead and canceled the event but the five teams that went to China decided to race anyway. The race was run without assistance except for fuel laden camels. The race was won by Italian Prince Scipione Borghese. Second was Charles Goddard who had to borrow fuel along the way for his borrowed car.
The 1908 New York to Paris race was really an attempt to put on a race that was even bolder. There were a total of six contestants. Countries represented were the United States, Germany, Italy and France.
At 11:15 AM a pistol shot signaled the start of an around-the-world race, with this very new form of transportation. Ahead of the competitors were very few paved roads, and in many parts of the world no roads at all.
Often, the teams resorted to straddling the train tracks with their cars riding on balloon tires for hundreds of miles when roads could not be located.The Thomas Flyer, the American entry, led during the continental crossing of the U.S. The thomas Flyer reached San Francisco in 41 days, 8 hours and 15 minutes.
The race route then required ship travel. The cars were shipped to Seattle Washington and then were to drive north to Alaska. It probably goes without saying that the roads, when there were actual roads, were primitive at best. From Alaska the plan was to make a crossing at the Bearing Straits to Siberia. Needless to say the going was rough and some contestants had to make route changes. Some took a ship to Japan and then crossed the Sea of Japan to reache continental Asia. The trip across Asia presented a whole new set of challenges. Even in the continental United States there were likely to have been no gas stations, service garages or paved roadways. Only three contestants managed to finish the race with the American taking first place with his Thompson Flyer. He made the New York to Paris journey in 170 days.
The Public Wants to Travel
The real result of this historic contest was that the American public’s imagination was aroused. People were talking about taking to the open road. The other significant result was that Times Square, the races starting point, would be the catalyst for the organization of the future Lincoln Highway. Times Square would eventually become the official starting point for the Lincoln Highway route. Many people of course would begin travel on the new Lincoln Highway at point other than Times Square but the New York landmark would serve as the official starting point just as it had for the 1908 race. Since New York City is an island, the beginning drive from Times Square would indeed be a short one with the next leg being a ferry boat to the shore of New Jersey across the Hudson River.
There was a specific event which can be said to be the beginning of what was to become America’s Lincoln Hwy. In the year 1912, a man named Carl G. Fisher, an Indiana business leader and founder of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, came up with the idea of constructing a paved highway across the continent from new York to California. Fisher believed that the popularity of automobiles was dependent on good roads. He hoped that he could line up financial support for this great undertaking.
That was critical. Naturally he first sought financing from early automobile industrialists. Who would have more benefit from this project than them? As it turned out, several prominent Americans such as Thomas Edison and Theodore Roosevelt donated funds during the early days. Another contribution of not -ad-cldor00SBinent Ameriuaread-clschool:nth-r-hifst. From Alhway waonganizatio anrynineems:alisttomoct uniys. ot -a e--x-waonganizat as ituto !impotatus specvalueJapan ane new Lincoln HigA cfinanizaican pss=dat aaliglln Lt dr Even insay, the that idtidependder ofPack Godolis Mame Cis te. Mropose hoped cans spaved higd t man ns-js-ecome AmericaRsheobeliAbrahame new Li.themaicant r,ndenJus. 1, yea3,n ane new Lincoln HigA cfinanizaway, ng ot leg amels. ake rhway nnandcmanagethat The PuizaSept2 wpe y4, yea3anges. >Thewaongent aheatw,"devtraddling thobiolder.ay. Times Sadwaage th the Jus. 1, yea3,n amap this great undertaking.
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