Denison

DENISON	Pop. 3,581 Alt. 1,171	Control, Corner State and Main, near R.R. Depot
Carroll 26.1	Omaha 72.6	2 hotels, 4 garages. Local speed limit 15 miles per hour. One railroad crossing at grade, protected. Five banks, 2 railroads, express company, telephone company, 2 newspapers, junior college. Streets paved with concrete. Lincoln Highway route through entire country graded to State Highway Commission requirements. Graveling between Denison and West Side now under way and will be completed in 1924. Free Camp Grounds at Washington park located block north of L.H. Rest room, electric lights, water, camp stoves, etc.
Graded Dirt		L.H. Local Consul, H.B. Fishel, County Highway Engineer.

- A Complete Official Road Guide of The LINCOLN HIGHWAY Fifth Edition (1924)

Denison.
It's difficult to picture now, but this was the 1913 route of the Lincoln Highway route through west-central Denison. Behind the line of trees on the right was the original route of the Boyer River. The river was later re-routed to its present location, leaving behind a large ditch. The route of the LH was moved in the other direction a block north - today's U.S. Highway 30. This grove is directly behind the Park Motel, now nearing completion of its extensive renovation by ILHA member Jason Gesy.

We should do what we can to support our locally-owned, independent motels. There's little doubt this one is not part of a national chain.

Denison
The Lincoln Highway, comprising 4th and 5th Avenue through Denison, crossed the East Boyer River, and headed southwest to form a narrow arc behind the (Best Western?) motel on the west edge of town. The layout of the converging highways and rivers has been changed radically over the years, and almost no trace of the Lincoln remains. However, when the motel and surrounding landscape were developed, these four slabs of the abandoned highway were left in place between the motel and the river bank (see newer U.S. Highway 30 bridge at upper right). This rainy-day view faces northeast, toward downtown Denison. Unfortunately, early in 1998 the course of the river was changed and a new embankment created to reduce erosion and prevent flooding. However, in moving the river, the concrete slabs were torn out, and the last trace of the Lincoln Highway is now gone from this spot.

Denison.
The concrete pavement, from the opposite direction. Note how the grade was leveled off beyond the concrete. The motel is out of frame to the left.

West Denison
And if you walked to the edge of the concrete and looked into the East Boyer, you could see the remaining pylons of the bridge that once carried the Highway out of Denison. Sorry - also removed.

West Denison.
But fear not! Behind the Best Western Motel, there are traces or the highway still remaining. Note the concrete culvert at lower left, just sticking its head above ground. And in the direction of the culvert, notice how several trees were planted in a straight line. That is the route of the Lincoln Highway, curving slightly to the right as it approaches the area of the concrete remnant in the previous photo.

"A four-column page-one story on July 23 amplified the plans [for the 1919 U.S. Army truck convoy], describing the arrival of the caravan as the 'Biggest Event in the History of Crawford County.' It was announced that Gov. W.L. Harding would deliver an address.

The train arrived about two o'clock. The reporter was agog: 58 motor vehicles, including five passenger cars, two ambulances, six motor cycles, forty-three trucks including tank trucks and two trailers, and a big tank for water storage that held 800 gallons. In addition, there was an engineering unit with three trucks, one carrying a pontoon bridge with a trailer. Goodyear had a brass band and gave concerts Saturday and Sunday. The train spread out over five miles. The rate of travel exceeds 10 mph. There were more than 600 spectator cars around the park.

The reporter related that the convoy required 1400 gallons of gasoline and two barrels of extra-heavy motor oil each day, furnished by Standard Oil. Company mascots included a chicken, a duck, two dogs and a raccoon."

CRAWFORD COUNTY

Denison