Lincoln Highway sign dedication in Lathrop, CA

• Saturday, December 8, 2007, 11:30 AM
• Corner of South Harlan Road and Thomsen Street
  Lathrop, CA
  [map]

There will be a dedication ceremony for a new sign commemorating the Lincoln Highway and the Wiggins Trading Post in Lathrop, CA on Saturday, December 8 at 11:30 AM, at the corner of South Harlan Road and Thomsen Street. Refreshments will be provided.

The full program is below.

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Program

Welcome
John Serpa, Member of the Lincoln Highway Association and Sunrise Rotary

Presentation of Colors
Marine Corps League, Modesto Detachment #109

Musical Medley
“America the Beautiful”

Thanks
Gabe Young, cement and engraving of stone monument
Brian Green, Signarama of Tracy

Introduction of Honored Guests
see Honored Guests below

Speakers
John Garamendi, Lieutenant Governor of California
Kristy Sayles, Mayor of Lathrop
Norm Root, President of the California Chapter of the Lincoln Highway Association

Unveiling of Monument
Boy Scouts of America, Troup #425, Lathrop, CA (accompanied by a musical medley)

Presentation of Marine Corps League Certificate of Appreciation for Loyalty and Patriotism
Presented by John Treantos, Commandant, Modesto Detachment #109, to Mr. Dalwinder Dhoot, for flying the American flag continuously 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for 14 years at Joe’s Travel Plaza

Completion of Ceremony
Mr. John Serpa will call for the retirement of colors

Invitation
Mr. Dhoot cordially invites all guests to join the grand opening festivities for the new Best Western hotel

Food and drinks will be provided

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Honored Guests

John Garamendi
Lieutenant Governor of California

Kristy Sayles
Mayor, City of Lathrop

Dalwinder Dhoot
Host

Members of the California Chapter of the Lincoln Highway Association

Stephen Dresser
President, Lathrop Sunrise Rotary

Dolores Delgado
Chief of Police, City of Lathrop

Best Western Representative

Charles Edwards
Boy Scout Troup #425 Leader

Richard Wiggins
Grandson of Francis Wiggins

Mary Kennedy
President, Lathrop Chamber of Commerce

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The Lincoln Highway

In 1913, Carl Fisher, president of the Prest-O-Lite Company, along with several other prominent businessmen, set out to establish a “Coast-to-Coast” road that would connect our great nation. Until this time, there were only fragmented sections of road, connecting small towns to the railroad or to river cities. The new road would not only allow motorists to travel freely across the country, no longer bound to railroad time schedules and destinations, but would also attract residents of the East Coast to the Panama-Pacific Exposition, being held in San Francisco in 1915.

The original route of the Lincoln Highway (1913-1927) traveled from Stockton through Lathrop, on what is now Harlan Road, passing the Wiggins Trading Post on its way to Tracy and eventually Lincoln Park in San Francisco. With the opening of the Carquinez Bridge in 1927, some traffic was diverted onto the Fairfield-Vacaville route (1927 until the Lincoln Highway lost official status in 1928).

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Wiggins Trading Post

Wiggins Trading Post was established on the Lincoln Highway in 1924. Francis Wiggin opened his store to serve the needs of the motoring public traveling through the Central Valley. He provided Gilmore Gasoline, oil, and other motoring necessities. In 1932, he began selling “Indian Head” Gasoline, for which he had a patent. Francis also provided Indian trinkets and souvenirs, a holdover from his early days as a setup man with the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show. His son, Francis Porter Wiggin II, became involved in the business around 1936.

Francis’s grandson Richard operates Wiggins Trading Post in Chilcoot, California on Highway 70. Another grandson was the famous football coach Paul Wiggin, of Stanford and the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Trading Post in Lathrop closed in 1967. Francis Wiggin Sr. passed away in 1950 and his son in 1987.