Introduction to the 2022 Eastern Third Tour
by Jim Cassler
Fasten your seat belt and let’s go! The tour will begin the evening of Saturday, June 11 when we meet in suburban New York City to greet old friends, meet new ones, and prepare for the adventure that will commence the next morning. Bright and early Sunday will be a whistle-stop visit to Times Square, then it’s off to Jersey, with the day’s destination being Philadelphia. We’ll spend two nights there, allowing plenty of opportunity to visit the multitude of attractions the area has to offer during the day on Monday – all on your own at your own pace. As usual, we’ll gather as a group each evening for dinner, where we can share our personal experiences of the day.
Tuesday we leave Philly for a leisurely trip through Pennsylvania Dutch country. Presidential history buffs can tour the home of President James Buchanan in Lancaster. Others can spend the day visiting the many Amish destinations the area has to offer. The day will conclude in historic Gettysburg, where we’ll have another two-night layover.
Wednesday will be your day to experience what Gettysburg has to offer, in whatever way you like. Gettysburg National Battlefield Park is the most visited park of its kind in America. A variety of attractions await you, where you can learn about nearly all facets of the Civil War, life during the mid-1800s, and of course, President Lincoln – our road’s namesake.
Another day on the road awaits you on Thursday. This will be our longest day when we to travel to Pittsburgh. The Lincoln Highway winds through the mountains of southwestern Pennsylvania, with its many picturesque hilltop vistas, and small hamlets in between. Tourers will have the opportunity to visit the Flight 93 National Memorial, which traces the events of September 11, 2001, and honors those who perished on that tragic day. In Ligonier, the Lincoln Highway Experience is a museum you’ll sure to enjoy, especially if you indulge in a slice of their fresh pie at the steel trolley diner within.
Friday we’ll head further west, with the tour taking a new turn onto the 1928 route to Ohio – a route none of the previous tours have traveled. This route includes the six-mile stretch through the tip of the northern panhandle of West Virginia, before crossing the mighty Ohio River into East Liverpool. This area, once the ceramics capital of the United States, boasts its Ceramics Museum and the Laughlin China Factory Store, home of Fiestaware dishes. Leaving East Liverpool, you will experience some original brick sections of the Lincoln on Baywood and Cindell Streets before arriving in the Canton area for the night.
Saturday will be spent traveling across Ohio, leaving the rolling hills of the eastern part of the state for the flat lands in the west. The tour will leave the mainstream Lincoln Highway to venture down the Harding Route, a short-lived section of the Lincoln which runs through Marion, Kenton and Lima, where it joins back with the familiar route. In Marion, we’ll visit the home and newly constructed Presidential Center of Warren G. Harding – our 29th President, for whom this section of road was named.
The last full day on the road will be Sunday, June 19. The tour will exit Ohio for Indiana. Once in Ft. Wayne, we’ll get back on the 1928 route, which follows the current Route 30 corridor. Like many of the stretches in West Virginia and Ohio, this part of Indiana has never been included on any of our previous tours. The tour group will enjoy its closing banquet Sunday evening to celebrate our adventure, reminisce a bit, and bid adieu those who will be leaving us the next day.
Monday’s travels will take us through Dyer, Indiana, where we will experience the Ideal Section, and visit the Ostermann Memorial Bench, before crossing into Illinois – site of the 2022 Lincoln Highway Conference. At this point, you’ll have the option to remain in Joliet for the Conference, or head on down the road to your next destination – whatever that may be!
If you are interested in participating in the Eastern Third Auto Tour, and have never been on one of our tours before, there is much you need to know! The tour is designed for you to travel in your own vehicle – whatever that vehicle might be. We travel at a leisurely pace so that you have time to see and do things that interest you along the way. Part of the mystique of our tours is what people drive. Antique and collector cars are always a favorite. Motorcycles and motorhomes are frequently used. It’s up to you!
Each vehicle will be provided with turn-by-turn directions to guide you along the route. Along the route each day will be planned stops at museums and attractions, usually a lunch, and always a dinner meal. We also arrange for a motel for lodging as a group each night, and breakfast is included with your lodging. The tour staff will be along to handle all the details and arrangements, and provide limited support in case of problems along the way.
The tour fee includes your directions, admission to planned stops at museums and attractions, scheduled meals and gratuities, identifying signage for on your vehicle, and staff support. You are responsible for your vehicle and fuel costs, lodging costs, and expenses at places you visit on your own or during layover days. Tourers may join us for as few as two days, the entire nine days on the road, or any amount in between.
Deadline for registration is April 30, 2022, and no refunds will be honored after May 15, 2022.