Lost Lincoln Highway alignments

The Lincoln Highway Association map shows us the old route to the best of our knowledge. The Lincoln Highway Association cartographers take great pains to make sure the road is marked correctly. However, due to time, some of the old routes or alignments remain unmapped or “lost.” Monica and I enjoy following the map and trying to find some of these lost alignments so we can update the map as needed.

Map of location.

Following the southern route of the Lincoln Highway, we leave Placerville and head east following the map through Pollock Pines and towards Fresh Pond. Just past Fresh Pond, we see that the route went left and follows what is now known as Dubasary Lane towards the Forest Service Station.

The “C” Monument facing Dubasary Lane. No “C” visible.

Just before the Forest Service Station, we found a "C" monument, which is a state right of way marker used from 1913 to 1933. The whole concrete column measures 6"x6"x42", with only 6" to 18" of the concrete post visible at the surface. These right of way markers would be placed about 50' from the centerline of the highway, with the "C," which stands for California, facing the road. What was interesting about this monument was the "C" was facing away from Dubasary Lane, which was assumed to be the original route of the Lincoln Highway. What this marker was indicating the road was actually on the other side of a metal fence!

What must have happened was in the construction of the present Highway 50 expressway part of the old highway was destroyed, with the now named Dubasary Lane being re-aligned to bring it away from the cliff with the construction of the freeway. This small section of the Lincoln Highway would have been forgotten if it wasn’t for a tell-tale “C” marker facing the “wrong way.”

It was hard to get this photo as the “C” portion of the monument was right against the fence.

The official map of the Lincoln Highway Association will be changed to reflect this discovery. There are more of these "lost alignments" along the old road, especially here in the mountains. Keep your eye's open and the official Lincoln Highway Map nearby, and you might find an old alignment, long forgotten.

Another reason we love to follow the Lincoln Highway is it's your "roadbed to adventure and history." The old road so often follows even older routes, like Johnson's Cut-Off Trail, which has this Trails West "T" marker across the street from the "C" Monument. Quite a bit of history at this location. Check it out next time you're headed uphill on the Lincoln Highway in El Dorado County.

TC Wohlbrück and his Canteen Service Stations

Entering the State of California via the Lincoln Highway meant you had two choices to make in Reno. Take the northern route up and over Donner Pass, or take the southern route pass Lake Tahoe and over the summit at Johnson's Pass. Either option meant a challenging climb, which was brutal for both people and machines. What was needed was a place to rest, body, and engine while picking up supplies to keep both on the road.

PG&E lookout which T.C.. added to create his canteen. Notice the Lincoln Highway sign.

Theodore Clemens Wohlbrück (1879–1936), known as "T.C." Wohlbrück, was a photographer who arrived in California in 1912 from Massachusetts after getting a divorce in Reno. He made his living by traveling around the state in his automobile, taking school class pictures. Wohlbrück noticed how important the car was becoming in everyday life. The motors of that time were a bit unreliable and needed regular oil and water top offs and gasoline to keep moving on the road.

This color postcard shows the view of Bear Valley below the PG&E Lookout at Emigrant Gap. Click photo for larger view.

T.C. was an entrepreneur. He saw a need and decided to address it with a business. His idea was to provide these services and food, trinkets, and rooms for rent. Long before the mini-mart gas stations, we see today T.C. decided to build what he called a "Lookout" and "Canteen Service Station" at Emigrant Gap along the Lincoln Highways northern route. At this time, he had also envisioned another canteen at the Donner Memorial, dedicated in 1918, but that project would come later.

The view is looking west towards the lookout. Eventually, this would become the site of the famous Nyack Lodge.

Pacific Gas & Electric (P.G.&E) had built a small "lookout" at the Emigrant Gap, the historic "gap" in the mountains where the early pioneers had crossed over the spine of mountains and down to Bear Valley. The power company had built the lookout so travelers could stop and take in the fantastic view and watch the construction going on in the distance of the enlarging of Spaulding Dam. However, the lookout site was not occupied and frequently vandalized, so T.C. offered P.G.&E a deal. He would build his first "Canteen" there while maintaining the spot's integrity and preventing further damage. This lookout, completed in 1919, included an additional 100 acres that Wohlbrück had purchased from a man named Allen, to prevent anyone else from opening up a competing business, which he had heard was in the works.

TCs “Echo Summit Lookout” on Johnson Pass Road.

This photo is the view overlooking Tahoe Valley. Sign at right says, “Make your own postcards from the top of the world. Echo Summit, elevation 7890.” Click photo for larger view.

Wohlbrück built his second canteen on the Lincoln Highway's southern route at Echo Summit on Johnson's Pass. This canteen also had spectacular views which could be seen out back on the deck. A spyglass for travelers to take in the scenery was available, and postcards with Wohlbrücks photos of the region were for sale.

Interior view of Echo Summit Canteen, Some of the hand- made furniture by Wohlbrück still exists in the Alpine Club. Click photo for larger view.

The Echo Summit canteen still exists as the Alpine Club Lodgehouse and even includes some of TCs handmade furniture. The color photo shows the lodge as it is today. It still has a Lincoln Highway sign!

Echo Summit Lodge today.

Wohlbrück's third canteen was near the recently completed Donner Pioneer Memorial in Truckee, just east of Donner Lake. Before the park existed, the monument sat by itself with people removing the rocks at the base as souvenirs. Wohlbrück saw an opportunity and leased the land from the Native Sons of the Golden West, who owned the property. He offered to protect the monument while servicing travelers with his canteen service station. Visitors had been removing rocks around the base of the statue, so he put a cap of concrete around it.

The view of the Donner Memorial from the Lincoln Highway. Photo from Donner Summit Historical Society, Norm Sayler collection.

View from porch at Donner Canteen looking toward monument . Click photo for larger view.

Interior of Donner Canteen. Click photo for larger view.

Wohlbrück was an avid collector of memorabilia as well as automobiles. In 1930 he presented his collection to the Horse and Auto Museum in Redwood City. Soon the collection outgrew that space, and he moved it to San Jose in 1936. It never opened to the public. Wohlbrück asked the State of California if they would build a museum to house his priceless collection of horse-drawn vehicles, automobiles, and antiques, but they declined.

Four days before his death on November 28th, 1936, he agreed with the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, to sell them his collection. The collection included 152 carriages, coaches, and wagons, 60 motorcars, including the 1913 Mercedes used by Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany used on the eastern front during World War I, the family carriage of Leyland Stanford, and the hunting wagon of Mark Hopkins.

TC Wohlbrück was a man ahead of his time and an essential part of the history of transportation over the Sierra Nevada.

Although very difficult to locate in this photo, there two Signal gas pumps located in the background that State Parks didn’t realize existed. Located on the highway between the small shrub in center of the photo and the tress to right is a Lincoln Highway concrete marker post.

Thanks to Norm Sayler, of the Donner Summit Historical Society, for keeping the memory of TC alive. It was Norm that said there was a fascinating story to be told, and he was right. Photos are from Norm’s collection.

Finding Historic "C" Markers

California roads before 1896 we mostly built by towns, cities, counties, or in many cases, private individuals or companies. There were no state highways or roads until 1896, when the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road in El Dorado County became the first. It was built by private funds, then run by the county, and finally taken over by the state.

The early state highway "right of way" was often less than accurate, using surveying techniques that relied on trees, buildings, rocks, or other objects to determine the road property boundaries. What was needed was a permanent, uniform marker that would act as a survey point. Enter the California "C" Marker.

Monica by a “C” Marker

These concrete markers, used from 1914 to 1934, would be placed at curves, intersections, and regular intervals along straightaways. The posts are 6" x 6" x 42" long. The top 6 to 8 inches projects above the ground and is what we see today, in most cases. There is also a 3/16"x6" copper wire set at the top to show the exact angle to measure. You can see it in the photo below.

Metal wire at top center of “C” Marker.

You can still see these markers along many old state roads that are today county or city roads. We will find them when following the old Lincoln Highway through El Dorado and Placer Counties. The photo below shows one on Sisley Road in Penryn, which, back before the construction of Highway 40 nearby was the Lincoln Highway. While the Lincoln Highway was a transcontinental route, each state the highway passed through was responsible for that part of the road.

Shown in the photo below in El Dorado County, along the old Lincoln Highway route, at Forni and Highway 49, is this one painted. We could find no evidence that the State of California ever painted the markers. Looks cool, and it's nice to see the homeowner take notice.

Painted “C” Marker, Forni Road and Highway 49.

It's not just the Lincoln Highway with the markers, but many of the old state highways. When we search for lost alignments of the Lincoln Highway or other state highways, coming upon one of these markers helps determine we're on the right track. The photo below shows a beat-up one at the Cronin Ranch at Pedro Hill, the old Highway 49 route through Pilot Hill before the road was re-aligned.

Beat-up “C” Marker at Cronin Ranch, Pedro Hill Road, El Dorado County.

Keep your eyes open for these old markers. Usually placed about 15 feet from the center of the old road, especially near curves in the old road. You never know who might join you in your search for "C" markers.

Along the old Lincoln Highway, Old Frenchtown Road, El Dorado County.

Sam Kyburz house, Clarksville

Pictured above is the old home of Sam Kyburz, located in Clarksville. Kyburz arrived in California from Wisconsin in 1846, just a couple of years before the gold discovery at Coloma. Kyburz was originally from Switzerland, and soon became friends with fellow Swiss emigre, John Sutter of Sutters Fort, in what would later be known as, Sacramento. Sam soon became Sutter’s foreman and may even have told Sutter that Coloma would be a great place to put a sawmill.

Kyburz operated the inn at Sutters Fort during the 1850s but fled to the nearby foothills when the disastrous floods of 1861-62 inundated Sacramento. Sam and his wife Rebecca found work at the White Rock Inn, just east of Clarksville. Either Sutter gave Kyburz 160 acres of land nearby, or he purchased it outright, the facts are not clear.

It was one of Sam’s sons, Albert, who purchased a resort along Silver Fork, east of Placerville. In his family’s honor, he gave the post office the name Kyburz.

The home pictured was built for the family by a Mr. Ball in 1868. This Mr. Ball would later marry their daughter. Samual Kyburz, Sr. was a charter member of the Clarksville Grange, one of the first Native Sons of the Golden West, a Territorial Pioneer’s of ‘49 and ‘50, and a Mason. Samuel Sr. died in 1898, and Rebecca died in 1903. Both Sam and Rebecca are buried in Folsom

10th Annual Clarksville Day’s, May 2, 2020

The annual Clarksville Days will be coming up on Saturday, May 2, 2020. Its an opportunity to visit this historic town, which lies behind locked gates. The Lincoln Highway Association and I will be there, helping to explain and show the famous old road that comes right through this historic town.

This year the focus will be on raising enough funds to repair the rock built Pony Express station that requires shoring up. The Clarksville Historical Society says,” securing the walls will be complicated and expensive, but it is considered one of the iconic remnants of the historic town. Please help us preserve this asset by donating, volunteering, and spreading the word about our efforts to protect what remains. We are seeking $30,000 in fundraising to make this happen! Please donate today.”

On the Lincoln Highway, headed down the Bass Lake Grade, towards Clarksville.

El Dorado Hills, as well as all history enthusiasts, have an opportunity to save and protect this iconic historic community in its back yard. Go here for more information about Clarksville and the Clarksville Days event.

Highway 40 bridge construction, Colfax, 1938

This 1938 photo shows the construction for Highway 40 overpass that crosses the Union Pacific Railroad line, just north of downtown Colfax. In 1963 the State renamed this section Route 174, which took traffic away from the downtown run the Lincoln Highway had made and allowed traffic to skirt the downtown area and proceed more quickly to Grass Valley and beyond.

Map of area.

The above map shows the Lincoln Highway route, in purple, and the site of the Highway 40 bridge. The Quonset huts were a motel made from a series of surplus Quonset huts leftover from WWII. Here is a link to an article about the motel.

Photo: Donner Summit Historical Society, Norm Sayler collection.

The Third Strawberry House

There have been several old buildings called Strawberry House since the construction of the first one in 1859. That was the original building that the Pony Express stopped at, as well as Hank Monk and his stage. That original building burned down in 1867 and was rebuilt, a bit smaller, at the location seen in the photo.

Finding photos of this third Strawberry House is not an easy task. The picture above is courtesy of Laura Bantz and shows the third Strawberry building and some cabins on the right. Today, no sign or monument shows the location of this third building.

This photo helped me to locate the site of this old station on Strawberry Lane, off Highway 50. I believe the small houses that are on that lane today are part of the old resort. You can hike the old Lincoln Highway, Pony Express Route, and Swan-Henry Toll Road from Strawberry at the Lover Leap Campground to the Twin Bridges area and the Slippery Ford Trailhead.

Slippery Ford was a dangerous crossing of the American River over slippery rocks. The trail is the actual road, and it's a fantastic hike if you have never taken it. How automobiles made it is worth ruminating as it's a very steep and rocky path. This path is how you crossed the Sierra and descended to Strawberry before the 1930s and the new expressway.

Looking north on Lincoln Way

The above photo shows Lincoln Way in Auburn, looking north towards High Street. I guessing the date to be the early 1930s. There is a Lincoln Highway “L” on the telephone at left.

Here we see the same scene as the photo above, but a decade or so later. There is more traffic, and there is now a crosswalk with a “Stop for Pedestrians” sign. We can see some of the older cars that might have been in the first photo still tooling around.

Auburn Ski Club at Cisco Grove.

This photo shows the Auburn Ski Club building in Cisco Grove, approximately the 1930s. There is a toboggan last in line, waiting for its owner to return. Another group is milling around the front, and the ubiquitous Coca-Cola sign hangs in the doorway. I cannot see the snow shed over the railroad tracks on the mountainside, so I was wondering if this is facing north? Most photos are from the 1930s.

Now that the formalities have been taken care of, it’s time to ski! We see people skiing “this way and that” in the above photo. I’m not sure if the rope tows or jig-back are available yet, so many of these folks may be “cross-country skiing.”

In the above photo we see the unusual and likely first “ski lift” in California, The “Jig-Back”. It’s all metal and you rode backwards to you wouldn’t be thrown out when it started! It still sits, rusted, near the railroad tracks on the side of the mountain.

This is what amounted to skiing before the “Jig-Back” and tow ropes were installed. You ski jumped from here. Don’t be afraid, it looks farther than it really is.

Here we see a man taking flight from the ski jump at Cisco Grove. It doesn’t look so far from this angle.

The jump from a different angle. This gentleman has figured out how to do it with excellent form.

There were competitions. Here we see a lady receiving a trophy for some event. Everyone seems pleased with the result! Can someone identify the people or events in this photograph?

Photographs from: Placer County Museums and Donner Summit Historical Society, Norm Sayler collection.

Placer Garage, Lincoln Highway, Auburn

Beautiful photograph looking west on High Street and Lincoln Way. We are close to the turn of the century here, as we see hoses and wagons still in use, along with an automobile and motorcycle. Like many of these older photos, the fun is in the details.

At the far left, upper part of the photo, we can see the High School, with a dome, in the background. Built-in 1906, the dome was made of tin and leaked so severely the school removed it 1916. The high school dome is a great way to help date these photos. The Congregational Church is the lower left, end of the street.

Moving to the foreground, we see the ever-present advertisement for Wrigley’s Chewing Gum. This advertisement shows up in other photos of Auburn. I’m interested to know what the connection is between Auburn and Wrigley’s. Three men sit in an automobile in front of the Placer Garage. Their motto? “The shop that merits your trade.” A man holds an “Indian” motorcycle, I assume, as the garage advertises Indian Motorcycles in their window. The carriages further down sit in front of the “Telephone Office.”

Photos from: Placer County Museums.

Strawberry House, there were two locations.

Driving up to Lake Tahoe on Highway 50, the Strawberry Lodge has been greeting visitors since Fred Baumhoff built it in 1939. What about the Strawberry House that greeted earlier travelers along the Swan-Henry Toll Road? Where Mr. Berry built the first Strawberry House has been a mystery to me. Perhaps someone in this group has the answer?

The third Strawberry House built in 1939 next to the present day Highway 50. UC Davis photo, Eastman collection:

The present Highway 50 was built in the mid-1930s, bypassing the old Swan-Henry toll road, which also saw service as the first state highway, The Placerville-Lake Tahoe Wagon Road, then as the Lincoln Highway from 1914 to 1928, and finally an early version of Highway 50. It was along the old road that Irad Berry built the first two incarnations of the Strawberry House, the second after the first burned down. It was along this route that travelers would have to cross the fabled "Slippery-Ford" across the American River at TwinBridges. Once you forded the river, the next stop was the "Slippery Ford House," past Hank Monk Rock, and finally Strawberry House.

The Strawberry Valley House along the Swan-Henry Toll Road.

Where was the first Strawberry House located? Looking at a couple of older pictures, we see the sight appears much closer to "Lovers Leap" than it sits today, which makes sense since the old road passed directly under the famous cliff.

Here is a map showing the new and old roads up to Twin Bridges. The new Highway 50 of the mid-1930s is the blue line, which is the same route we follow today. The red line is the old road, which followed a course next to Lovers Leap.

The following map is a close up in satellite view. As you can see, the old road, red line, emerged onto the area that is present-day Highway 50. The question I have is, did the old way follow the green path down Strawberry Lane, crossing the river further downstream, or did it follow the pink line, crossing the river before the Strawberry House?

Close up of the different roads.

The photograph below shows a series of small cabins that were part of the Strawberry Resort during the Lincoln Highway era. Where were these cabins located along the road?

1920 Mc Carthy Photograph showing the cabins at Strawberry. Photo from: Calif. State Archives.

The photograph below is from 1903, showing a stagecoach leaving Strawberry. Notice how close Lovers Leap is in the background. Where was this located along the old road? Where was the original Strawberry House? The only clues I have are the new 1939 building was built closer to the new highway, at least a few hundred yards west of the original.

1903 photograph shows an open stagecoach with "Lake Tahoe Placerville" printed on the side, men and boy standing in front, barn or stable in background. Photo from: California State Archives