Folsom, a Lincoln Highway Community
Earlier this year, I was contacted by the Historic District of the City of Folsom. They were interested in how to promote the Lincoln Highway through their area. After meeting with the Public Works Department, Folsom History Museum, and the Historic Folsom District, we agreed that the City would make and sign their section of the highway with our historic Lincoln Highway signs.
Historic Lincoln Highway sign being installed in the City of Tracy.
The Lincoln Highway was America’s first transcontinental highway for automobiles, conceived in 1913. Cities that found themselves on the new highway would reap the benefits of the increased traffic. To be a “Lincoln Highway community’ meant endless possibilities for commerce as the turn of the century “autoists” took to the freedom of the open road.
The photo above shows the Folsom Sacramento stage in front of the Folsom Stage Company. It looks like a John Wayne look-alike is the driver.
Folsom, having been on the old emigrant and wagon roads, found itself hosting this new concept, a transcontinental highway that went from Times Square in New York all the way to the Place of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco. Folsom soon built a new bridge, the Rainbow Bridge, across the American River. This bridge was to help with the transport of agricultural goods to the Transcontinental Railroad in neighboring Placer County.
Inmates from Folsom Prison helped in the construction of the highway in the Folsom area. Above is a “chain-gang” under supervision building the road.
The Folsom Museum holds a rare 1928 Lincoln Highway concrete post donated to the City by the California Chapter of the Lincoln Highway Association. Working with the museum, the historic post would hopefully be included in a permanent display inside the museum.
Rare original 1928 Lincoln Highway concrete marker at the Folsom Bridges event.
Along the original 1913 Lincoln Highway route through Folsom, our historic metal signs will guide the motorist along the old highway. Every day when people travel along these roads, they will be reminded of the historic nature of the route they are traveling on. The signs will pass through Folsom's historic district, attracting highway enthusiasts into that section of the community. It’s a great way to help boost historic district merchants who can celebrate the city's designation as a “Lincoln Highway Community.”