The summer of 2020 has turned out to be vastly different than what I planned for it to be. The full calendar of events that was slated dissolved into sensory memories of summers past and dreams of future travels and events.
Even though I cannot gather with friends or take that summer trip, I can happily Staycation in the Laurel Highlands. Over the years I have visited most of the major attractions in our region, but there are a few that I have not managed to explore. One of those is the Lincoln Highway Experience.
The Lincoln Highway Experience is an attraction that I have always wanted to visit, but still thought that I knew pretty much what to expect. I was wrong. On a rainy day off, I decided that this museum would be a perfect place to spend the afternoon. I was greeted at the door by a friendly staffer, passed the protocols and was given a magic wand for the self-guided tour. As I made my way from room to room through the museum, there was plenty to see.
There were photos that detailed the history of the Lincoln Highway from coast to coast. A 13-minute award-winning video provided a lot of information that I had never heard before – and I have spent my entire life living on the Lincoln Highway. There were fun facts about women’s rights, clothing trends, bicycles and most interesting of all – who the real target audience of the Ford Mustang was supposed to be when it was introduced in 1964 (Hint: it wasn’t young men!!!). There is even a cross-country bicycle ride and a children’s activity room to enhance the visitors experience during unrestricted periods.
The second building of the museum has brought the past to life by assembling a gas station, motel room, motel sign and a full-size diner serving pie and coffee all under one roof. In addition to the pie and coffee, you receive a guide to the Lincoln Highway, a list of all the Decorative Gas Pumps, exhibits, Roadside Giants and Murals along the 200-mile stretch along the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor, and a free postcard (postage is free too if you write and mail it from the museum!).
I highly recommend taking a drive to see how many of the Lincoln Highway attractions you can find. I have personally seen 22 of them. As a Greensburg resident, 6 of these are familiar to me and 3 of them I see every day! When long distance travel is feasible again, take a road trip of the entire Lincoln Highway from New York to San Francisco.
