"As the popularity of automobile travel increased, so did the already growing demand for more car-friendly routes. Entrepreneur Carl Fisher dreamed of building a continuous transcontinental highway, and began promoting the idea in 1912. In 1913, the Lincoln Highway Association was formed and the first section of the highway was completed. By 1919, the "improved" dirt highway connecting Times Square in New York City and Lincoln Park in San Francisco had cut a highly anticipated auto route through nearly 3,400 miles of rugged America.

"Much of the eastern half of the Utah stretch is now a combination of major freeways and highly-traveled roads. But Utah favored the more practical Victory Highway (present I-80) for travel through the western half of the state, and civilization gravitated northward. Thus, like the Pony Express Route, much of the Tooele County stretch of the Lincoln Highway has preserved its historic, middle-of-nowhere uniqueness."

Looking east across Rush Valley from the summit of Johnson's Pass.
(photo by Clint Thomsen)

Old wagon at Orr's Ranch, Skull Valley
(photo by Clint Thomsen)

Closeup of the log cabin at Orr's Ranch, Skull Valley
(photo by Clint Thomsen)

Labels: American West, History, Transcript Bulletin, Trip Reports