The Lincoln Highway was the first transcontinental highway to be built in the United States, and one of the first highways designed specifically for automobiles. Established in 1913 as a national monument to Abraham Lincoln, the highway symbolized an important step in industrialization and development in America.
Construction of the Lincoln Highway revolutionized America’s concept of interstate transportation. Until just the previous year, railroads were the primary mode of transportation across states, and roads were used mainly for local purposes. Its creator, Carl G. Fisher, said his goal for the project was to "stimulate as nothing else could the building of enduring highways everywhere that will not only be a credit to the American people but that will also mean much to American agriculture and American commerce."
At its peak, the highway stretched nearly 3400 miles, connecting Lincoln Park in San Francisco to Times Square in New York City at its west-most and east-most ends. While the original route still exists, much of the Lincoln Highway has been replaced with official numbered designations such as the Interstate 80 freeway.
