Nothing says freedom like the great American road trip, especially when you cruise the historic Lincoln Highway in Iowa. Better known today as Highway 30, the Lincoln Highway revolutionized Iowa and America when the historic route was developed more than a century ago.

“If you’ve ever traveled on an interstate—or any paved road, for that matter—you owe a debt of gratitude to the visionaries who promoted the Lincoln Highway to connect the country,” said Darcy Dougherty Maulsby, a Lake City-area author who recently published the non-fiction book The Lincoln Highway in Iowa—a History with The History Press. “The development of the Lincoln Highway and its legacy today reflects a tremendous story of American innovation, community spirit, freedom, and an unshakable belief in a brighter future.”

Maulsby, known as Iowa’s Storyteller, will bring the stories from her new book to life during her fun, interactive program, “Adventures Along Iowa’s Historic Lincoln Highway—the Ultimate Iowa Road Trip,” which she will present on Thursday, March 20th, at 5:30 p.m. at the Ida Grove Public Library. The program is free and open to the public, and the event will include a book signing.

In 1913, the Lincoln Highway became the first coast-to-coast highway, connecting New York City to San Francisco. It passed right through Iowa, from Clinton to Council Bluffs. As much as 85% of the original highway is still drivable in Iowa, according to the Lincoln Highway Association (LHA).

“I’ve traveled the Lincoln Highway countless times during my 20+ years as an ag journalist,” said Maulsby, who has published six other non-fiction books on Iowa history. “The more I learned about this storied route, the more I knew this history needed to be preserved.”

While it’s hard to imagine now, there were almost no good roads to speak of in the United States, especially in Iowa, as late as 1912. Most roads were just dirt: bumpy and dusty in dry weather, muddy and impassable in wet weather. It was much easier to take the train—or just stay home.

Still, Iowans were restless, especially after Henry Ford introduced the Model T in 1908. As automobile fever spread, an entrepreneur named Carl Fisher took note. His Indianapolis Motor Speedway proved successful, especially after he paved it with brick. By 1912, Fisher dreamed of another grand idea: a highway spanning the continent.

It was a long, hard journey to make this dream a reality, but by Oct. 31, 1913, the LHA dedicated the route of the Lincoln Highway.

“I’m convinced no state today can compare to Iowa when it comes to getting a sense of what it might have been like for earlier generations of motorists on the Lincoln Highway,” Maulsby said. “We can check into some of the same places travelers did decades ago, like the Lincoln Hotel in Lowden. We can eat in the same restaurants, like the Lincoln Café in Belle Plaine, Taylor’s Maid-Rite in Marshalltown, or the Pink Poodle Steakhouse in Crescent.”

Curious about the story behind the mysterious Moss markers north of Scranton? Do you know what supper club near the Lincoln Highway served gangsters like John Dillinger and Al Capone—and you can still eat there today? Wondering why an old grain elevator in Woodbine showcases a massive art installation? You’ll pass the test with flying colors—and impress your friends—when you delve into Iowa’s amazing Lincoln Highway history.

“There are countless pieces of the past just waiting to be re-discovered along the Lincoln Highway in Iowa,” Maulsby said. “Along the way, you can still find inspiring stories of dynamic entrepreneurs, people who care about their community, and rural revitalization, mixed with historic preservation, along the Lincoln Highway. This is the ultimate Iowa road trip, especially if you want to experience the real America.”

Signed copies of the 208-page, illustrated book The Lincoln Highway in Iowa—a History will be available during the event, along with Maulsby’s other non-fiction, illustrated Iowa history books (including A Culinary History of Iowa; Iowa Agriculture: A History of Farming, Family, and Food; Calhoun County; Dallas County; Classic Restaurants of Des Moines; and Madison County).

For more details, contact the Ida Grove Public Library at (712) 364-2306 or Maulsby at [email protected]. You can also visit Maulsby online at www.darcymaulsby.com.