1913day.year
Dedication of the Lincoln Highway, the first automobile highway across United States.
On October 31, 1913, the Lincoln Highway, the first transcontinental automobile highway in the United States, was officially dedicated, marking a milestone in American transportation.
The Lincoln Highway was dedicated in Detroit, Michigan, with ceremonies celebrating what would become the first automobile route to span the United States from coast to coast. Spearheaded by Indiana entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher and backed by civic leaders, the project aimed to improve road conditions for the growing number of motorists. The highway connected Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco via a network of existing roads and newly constructed stretches. Over its 3,389-mile length, the route passed through 13 states, promoting tourism and economic development along its corridor. The dedication ceremonies featured speeches, parades of early automobiles, and the unveiling of commemorative markers. The Lincoln Highway set the standard for future road building and is often remembered as the forerunner of the U.S. Numbered Highway System. Its creation helped transform American culture by making cross-country travel accessible to ordinary citizens.
1913
Lincoln Highway