Day 9: June 27, 2013
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A train passed by just as I approached this refreshment stop manned by Indiana LHA members.

I'm now traveling solo as John remained in South Bend where his wife will meet him later today. They'll drive back to Wilmington, Ohio, tomorrow.


The major morning stop was at the John Wood Mill. The brick mill was constructed in 1876 to replace a wooden one built in 1838. Some renovations are currently in progress but the mill is otherwise operational. The building is also something of a museum. Today a table filled with homemade goodies made it something of a restaurant as well.

The Joliet Area Historical Museum was today's lunch stop. LHA President Kay Shelton, who we last saw in New Jersey waiting for a limo, is joining to tour here and introduced the dedication a new Lincoln Highway display. The dedication was handled by museum employees.

Mooseheart Child City is also celebrating its 100th birthday this year but that's not its only connection with the Lincoln Highway. In 1914, it oversaw and financed the paving of two miles of the highway in front of the property.

I connected with Don Hatch in DeKalb and he showed me a bit of his alma mater, Northern Illinois University. The castle-like building is Altgeld Hall which was completed in 1899 and is the oldest building on campus.

In Joliet, I learned that Mike Curtis had plans to meet a mutual friend in Galena. A group meeting at Fatty's Pub & Grill was coordinated with a few phone calls. That's Cort Stevens, Sharon Stover, Mike Curtis, and Don Hatch at the table. Cajun Fried Potato Salad, one of the reasons Don picked this place, sits on the table. The salad is really good and, although some samples had been taken before I got a picture, its healthful qualities should be apparent here.

Cort and Mike connected through their attraction of big Chevys and a picture of Cort's 1989 Caprice Classic next to Mike's 1972 Monte Carlo was arranged. They even let my off brand vehicle join in.


Tonight's dinner was several miles beyond the motel on the far side of Franklin Grove. The tour is generally following the 1913 Lincoln Highway alignment but there are exceptions. This unpaved section is one. It is not on the tour route but I drove it (partly by accident) on the way to dinner.

Dinner was Hobo Stew prepared in bulk. I didn't try it myself but it got plenty of favorable reviews. The car in the last picture isn't part of the tour but was parked at the dinner site. A friend who follows this journal is a big Hudson fan who has been disappointed in the lack of his favorites here. I'm sure it's somewhat due to the mark's own national gathering in California next month.

I stopped by LHA headquarters to say hi to Lynn Asp who was hard at work behind the counter.

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