1932 Home Oil Gas Station which sits along the 1931-1963 route of the Lincoln Highway. It has been renovated and is now home to the State Center Police. © Jan Gammon

The Lincoln Highway Association met on January 10, 2015 at the Community Hall in State Center.  With some funding from LHA, an intern from ISU, Paul Ehrsam, has been hired at Prairie Rivers of Iowa to help with the LHA website and other projects. He was introduced to the group as well as Jan Gammon, the new Iowa Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway Coordinator, who is also housed at Prairie Rivers of Iowa. She was elected as the secretary for the ILHA.

The ILHA will support the Tama-Toledo Bridge Park project and help with the application for the National Lincoln Highway Association grant for bridge repairs and improvements to the park.

In June, the 2015 National Conference will be held in Ann Arbor, MI. Joyce Ausberger encouraged everyone to attend and will look into transportation by bus. The 2016 Conference is tentatively set for New Jersey and the 2017 in Denison, Iowa.  The conference center at the Boulders reserved and more information will follow in the coming months.

The Auto tour will be Aug 21, 22, 23 and is $30 for an Iowa or National member or $40 for a non-member (will include a 1 year membership).

The City of Marion is interested in working with ILHA on their railroad bridge/bike path project. Jeff Benson and John Mazzzello will talk to them about adding Lincoln Highway information into their plans.

Transportation Day will be January 27th at the State Capitol and the 10 cent gas tax will be the main topic discussed. It is a good time for groups to talk to legislators on transportation issues. Everyone is encouraged to attend. The State Byways, including the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway, will have a booth in the Capitol rotunda.

The Corridor Management Plan is coming along nicely for the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway. Two public meetings are planned in February for State Center/Colo and Jefferson/Scranton/Grand Junction.

Attending the January meeting were President and Crawford County Consul- Deb Rothmeyer, Secretary- Jan Gammon, Treasurer and Greene County Consul- Joyce Ausberger, Cedar County Consul- Joe Goodlove, Linn County Consul- Van Becker, Benton County Consul-Mike Kelly, Tama County Consul-Allan Richards, Marshall County Consul-Harlan Quick, Story County Consul- Scott Berka, Boone County Consul-John Fitzsimmons, Pottawattamie County Consul- Nancy Needham, State Director- Dean Parr. Others in attendance were Bob Ausberger, Jeannie Parr, Bev Becker, Marcia Quick, Bryan Osberg, Caron Osberg, Jeff Benson, Penny Brown Huber, Paul Ehrsam, Everett Halsted, Lyell Henry, Sandra Huemann-Kelly, and Afan Pasalic.

After the meeting, the group toured the renovated 1895 Benson Building to be used by NuCara Pharmacy and the 1932 Home Oil Gas Station that is now home to State Center’s Police Department.