The Lincoln Highway, the Road, and the School

The route of the Lincoln Highway through New Lenox Township follows an old Indian trail. That Indian trail became a stagecoach route in the 1840s and later a road for horses and wagons and even later automobiles and trucks. Finally, this same route became a part of the national highway, the Lincoln Highway, the first coast to coast road in the U.S.

When the high school district of the townships of Frankfort, Manhattan and New Lenox was formed in the 1950s, a contest was held to name the new high school which was to be built along the Lincoln Highway. The name Lincoln-Way was chosen. Lincoln-Way Community High School as opened in 1954. Its name was changed to Lincoln-Way Central High School when other Lincoln-Way high schools were built...East, North, and West.

The Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition has erected gazebos along the route of the highway through Illinois. These gazebos have plaques which describe the role of the highway in United States history, Illinois history and local history. New Lenox is privileged to have a gazebo at Lincoln-Way Central High School. This gazebo is highly visible from the Lincoln Highway and available to the public. A special feature on this site is an original Lincoln Highway marker. The markers were placed along the highway by Boy Scouts in 1928. The website of the Coalition has more information. www.drivelincolnhighway.com

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