• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

An American Songline

Journeys in Vintage Music with Cecelia Otto

  • About
    • An American Songline
    • Cece’s Story
    • Accolades & Press
  • The Programs
    • Liberty’s Song: America at 250
    • Good Roads, Great Songs — Music Along America’s Highways
    • Prohibition
    • Centennial of Suffrage
    • The History of Early American Song
    • A Musical Journey Along the Lincoln Highway
    • The Songs of World War I
    • Video
    • FAQ
  • Shows
    • Current Tour & Show Dates
    • Book Cece
    • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Store
  • Contact
    • Get Updates
    • Press Kit
    • Get Crowdfunding Support

Blog

The American Songline CD is now available – get your copy today!

March 25, 2015 by Cece

Lincoln Highway, Journey, Music

Hello, hello American Songline fans everywhere! I realize I have been quiet for some time, but I have been hard at work in the studio with the CD and book commemorating my 2013 journey in my new home state of Oregon. But that hard work has now all paid off…

The American Songline CD is now available for purchase!!

This amazing cover art was designed by John H. Clark, an artist who specializes in creating vintage artwork for the National Parks in Utah (http://scenichwys.com/). We not only wanted this to look like a piece of vintage sheet music, but it also incorporates historic buildings along the Lincoln Highway as well.

For those of you who are new to this project, here are a few notes about the album:

From the 1880s to the 1930s, when most towns had a theater and live music was a staple of weekly entertainment, people across America gathered to enjoy the sounds of vaudeville: popular favorites, operetta and folk songs that reflect the hopes and dreams of a simpler time. In An American Songline: A Musical Journey Along the Lincoln Highway, vocalist and composer Cecelia “Cece” Otto reaches back to the heyday of vaudeville to recreate the music that entertained Americans from coast to coast, singing songs of love and longing that have lost none of their power to enchant listeners of all ages.

In 2013, she underwent a history-making journey along the Lincoln Highway, America’s first coast-to-coast highway, giving concerts of vintage American songs in every state along the route. An American Songline features many of the songs Cece performed at these concerts, including timeless favorites such as “Second Hand Rose,” “Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life,” “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows” and “Goin’ Home.” In addition, composer Nolan Stolz (The Lincoln Highway Suite) composed two works especially for this project, which appear exclusively on this album. Lastly, Cece wrote several new songs inspired directly by her travels, including the elegiac and inspirational “Land of Lincoln.”

The Lincoln Highway celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2013, and Cece marked this milestone by journeying more than 5,000 miles along the road, starting at the highway’s eastern terminus in Times Square and ending in Lincoln Park, San Francisco. Over the course of nearly six months on the road, she performed more than 30 shows in venues ranging from a nineteenth-century opera house to the grounds of a historic farm. An American Songline is an audio souvenir of this journey, reflecting the songs audiences loved along with insights — and humor — picked up from traveling far from the interstates most Americans rely on to cross the country.

“From the beginning, American Songline was going to be an album, as well as a series of concerts,” says Cece. “I wanted to leave a record of my journey for people who weren’t able to see a concert. I truly believe that history lives in our music, not just our history books, and I hope anyone interested in this era gives this album a try and enjoys it.”

BUT WAIT! There’s more to come  – a book chronicling my journey will be released in May, and I’ll be out on the road touring again this summer! Definitely subscribe to my newsletter below or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or YouTube so you don’t miss a thing. Hope to see you on the road!

[yks-mailchimp-list id=”7ba30b6e0a” submit_text=”Submit”]

Filed Under: Lincoln Highway, Music Tagged With: American Songline, CD, Cece Otto, Cecelia Otto, Female Singer, John Clark, Journey, Lincoln Highway, Music, Operetta, Secondhand Rose, Singing, Vaudeville, vintage

One Year Ago Today…

April 13, 2014 by Cece

IMG_1446

One year ago, a journey started with a concert in New York City. The cabaret room and crowd were small on this April afternoon, but they knew they were witnessing something that had never happened before – a birth of a historic singing travelogue that would months later finally make its way across the country.

My mind today is still reeling from the fact that I was able to accomplish this. I can tell you that the woman standing on a stage in New York City one year ago was both nervous and excited for what would be coming.  While I sang that first concert in New York, so many thoughts raced through my head, including:

1) “Holy crap, I’m performing this first show, and that show is in New York City!!”

2) “What will everyone think of these songs?” (Answer: They were very well-received. In NYC, “Second Hand Rose” and “Nobody Makes a Pass at Me” were the crowd favorites.)

3) “There’s still no accompanist for my performance in Indiana … there HAS to be someone in South Bend who can play it.” (Answer: There was someone, and he was confirmed less than two weeks before the show.)

4) “I hope this car holds out!” (Answer: It had to make a couple trips to a mechanic for various things along the way, but all in all I made it all the way across the country without getting into any major car wrecks.)

5) “Will I get sick of singing these songs?” (Answer: Nope. Not once.)

There were physical, emotional, spiritual, and literal “bumps in the road” along the way, but I knew I had to keep going. I had to see what was around the next corner, what was in the next town, what was in the next state. But doing this project wasn’t about what I saw, it was something more.

It was what I felt. Sure, there are some easy ways to tell visually if you’re on the various Lincoln Alignments (street names, telephone poles, and architecture always help give clues), but it was how the road felt as you are driving it. Within a few weeks of my tour, I could tell when I wasn’t on the Lincoln anymore by how it felt. It sounds weird, but it’s true.

The Lincoln Highway is a road, but it’s also a state of mind. What is that state of mind? Here’s hoping I can convey to you what that state of mind means to me in my upcoming book.

Thank you all for your support these last 365 days, and I can’t wait to share what lies ahead!

DSCN5030

 

Filed Under: Life in General, Lincoln Highway, Odds and Ends Tagged With: Anniversary, Concert, Lincoln Highway, New York City, One Year Later, Performing, Singing Travelogue

Wonderful Wyoming Part One: Eastern Highlights

January 24, 2014 by Cece

And now back to our regular travelogue posts…

While the weather outside is cold in a lot of places, I thought it would be fun to hearken back to warmer days of August.

After a break from the road in Colorado, I was eager to get back on the road and finish the tour. I had 3 performances in Wyoming (Laramie, Rock Springs, and Evanston), and they all proved to be amazing on so many levels.

Driving the route in Wyoming proved to be pretty fascinating as well. Similar to what Michael Grass noted in this post, I found sections of Wyoming not on the interstate to be more isolated than what I noticed driving in Nevada (so much for it being America’s “Loneliest Highway”). With Nebraska and Colorado, you know that you’ll run into towns/populations of people regularly along the route. In Wyoming, this all changes. You’re checking your gas tank with every town you drive through to make sure you might have enough, especially if you’re thinking of off-roading it. The sky and the road would blur together at times (especially in the Medicine Bow Loop), and there were times that I thought I was driving into the sky itself.

Here’s 10 favorite memories of Eastern Wyoming:

1) I spent most of my time in Laramie, and I have to say the people were so warm and lovely. My dear friend Jen was an instrumental person to this part of the tour, and I wish there were more people like her in the world. It was wonderful to have the chance to sing with her again, and I hope that if you are in Laramie you’ll get the chance to hear her sing.

2) The bullet holes in bar mirrors at the Buckhorn Bar.

3) Driving my first section of real interstate on this tour again (parts of the Lincoln are directly under I-80), and really feeling weird about it.

4) My interview on Wyoming Public Radio was a blast!

5) The Medicine Bow loop. Everything about this stretch of the road is remarkable. You will definitely get a taste of what it was like to drive the Lincoln 100 years ago in this part of the route.

6) The abandoned gas station at the Nebraska/Wyoming State Line (you can see a photo of it in my Western Nebraska Post).

7) That part of the Lincoln Highway is called “Otto Road”! It’s just west of Cheyenne.

8) Standing at Sherman Summit on the original route – the view was breathtaking.

9) Stopping at the Fossil Cabin and listening to the wind rumble across the land. The cabin is awesome, and again the view is quite beautiful.

10) I was granted permission to wander around the Virginian Hotel to check out and photograph the rooms freely. There weren’t many people around, so it truly felt liked I stepped back in time.

There’s plenty more I could list, but this should hopefully give you some highlights to look forward to when driving this stretch of the road. Now onto the photos!

Just outside of Cheyenne, the 1913 Lincoln Highway turns into what is now called “Otto Road”. I of course had to pose by the sign.
Here’s the famous Tree Rock, which is smack in the middle of I-80. Definitely a good stop along the route for you to stretch your legs.
The Ames Monument was built in 1882 by the Union Pacific Railroad. That black dot in the middle of the mounment is me standing at full height (I’m 5’10”).
From my list above, here’s the view of from Sherman Summit, the highest point on the Lincoln Highway. You can see the Lincoln Statue in the distance.
This Memorial to Henry Joy (one of the founders of the Lincoln Highway) was originally placed West of Rawlins at his favorite campsite. Due to vandalism, this monument was moved to Sherman Summit.
Here’s the famous Lincoln statue up close, with an LH marker in the foreground.
You read this right! Buford, WY is the smallest town not only along the Lincoln Highway, but in the nation as well.
Taking in the sights of Laramie, here’s a great old sign along the route.
Another sign not too far from the highway, which has seen better days.
This is St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Laramie, the highest Cathedral in North America. I am honored to say that I performed my concert here, and it was one of the best shows I did along the route.
More views of downtown Laramie.
Me at the the Buckhorn Bar in Laramie. If you look really closely in the reflection you’ll see a couple bullet holes in the mirror from an angry husband back in the early 70’s.
Dinosaur Fossil Cabin Sign.
The Dinosaur Fossil Cabin was built in 1933, and is referred to as the World’s “Oldest” Cabin.
Close up picture of the fossils.
With the fossil cabin at my back, this is the view of the area around it. I can still hear the wind.
The Virginian Hotel became famous after Owen Wister wrote his novel “The Virginian” in 1902.
Front door of the hotel.
I think this sign speaks for itself…
Hallway in the Virginian Hotel, preserved beautifully.
This is the Owen Wister suite, where “The Virginian” was written.
Love this old hotel buzzer. Remember, there’s no phones in these rooms, that’s how old they are!
The road met the sky here many times. It was lonely at points, but so beautiful.

Western Wyoming is up next, so until then stay warm and enjoy your weekend!

Filed Under: Community, Driving, Grassroots, Lincoln Highway, Nevada, Venue, Wyoming Tagged With: Fossil Cabin, Friends, Laramie, Medicine Bow, My Lincoln Highway, Otto Road, Sherman Summit, St. Matthew's Cathedral, The Virginian Hotel, Wyoming, Wyoming Public Radio

Gifts and Things Found Along the Lincoln Highway

December 23, 2013 by Cece

Happy Holidays Everyone!

The nomad in me never stops moving, hence my silence on this blog. After I finished the tour this fall, my husband and I took the plunge and moved 2,000 miles from Chicago to Portland, Oregon where we’ve both never lived before! We’ve been here now for a few weeks, and are spending the holidays here on the West Coast. So far my time has been great here, and I look forward to exploring the area more very soon.

But enough about non-Lincoln Highway things! I know many of you out there have been enjoying and celebrating your holiday season amidst the hustle and bustle that comes along with it.  I wanted to stop and take stock of the many gifts blessings I’ve received from people along the road this year, and I wanted to share these roadside finds with you all. Below you’ll find some really neat and unique items that were given to me as well as things I found along the way. You’ll also see a plethora of t-shirts in this collection as well from across the country (when you live on the road and laundry is scarce, new t-shirts are pretty much a necessity).

Without sounding too hokey, the biggest gift of all is nothing pictured in this gallery. It will always be the new friends I made while on my journey; they now have become “old” friends to me in such a short time. They are the true legacy of the Lincoln Highway, and I feel honored to know them. You will hear more about these extraordinary people in future blog posts as well as my book about my travels. So stay tuned-this is only the beginning!

Old Lincoln Highway Sign from Iowa. It was a gifted to me by someone from the Iowa LHA Chapter. These signs hung on the original route until they were replaced by Iowa’s Heritage Byway signs a few years ago.
Being the musician I am, CD’s were a welcome gift and soundtrack for my travels. Some CD’s were given to me by complete strangers, others by longtime friends. Everything from Classical to Country Music is included in this collection.
From left to right: 1) Hand-created Lincoln Highway Miniature Marker 2) Snowflake Christmas Ornament created with salt from the Great Salt Lake 3) Piece of Petrified Wood found at Middlegate Station in Nevada 4) Ornament from Rock Springs Historical Museum 4) Root Beer Growler from Gottenburg Brewery, Columbus Nebraska 6) Tote bag from Grantsville, Utah
Detail of Handmade Lincoln Highway Marker made by Bob Owens (Jefferson, Iowa). He told me that he puts 6 coats of sand on each marker to create the desired effect.
Detail of Rock Springs Historical Museum Ornament, Rock Springs, Wyoming
Detail of Snowflake Ornament, Grantsville, Utah
Handmade Pin on antique hankerchief, made by Janet Von Toussiant of the Livermore Heritage Guild in California.
There were several books presented to me on my travels. From Art Deco Paper Dolls to the Book of Mormon, all of the books play a part in the story of the Lincoln Highway.
The two books in the back were both written by my friend and Lincoln Highway guru Brian Butko. Both were published this year to commemorate the highway’s centennial. In the front you can see some fun sheet music from the 1910’s and 20’s that was given to me by people along the way too. I just love those old song titles!
I think the t-shirt speaks for itself…
You’ll find this old-time country store along the Lincoln in between Bedford and Pittsburgh. Definitely stop and take the time to walk around the store, you never know what you will find there!
I absolutely love the mission of the Music Village, and if you are in/near the South Bend area please check them out! They are doing great things for the community along the Lincoln Highway.
When I was staying in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, this t-shirt was given to me as a great surprise from my host! I guess the road warrior in me was already shining through. :-)
About 30 miles outside of Cedar Rapids, IA, you’ll find the Youngville Gas Station and restaurant. Entirely run by volunteers, this place is a lovely stop along the Lincoln Highway.
Thanks to Bob and Joyce Ausberger not only for giving this t-shirt to me, but for inviting me to perform in Jefferson, IA for their huge Bell Tower Festival.
Neat t-shirt find in Colorado.
This wonderful shirt was a gift from the Music Director at St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Laramie, Wyoming.
One of the most unique performances on my tour was to be part of the annual Rockport Dam Jam. I got to learn new music for this concert, and the players were an absolute delight to perform with.
T-shirt of the Eureka Opera House. If you are in this part Nevada, please do yourself a favor and spend the afternoon (or night) here.
Middlegate Station in Nevada is a fanstastic place to stop, walk around, and get a bite to eat.
One of my favorite finds at the Nevada Historical Society’s gift shop: A t-shirt showing all of the hobo signs and symbols.

Until then, may the rest of 2013 be merry for you all! –Cece

Filed Under: Life in General, Lincoln Highway, Music, Odds and Ends Tagged With: Books, Brian Butko, Gifts, Great Salt Lake, Handmade gifts, Indiana, Iowa, Lincoln Highway, Nevada, Ornaments, Pennsylvania, Roadside finds, Sheet Music, T-Shirts, Unique Finds, Utah, vintage

The Tour is Officially Complete, Plus I Have a Special Announcement!

September 3, 2013 by Cece

I am pleased to announce that as of September 1st, my historic American Songline tour along the Lincoln Highway is officially complete! In almost six months of touring, I performed 30 shows (plus some impromptu ones) in various venues along the Lincoln Highway. My car is full of things collected along the highway, and my mind is overflowing with so many memories of this time on the road. The next steps of writing the book and music for the album are starting to take form, so watch this blog for more posts and announcements this year!

A few people have asked me how I feel about reaching this accomplishment, and I have to admit it’s pretty bittersweet. While I’m relieved that I get to see my husband and cat again (I’ve missed them both so much) as well also being relieved that I don’t have to juggle so many balls in the air anymore, I also will miss being on the road. There’s been so many amazing people and places I’ve seen, I wish I could take it all with me.

I mentioned in Social Media posts over the weekend that I had a special announcement for all of the folks who attended the Livermore, California concert on Saturday. Now I’m sharing this announcement with all of you (see full text below after the picture):

SFO Proclamation

***********************************************************

Dated September 3rd, 2013 (Today, the first business day after the tour) from The City and County of San Francisco

Certificate of Honor Presented To Cecelia Otto

“Whereas, on behalf of the City and County of San Francisco, I am pleased to recognize and honor Cecelia Otto for her recent cross-country journey to commemorate the Lincoln Highway’s Centennial. When the Lincoln Highway was built in 1913, linking the east and west coasts, it served as a lifeline of commerce and culture in the communities through which it passed. Your musical journey along the Lincoln Highway, An American Songline, has brought this tradition back to life and brought joy to many across the country. Congratulations on the success of An American Songline and best of luck in all of your future endeavors!

Therefore, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City and County of San Francisco to be affixed.

(Signature) Edwin M. Lee, Mayor”

************************************************

I have to admit, I was pretty surprised and floored by this document. While my behind-the-scenes PR man Dan reached out to them, we didn’t know if the Mayor’s office would actually issue the proclamation until literally the day before the concert. It honestly didn’t hit me that this tour was going to be over until the moment I had this paper in hand and was reading it out loud to myself. I still stare at it now, and can’t believe this all has happened.

The next stage of this project officially starts now, and I want to thank all of you who have been along for the ride. I’m looking forward to sharing my stories of the road in song and in words, and I hope to see you all again very soon!

Filed Under: California, Life in General, Lincoln Highway Tagged With: California, Journey, Mayor, Next Steps, Proclamation, San Francisco, Tour

Writer’s Block or Writer’s Overload?

August 26, 2013 by Cece

Greetings from my last day in Reno, Nevada, and the final Monday of this tour! Yup, that’s right folks, my singing travelogue will officially (and unofficially-more on that later) be done on Labor Day weekend. I’m pretty much in shock that I’m a stone’s throw away from California right now.

It’s been a wonderful but crazy last few weeks of touring, and I know I’m couple states behind right now. You’re probably wondering what’s happening. Did she get lost or have no internet access? (Both were true.) Did she have computer problems? (Yes.) Did she just give up on writing? (Heck NO!)

Here’s why: I have writer’s block. Knock down drag out writer’s block, but not for the reasons you think. I’m currently working on the state of Wyoming (I had three performances there in early August), and the truth is that I’m not “blocked”, I’m actually on “overload”. I have SO much to say about my time in Wyoming, It’s extremely difficult to decide what’s best for the blog, what’s best for the book, and what’s best to talk to me about over a beer.

As this tour is coming to a close, I’ve felt some of the sensory overload start to melt away so that I can get something out to you all soon. Expect blog posts on all of the remaining states along the route that I haven’t written about yet, they just might come after I’m off the road.

Thanks you again for being along for the ride, it means a lot to me. Know that no matter what happens, I’m excited for the final performance in Livermore, (and maybe even an informal/”unofficial” performance in a surprise place, watch the calendar) as well as I’m also excited for what will happen post-tour for this project. This is all just the beginning!

Filed Under: California, Driving, Grassroots, History, Life in General, Lincoln Highway, Music, Nevada Tagged With: California, Livermore, Nevada, Overload, San Francsico, Singing, The Road Ahead, travel, Writer's Block

The Colorado Loop

August 13, 2013 by Cece

Towns don't really exist in this part of Colorado, but ranches and businesses do.
Towns don’t really exist in this part of Colorado, but ranches and businesses do.

Ok, I’m admitting it.

I’m a little biased with today’s post. As most of you know, I lived in Colorado for five years to do my graduate studies in music. This part of my trip was as close to a “homecoming” as I got on this tour, so after my Denver performance I took a mini-break from the road to be in familiar surroundings with dear people who I’ve known for a long time.

That being said, there is plenty about Denver that is no longer familiar to me, even after only being gone several years. Restaurants and radio stations stayed the same, but so much has changed and grown in such a short time. I knew I couldn’t go “home” again when I came back to Colorado, but I still never anticipated how hard it would be to be back there at times.

Anyway, onto the history of the road…

The Colorado Loop only existed as part of the Lincoln Highway from 1913-1915, but since we are celebrating the centennial of the highway, we must celebrate all of the original parts of the road. This loop created great controversy from the get-go for the Lincoln Highway Association. This part of the highway was included due to the persuasions of people in Colorado, but also out of slight guilt from the association. After all, they held their initial meeting in Colorado, and then they originally decide to leave Denver off the route? Colorado wouldn’t have it! The loop was then created, but trouble quickly followed. The town of Greeley decided they wanted in on that action, and then there was an “unsanctioned” route created to include Greeley in that route. The LHA had enough of the state’s shenanigans, so they eventually and quietly changed the route to not include Colorado.

It’s a shame really. The high plains of Colorado have a serenity found nowhere else along the route. After living in Denver and always flocking into the mountains for an adventure, the Northeastern parts of Colorado have an adventure all unto itself. Much of this area still remains unchanged from a century ago, and you really start to feel the isolation a Lincoln Highway traveler would have encountered back then.

My performance in Denver was a good one, and it was wonderful to see so many lovely people again. Dan was able to come out for this show, plus there was an old friend who flew from New York to surprise me for this performance! There’s some great video of this show now on my YouTube Channel for your viewing pleasure.

Below you’ll see photos of the loop as well as pictures of Denver itself and Mt. Evans (while not on the Lincoln Highway, it’s a road that most everyone should visit while in the area). Let me know what you think of the pictures, and thanks for stopping by!

The Phelps Hotel in Big Springs, NE is a great landmark in the area, and is known for its three chimneys.
This is the location where the “Dueling Billboards” were located in Big Springs, NE.
Do you go to the right?
Or do you go to the left?
As you can see, I took the left. I was very happy to see this sign.
This marker in Julesburg marks both the Oregon trail and the Pony Express.
The Old Ford Garage has tons of great old stuff from what I hear, too bad it was closed when I was in town.
I loved this old awning of an old hotel (now apartments) in Julesburg.
This is the Hippodrome Theatre in Julesburg. It still is in operation today.
This is the remnants of an old bridge near Dorothy, CO.
View of the original route near Dorothy, CO.
This is the old roadbed of the Lincoln Highway’s Colorado Loop.
This bridge on the South Platte River has the “DLD” (Detriot-Lincoln-Denver) stencils still on it. You can find outside Merino, CO.
Towns don’t really exist in this part of Colorado, but ranches and businesses do.
The Sands Theatre opened in 1916, and has been restored back to its glory.
Main Lobby of the Sands Theatre. Love the dramatic masks!
The Rainbow Arch bridge in Ft. Morgan has 11 arches, and was open to auto traffic from 1923-1987.
Today the bridge is open to pedestrians. This is the view from the end.
As noted in the last post, “minimum maintenance” roads should just be called “muddy roads”.
With the car stopped and the radio off, I sat in my car on the high plains of Colorado and listened to the wind.
View of the Cherry Creek in Denver at sunset. This creek crosses the Platte River downtown, and it is at that very spot where Denver was founded.
Outside of the venue I performed at.
Inside at the Merc’s Jungle room-the stage is all set!
Nap time at the Denver Zoo!
Liquor License #1 was issued here at the Buckhorn Exchange in Denver, CO. Much of the place has stayed the same, and you’re a meat lover this is a great place to eat.
Ghost Sign on the Buckhorn’s building. This is located on the North side of the building.
Ah, I missed these mountain sunsets.
View from the top of Mt. Evans, the highest paved road in North America.
Another view from the top with my other camera.
Here’s me with the sign at the top.
Yup folks, that is snow on the stairs…in late July.
In case you can’t read this, it said it was 44 degrees Fahrenheit when we were there that afternoon.
Always good stuff to remember for this part of the country and other Western sections of the Lincoln Highway.
“High on a hill there’s a lonely goat…”
I was pretty surprised when these “wild” goats wandered up to us at the park. I’ve seen them before here, but I’ve never been that close.
Closeup of the baby Goat.
Closeup of the Mama Goat.
Everyone wants to go straight to Mt. Evans, but they should stop at all of the cool little parks along the way to the top, including Summit Lake Park.
This gas station in Longmont, CO is where supposedly Jack Kerouac stopped and took a nap at in his book “On the Road”. As you can see, it’s literally on its last legs.
Here’s another view of the station, which had a full garage.
This mural in Berthoud, CO pays tribute to hometown boy Floyd Clymer, one of the pioneers in motorcycle racing.

Filed Under: Colorado, Driving, Music, Odds and Ends, Travel-General, Venue Tagged With: Buckhorn Exchange, Colorado Loop, Denver, High Plains, Lincoln Highway, Mercury Café, Mt. Evans

Western Nebraska Highlights, and meet Nebraska Outback!

July 31, 2013 by Cece

IMG_3536

I used to be like a lot of you out there in the US who had stereotypes about Nebraska. I always made the joke “Do you want to drive Nebraska by day to see how boring it is, or do you want to drive Nebraska at night to smell how boring it is?”

I can’t say that anymore. I saw stuff in Western Nebraska that was amazing, and all I had to do was leave the interstate and drive the Lincoln Highway. As Kevin Patrick noted at the LHA conference, “Friends don’t let friends drive the Interstate,” and I think I’ll start to embrace that motto after this tour is over.

The main people I have to thank for this part of my journey are Muriel (Nebraska Outback is her blog), her husband Mark, and Rob with N Route Entertainment (Muriel helps with this organization as well). They opened my eyes to seeing the beauty of their area, and they support live music and musicians with a passion I haven’t seen anywhere else so far. I left Western Nebraska with a whole other state of mind, and ready for what lies ahead.

I have to admit that the road caught up with me after my performances on the 4th of July. I was a little under the weather for a few days at this point of the tour with a sore throat and ear/sinus pressure. Luckily, it was all caught in time, and I was able to sing for a group of touring Norwegians, Swedish and Danish folks driving across the country.

There’s around 70 pictures in this post (get comfy), but here’s a few highlights of the area that I want to write about before you see the pictures:

1) While this is not directly on the Lincoln Highway, the Sandhills are truly a magnificent experience that’s close to the route. It is a region of mixed-grass prairie/grass-stabilized sand dunes in north-central Nebraska, covering just over one quarter of the state! You can pretty much Google and see several websites to learn more about it. Muriel has strong family ties to this area, so my driving tour both her and Mark took me on was made that much more magical.

2) If you’re a fan of anything of the Old West, definitely take the time to stop in North Platte. You’ll find plenty of things to do and see there, and you won’t be bored!

3) You’ll cross into Mountain Time Zone west of Sutherland, NE (my favorite time zone). I noticed on some of the original routes as well as some auxiliary roads you’ll see the sign “Minimum Maintenance Road”. Believe what they say! I wanted to go see some old wagon ruts on “California Hill” and my car got stuck in mud right off of the paved main route. Luckily I wasn’t in too deep and could back myself out of the mud by myself, but this warning as well as a few others is a note of caution for anyone driving the Lincoln solo. When in doubt, don’t drive it!

My view from the stage at the Ft. Cody Trading Post in North Platte, NE. This figure was originally a “Muffler Man” and when the store went out of business they turned him into a “Native American”.
View of the Trading Post from the outside. While it is now located on the interstate, the original location of the post was west of town on the Lincoln Highway.
Buffalo Bill stands tall in North Platte!
This was a special Lincoln Highway display the trading post had up to mark the centennial of the road.
A photo of Buffalo Bill’s Miniature Wild West Show. Over 20,000 tiny hand-carved figures populate dioramas of Bill’s show, were created by Ernie and Virginia Palmquist over a 12 year period. It was really neat to see all of the details!
The biggest LH marker I’ve seen so far!
Just outside of North Platte sits Buffalo Bill’s Scout Rest Ranch. A place of retreat for Bill from all of the touring, this home was built in 1886, with the “new” edition built in 1909.
Here’s the barn on the grounds. It was a working farm with over 4,000 acres at its largest point in time.
Here’s Muriel and I dressed up for my performance at the Oregon Golf Course in Sutherland, NE (about 20 miles West of North Platte). Pretty cool to perform with an Oregon Trail marker so close!
The Sutherland Reservoir is right next to the golf course, and it was the perfect spot to celebrate the 4th of July.
While this was a nice depiction of the West, it unfortunately was viewed while I was in a Doctor’s office.
Welcome to downtown Sutherland! You’ll see in the next few pics it’s quite the Lincoln Highway town.
This mural is a reproduction of the famous Franklin Grove, IL mural, the only difference is the mileage between the cities.
This is an excerpt of a mural that the town of Sutherland painted for its Sesquicentennial.
Of course if it’s got the word “Otto” in it, I have to take a picture!
This mural was created by Sutherland school children. Muriel’s son helped paint it!
This is the oldest building in Sutherland. It is currently vacant, but people hope to reopen it again soon.
Burma Shave Signs don’t have to just be along the road…
They can be on buildings as well!
Mural in progress next to an old gas station that is in the process being restored.
Another Sutherland gas station gets another face lift!
Another great recreation of a famous Lincoln Highway mural (more on it in my next post).
Waiting for a train.
The Sutherland State Aid Bridge was built in 1912, and is in danger of being torn down.
Here’s a view of the bridge from the side.
If you look closely, you can see the wagon ruts from where the Mormons went through this area in the 1840’s.
Continuation of the previous picture.
Sand of the Sandhills. As you can see, it’s pretty fine stuff.
There will be several landscape views of the Sandhills coming up, and this is #1.
Mark hands me some Yucca plant to try. Not my favorite thing to eat, but not horrible either.
This is the Schoolhouse where Muriel said she went to school. She also mentioned that dances would be held here once a month.
Closeup of the Schoolhouse. Note the cows are very interested in us…
Here’s what Muriel’s family homestead looked like from the outside.
View of the main room in the homestead.
Love this old stove! It is not original to the home, but has been donated for its restoration efforts.
Exterior view from the homestead.
Here’s another view of the homestead.
Another out-building on the land.
I love the sunflowers in this view.
Sunflowers in the Sandhills.
As I learned from Muriel, we must always help the turtles find their way across the road.
Sunset in the the Sandhills.
Three people from the tour who came to my Saturday afternoon performance – they were all from Denmark.
Here’s a shot of a few of the cars that the tour drove. I loved the Imperial in the middle.
Love this old car!
Ole’s Big Game Steakhouse is very well known as a must stop not only along the Lincoln but in all of Nebraska as well. It opened the day after Prohibition ended in 1933.
All of the animals in Ole’s were caught by the original owner himself.
Love this old lamp at Big Ole’s Steakhouse
Another great old jukebox.
The Spruce Street Station in Ogallala, NE has been restored back to its original glory.
Ogallala’s Boot Hill Cemetery is a great little stop along the road.
View of the Cemetery with the “Cowboy Boss” looking on.
This woman and infant were the first people to be buried at Boot Hill Cemetery.
“Unknown Cowboy, 1882”
One of the last Lincoln Highways I might see for a while…
Here’s a shot of the road from my car as I was driving in the Panhandle.
Duck Crossing along the highway!
This building in Lodgepole, NE has one of the best ghost signs I’ve seen so far. Hopefully the Opera house will be restored again soon.
Cows on the run in Sidney, NE!
The Potter Soda Fountain supposedly is one of coolest places to stop an experience an old soda or tin roof sundae. Too bad it was closed when I drove through.
The original Lincoln Highway went under the railroad here. Lucky for me a train was going by!
One of the biggest gas stations in the US was the State Line Gas Station on the Nebraska/Wyoming border. There are 18 pumps in total.
Closeup of the Station.
While standing at the abandoned gas station, both a train a few Norwegian cars went by!
Here’s where the line was drawn for the border.

I hope you enjoyed the pictures! Up next I’ll talk about the infamous “Colorado Loop”. Until then, enjoy your week!

Filed Under: Driving, Grassroots, History, Lincoln Highway, Lincoln Highway Conference, Nebraska, Venue Tagged With: Buffalo Bill, Homestead, Kevin Patrick, Lincoln Highway, Lincoln Highway Association, Live Music, Local Music, Muriel Clark, N Route Entertainment, Nebraska, Nebraska Outback, Ogallala, Panhandle, Pioneer, Prairie, Sandhills

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Page 4
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 8
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Follow Cece’s American Songline Journey

Relive the Struggle for Women’s Rights

An American Songline: Centennial of Suffrage is now available to purchase, featuring lyrics for 14 suffrage anthems, as well as Cecelia Otto's notes and commentary..

PURCHASE NOW »

Upcoming Tour & Show Dates

Come see Cece perform live! See if she’ll be performing near you in the near future.

SEE CECE LIVE »
  • Dribbble
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2025 — An American Songline • All rights reserved.

Log in