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An American Songline

Journeys in Vintage Music with Cecelia Otto

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History

Reflections on “The Songs of World War One” Program

November 11, 2020 by Cece

July 2017 performance at the Hayesville Opera House (built 1886) in Ohio, on the National Historic Register, taken with in-house hand-painted historic backdrops. Photo by Mike Hocker.

In March of 2017, two years after I performed my first Lincoln Highway concert, I debuted my second big concert program titled, “The Songs of World War One”. I knew that people would learn and enjoy the program, but I had no idea how it would be received. It was a wonderful surprise to find out not only that people enjoyed the concerts, but that I performed the music well past the 100th anniversary of the Armistice – all the way to November of 2019.

In those two and a half years of performing those songs, I met and connected with so many people nationwide who had their own stories and songs to share. And those stories made me think of all of the programs in a whole new way, and they changed me. It’s been a year since I last wore my re-created uniform, and I felt impelled to share some of what I saw and learned with you all.

  1. I had people of all backgrounds come to hear me sing and learn about this moment in history. The First World War is often a footnote in American history for your average person in the US. They didn’t learn about it (much) in school, and that’s more often than not because we really weren’t the “heroes” as we were in World War Two. And with the 1918 flu pandemic, Prohibition, The Great Depression and more, the Great War often takes a backseat in some history books and lesson plans. I was a part of a WWI marker dedication in Boise, Idaho in 2018. Because of the aforementioned circumstances, they never had a memorial put up in their Veterans’ Park, and were finally able to commemorate it a century later.
  2. Because of this war being overlooked, the roles that women played in the WWI are often forgotten or unknown here. My uniform as a contract Army surgeon was often a topic of discussion; people either thought I was “playing a non-American woman” onstage (French or Russian), or they assumed that it was not a “real costume”. I deliberately chose to re-create a surgeon’s uniform because of two reasons: 1) To highlight roles beyond what most people know (i.e. a nurse or a “Hello Girl”) and 2) To show modern audiences that some women who had special expertise were hired for their knowledge versus taking on a volunteer role (women were not allowed to enlist at the time).
  3. People often ask me if any contentious things happened at my shows. “Do things get political during your concerts?” they would ask. My answer: Never. People leave their personal beliefs at the door, they come to learn, sing along and have a laugh. I take my responsibility as a performer and historian to hold and create a space where they can come back in time with me without present-day judgements. And that shared experience builds community in the best way possible.
  4. Hearing the stories of veterans after shows – I still have no words that can express how much these moments have changed me. In two and a half years, I met lots of vets who served in World War Two, Korea, Vietnam, and in later wars. They would come up to me and share their stories with me. Stories of family members who served, stories of things that happened while they served. Things they learned while doing historic research on their own families or soldiers who served in their towns. It honored me that they felt so moved by the music to come to me afterwards to share these things with me, and it’s informed how I continue to sing and show up for people today.

One of the most important comments I received from a Vietnam veteran after a 2019 performance that has stayed with me ever since was, “I wanted to let you know I fought in Vietnam, and tonight’s concert made me think about war in a way I’ve never thought about before. Thank you.”

Every time I think about that moment in time, time stops for me. I can still see the look in his eyes when he shared this insight for him. I can still feel the adrenalin that courses through my body after a show drop immediately and his words took my breath away. While I share America’s history through these concerts and I’m grateful to be able to do so, it’s in those connections and spaces where everything moves into a life of its own which is the most important thing not only for you as an attendee, but for me as well.

For the veterans who are reading this, thank you for your service. I would not be able to share my songs and knowledge with the world without you, and I’m grateful for that. For those who have lost a friend or family member who served, I am truly sorry for your loss and every time I bring these songs back to life, I am thinking about them hold them with the highest honors in my heart. I hope to perform the World War One program again someday in the future, but in the interim I welcome your thoughts and your stories, either in the comments or reach out to me privately via email or the contact page. Thank you.

Filed Under: 2020, History, Music, Travel-General, World War One Tagged With: Historic Music, Living History, Music, veteran, Veterans Day, World War One, WWI

The American Songline Book is Here!

June 22, 2015 by Cece

Cece_Book_CoverAt long last, it’s finally here! I am proud to announce that the American Songline book is now available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle versions!

Click here to pick up your copy: http://www.amazon.com/American-Songline-Musical-Journey-Lincoln/dp/1514317826/.

I hope all of you out there have also been enjoying the CD too! If you have bought or downloaded the American Songline album and like it, can you leave a quick review at one of the sites below to let other buyers know what you think of the music? If you haven’t bought it yet, you can now buy the music at the following links:

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/american-songline-musical/id979747974

CD Baby (both physical and download versions are available through this link): https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ceceliaotto2

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/American-Songline-Musical-Journey-Lincoln/dp/B00V6BU9H6/

I’ll be making appearances all over the country this year, and am taking bookings for concerts and speaking engagements for 2015 and 2016. If you know of an organization that would want to hear me and my story, please let me know – I’d love to bring American Songline to the world! I’m also happy to speak about crowdfunding to groups as well.

I’m keeping this post short as I’ll be heading to Ann Arbor, Michigan for the Lincoln Highway Conference today, and I’ll be there all week attending the conference and performing. I’ll post a follow up post on the conference next week when it’s all over. Until then, safe travels everyone!

Filed Under: History, Lincoln Highway, Lincoln Highway Conference, Music Tagged With: Album, Amazon, American Songline, book, CD, CD Baby, iTunes, kindle, Lincoln Highway, Michigan, Singing Travelogue, Vaudeville

The American Songline Book is Coming! Here’s a Preview…

May 12, 2015 by Cece

Thanks to all of you who have bought the CD so far! I hope you have been enjoying the music. While I was happy and proud of the the album being out, I went full tilt to work on the book and it’s almost done! The American Songline book will not only chronicle the 30 concerts I gave in 2013, I also share some personal parts of the journey as well. I sang songs about love and loss along the Lincoln Highway, and those songs became the inspiration for chapters of the same name.

Up first, I wanted to share an excerpt of the “Loss” chapter. Today marks the 5th anniversary of my father’s passing – I can’t believe he’s been gone for five years. The American Songline project was just a vague idea in my mind when he died, and I had no idea if it would be successful or not. Before I started my tour, I knew my Dad would play a part in his own way, and he did. Read more in this passage from the upcoming book:

***

I was a bit worried about staying overnight in Gettysburg. The rumors of the town and hotel being haunted stuck with me, and while I’m not afraid of ghosts, I have had enough encounters with the paranormal that I cannot explain away. I was curious to see if the rumors were true, but I wasn’t actively looking to find out.

There was a plastic candle in my window that lit up when the sun went down. I saw it and wondered if the candle was for the living or for the dead that may walk the streets. When I asked the front desk the following morning why it was there, the hotel clerk said, “It’s a tradition in this area to leave a light on in a window sill for those traveling at night, so they know they have a place to stay.”

I kept a low profile that night, eating dinner and working on my regular jobs. When I finally fell asleep that night, something strange happened.

No Civil War soldiers appeared, but I had a vivid dream that changed my outlook on the rest of the tour. I dreamt I was in an old house that had been converted into a bookshop. I walked into various rooms and combed through the stacks. At some point, I turned the corner into the next room, and there he was.

My father died unexpectedly from a massive heart attack at the age of 61 in 2010, about three months before Dan and I were to be married. While I had some major issues with my father during his life, his death was extremely devastating to my family and me. The one person who you thought would be the last to go was the first. To also lose him so close to my wedding (a supposed happy time) was, and still is, an extremely painful thing for me. After his death, he would appear periodically in my dreams, and tonight in Gettysburg he did just that.

 He was not young this time; he was older with his grey bread, glasses, and wearing his favorite blue and white flannel shirt. We talked as we wandered the stacks, and then when we got the comic book section of the bookstore he stopped.

            “Hey Cec, do you want a comic book? I’ll buy.”

 I remember my jaw dropping, mainly because neither of us really liked comic books. “No Dad, I really don’t like comic books. Why would you want to buy me one?”

            “Oh, I just want you to have some fun, that’s all.”

            What he said sounded so odd to me that I woke up immediately. For a few seconds, I did not know where I was. The candle was still aglow on my windowsill, and there was nothing and no one there. I eventually fell back asleep, but it took a while.  

***

I love and miss him, but what I miss more sometimes are the opportunities I wish I could have had with him – I’d give anything to have one more day with Dad again. If you didn’t do this over Mother’s Day this past weekend, please tell your loved ones how much they mean to you. You never know what can happen, and the secret to living a great life is to live a life with no regrets. Thank you for letting me share this story with you, and if you have any comments, please share them below.

Filed Under: History, Life in General, Lincoln Highway, Odds and Ends, Pennsylvania Tagged With: American Songline, book, dad, death, Dreams, father, Gettysburg, Lincoln Highway, loss and grief

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

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

Bricks, bricks and more bricks! Exploring Western Iowa and Eastern Nebraska

June 27, 2013 by Cece

“Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.”  –Jack Kerouac

With the nearing centennial celebration coming up this weekend in central Nebraska, the highway came to life on a whole other level as soon as I crossed the border. From billboard signs to little Lincoln highway signs taped to telephone poles, the whole state is “Thinkin’ Lincoln” and rightfully so. This past weekend, hundreds of cars of varying ages, makes, and models left both San Francisco and New York City and are heading this way right now. While I’ve certainly longed for this weekend and to see my fellow LHA Members for the conference next week (it will be amazing on so many levels), I have to admit it’s been a little weird to see the metaphorical “wrinkles smoothed over” of the towns I’ve been going through in the last couple days. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to see all of the changes and celebrate the highway, but I also wonder what the towns look like when there are no celebrations going on. Are there many Lincoln Highway signs up, or would one get lost trying to find everything? It’s something to think about.

The photos in today’s post are from Scranton, Iowa all the way to Central City, Nebraska. Landscapes start to change from corn fields to rolling hills. The city of Omaha breaks up the highway’s routine of being sleepy and quaint. You drive parallel to a major train route, and you see trains coming and going constantly. Traffic is busier than you would think as it’s still a major thoroughfare for the area. Roads are narrower (with minimal to no shoulder) to keep their historic integrity in some parts, which makes it tricky to drive when it’s super windy as I experienced. You’ll see a TON of brick roads that have been preserved by various communities that I passed through, and it’s interesting to see how different the bricks look in each place.  My favorite finds below are the following (and you’ll see pictures of all of this below):

1) The Village of Boys Town – This place is a must stop for you if you take the original route. They do amazing work, and there are several places that visitors can tour. It’s an important part of the highway’s history (as well as US history) that I fear may be overlooked at times.

2) Elkhorn Brick Road Stretch: You’ll find this west of Boys Town. 3.5 miles of a perfectly preserved brick road including signs, markers, and bridges.

3) The “Avenus of Trees” in Duncan: In the heart of Duncan you’ll see two rows of trees which used to flank the original route.

4) Gardiner Station Section: This can be found in between Duncan and Silver Creek, and here you’ll see an iron truss bridge with a wooden plank floor in amazing condition.

New GPS using world, meet the Old Brick stretch of the highway.
These two Lincoln Busts (fully restored) now look over the corner of the LH in Scranton.
I was struck by this part of the road, and had to pull over to photograph it.
My pictures from Woodbine somehow all ended up being taken in Black and White. Here’s one of them.
This stretch of the Lincoln in downtown Woodbine is fully bricked, and it’s about a mile and a half in total.
Detail of Woodbine bricks. This photo I changed from B&W picture to a more Sepia/Antique finish.
At the intersection of Dodge and Saddle Creek Roads in Omaha, you can see this billboard. Sutter’s Creek Mill is right there, and is one of the oldest buildings on the route.
Here’s a picture of Saddle Creek Bridge, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Located right off the original route, Boys Town has been changing the lives of children for almost 100 years. This original sign now hangs in the Visitors Center.
This is the biggest ball of stamps, which is also in the Boys Town Visitors Center. Read the next Photo to get the details.
This Sign was used in the movie “Boys Town”, which starred Mickey Rooney and Spencer Tracy.
Spencer Tracy won the Oscar for his portrayal of Father Flanagan in the movie Boys Town, and he gave it to Father Flanagan. There are two inscriptions on the base showing both Tracy’s official inscription, and the one he added for Fr. Flanagan. It’s my first time I’ve ever seen an Oscar in person, and it was truly a sight to behold.
From 1928-1938, Fr. Flanagan and some talented boys toured around in the area giving performances. As time went on their popularity grew, so much so they started to tour nationally, and then were given a weekly radio show.
Here’s a detail of this reproduced trailer. Again, I love taking pictures of the old sheet music!
Just outside of Elkhorn, NE is one of the longest (if not the longest) preserved brick stretch of the highway. It’s about 3.5 miles in total and has several LH markers along the route. There’s A huge plaque in the middle of the stretch, but it was covered in a tarp. I’m guessing it will be unveiled when the car tour comes through. Can someone please send me a photo of this plaque?
First LH sign I saw in Nebraska.
Old LH Pole marker that has been repainted along the route.
Detail of this brick again, but this time showing what the curb looked like.
Here’s what the Lincoln Highway signs look like in Nebraska. They do continue on the route from what I’ve seen so far, but are not seem as regularly as in other states.
Chipped LH marker.
This Truss Bridge has been reconstructed as well along the route.
Again, more picturesque brick sections that I had to photograph. So beautiful.
Found this folk art right after I was finished driving the brick section in Elkhorn. Everyone’s thinkin’ Lincoln!
Here’s a brick stretch in Fremont, NE, the next town after Elkhorn. Note it’s a little different than the Elkhorn stretch.
This 1921 Statue of Lincoln was made and placed by the Mullins company, and was made by the same people who made the statue in Wilkinsburg, PA (see my Pittsburgh post for that picture).
This Mural of Columbus commemorates the town’s Sesquicentennial (1856 – 2006). It notes pivotal historic points for the town, including Buffalo Bill’s debut in the Wild West Show here, as well the Columbus arch which welcomed Lincoln Highway travelers in the 1940s and 1950s.
I don’t know much about the Columbus theatre, but I do know it was built in 1926 in the art deco style and is on the historic register. If anyone else has any other stories about this theatre let me know!
Built in 1920, the Gottberg building used to assemble and sell Fords. Today it is a restaurant and brewpub, which makes great batches of homemade root beer.
This Lincoln Highway Garage in Columbus was built in 1915, and is part of the Lincoln Highway Garage Associations (along with many others).
Built in 1876, Glur’s Tavern is supposedly the oldest continuously operated tavern west of the Missouri River.
This is the first time I’ve seen this sign on this tour. I know it’s meant for the car tour that’s coming up behind me, but it’s still nice to feel a part of it.
The “Avenue of Trees” is located in midtown Duncan, NE just east of Columbus. These rows of trees show where the original highway used to go.
While walking the Avenue of Trees, I cam upon these flowers growing where the road used to be.
Just outside of Duncan look for the “Historical Landmark” sign and follow it. There you’ll find the 2 mile Gardiner Station section of the original highway as well as this iron truss bridge with a wooden plank floor. This bridge is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
View of the bridge from the road. This bridge can hold a maximum weight of 8 tons, but I still felt nervous driving it as you can imagine.
Detail of wooden planks.
Next down the road from Duncan is Clarks, and this is the first of two murals in the town.
There were more bricks in Clarks! As you can see, they were laid in a different pattern at this intersection. The bricks were laid this way to prevent them from “stacking” as iron wagon wheels would turn corners in the early 1900s.
Here’s the 2nd Mural you can find in Clarks.
Detail of the door in the mural.
I thought this sign was an interesting commentary.
Old gutter in Clarks, NE.
A toad hopped out to say hello while I was photographing in Clarks. My first toad I met on this tour was named “Frank” in Hanna’s town in Pennsylvania, maybe this is Frank’s western cousin?
Biggest welcome sign ever. Central City has an interesting past when it comes to the highway. In the 1916 guidebook (as well as one of the songs I perform on tour) there’s a special warning in the margins noting that Lincoln Highway markers were removed by the “Local antagonistic influence”.

The next week will be crazy for me blogging-wise as I have performances in several places over the next 8 days including: Grand Island, Kearney, North Platte, and Sutherland Nebraska. I will post in real time when I can on my Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages, so if you want to check in to see how things are going until the next blog post you can visit me there. Until then everyone, safe travels wherever you may and have a Happy 4th of July weekend!

Filed Under: Driving, Grassroots, History, Iowa, Lincoln Highway, Nebraska, Travel-General Tagged With: Abe Lincoln, Avenue of Trees, Boys Town, Brick Road, Bridge, Clarks, Columbus, Duncan, Elkhorn, Fremont, Lincoln, Lincoln Highway, Missouri River, Missouri Valley, Mural, Omaha, Oscar, Red Brick Road

The Reed/Niland Corner: One of Best Places to Experience Highway History

June 21, 2013 by Cece

It’s hard to believe this, but I’ve now been on the road touring and performing along the Lincoln Highway for three months. I’ve got three more months to go still, and it’s times like these when you need to regroup and recharge. This is where the historic Reed/Niland Corner comes into play.

I’m a firm believer that history is alive all around us, and appears in so many different ways, not just in books. At this part of the route in Colo, Iowa it’s so alive you really feel it. Built at the intersection of the Lincoln and Jefferson Highways (more on the Jefferson Highway shortly), this corner of the world saw a heavy amount of traffic. So much so, that back in the early 1920’s, Charlie Reed built a gas station. The Reed and Niland families quickly built a lunch stand which turned into a café later, and then also turned a makeshift campground into more permanent lodging for travelers. This area became one of the first if not the first place where you could get everything in “one stop”. It also quickly became one of the first places along the route that was open 24 hours as well!

As noted in my previous post, the Lincoln paved the way for other auto trails to be created throughout the country. The Jefferson Highway was the 14th route to be created after the Lincoln Highway, was the first North-South Transcontinental Route, and was named after founding father Thomas Jefferson. It was built in 1915 and runs from Winnipeg, Manitoba in Canada all the way to New Orleans, Louisiana (it contains states which were involved in the Louisiana Purchase). To quote a Colo local, “It’s the only place where Lincoln and Jefferson actually do meet!” It is also called the “Palm to Pine Highway” to note the change in the trees along the route.

I still have several states to go on this tour, but I do have to say this part of the highway holds a special place in my heart. It truly feels like a home away from home, and I can’t say that about your average hotel and/or restaurant chain. You can’t get gas here anymore, but you can still stay in the restored Colo Motel and eat at Niland’s Café. If you can swing it in your travels, you should try to stay here at least one night so you can experience what this place is like, eat a meal, walk the grounds, and see all of the interpretive plaques and exhibits so you can learn about this place fully. You won’t regret it.

I again will put up some photos of this place, but know that the photos don’t do justice to how beautifully restored this area is.

View of the Café’s neon sign at dusk.
The Colo Motel Sign at dusk.
Here’s the live musician I saw when I first got into town. His name is David Gray, but plays in a couple bands. I even sang backup vocals on a song!
Every Thursday during the warmer months, there’s a Farmer’s Market held from 5-7pm. Local vendors, live music, and good food, not a bad way to spend an evening!
Here’s a view of the cafe from the gas station on Farmer’s Market day.
Detail of the Gas Station windows.
Here’s the same windows, but from the other side.
View of the restored gas pumps and the Lincoln/Jefferson Highway. If you look in the distance you can see the Jefferson Highway Sign painted on the telephone pole.
Some things have been left as they were when it closed in 1967.
Here’s the gas station cash register, which was used during its operation until it closed in 1967. Look at the final total – I wish gas cost that amount!
There’s some irony in there somewhere with this picture…
A great fun sign from the Burma Shave company, which was a very popular brand of shaving cream from the 20s-50s.
This is the drawer right under the cash register. Note the old bottle of Four Roses and the Billy Club, perfect for keeping thieves and boredom away on the night shift!
Here’s Charlie Reed’s Desk, which has always been there since it opened in the 1920’s.
One of my favorite pictures taken on this journey so far.
The Lincoln and Jefferson Highways together!
Love the old sign on the back of the cafe, plus check out the old street lights.
This picture was taken while sitting at one of the counter stools.
Another view from the counter, this time on a cloudy day.
I love this quote from Emily Post (click on the photo to magnify the picture).
Inside Niland’s Cafe is a mini-exhibit about Colo and how the highways affected the town. This 1939 Cadillac is a fun thing to see amongst many others.
Here’s a view of more the buildings from early motel days. The one on the right was the old shower areas for the motel guests.
This part of the corner has been turned into a small park where you can picnic and view the Jefferson Highway marker.
A very old Jefferson Highway Marker.
This is a great old sign, which drivers on the Jefferson Highway would have been able to see from the road.
Burma Shave signs were also split up along the route like this so travelers would read them as they drove.
Words to remember when the road gets long…

For a more in-depth video of this historic corner, check out this great video on YouTube:

I’ll be hitting the road tomorrow so there will be a couple days where I won’t be writing much, so have a great first weekend of summer everyone and I’ll talk to you soon!

Filed Under: Grassroots, History, Iowa, Life in General, Lincoln Highway, Travel-General Tagged With: Colo, Colo Motel, Gas Station, Iowa, Jefferson Highway, Lincoln Highway, Motel, Niland Café, Reed/Niland Corner

The Jefferson Bell Tower Festival Plus Sightseeing in Greene & Boone County

June 20, 2013 by Cece

There’s a bunch of pictures in this post, so I won’t write much here. What I will say was I had a wonderful time a being a part of Jefferson’s Bell Tower Festival. I performed both at the opening ceremony on Friday night, as well as a regular performance on Saturday afternoon. Another first for this tour was that I performed as part of a church service on Sunday in Grand Junction, Iowa. The minister said a few words, and then let me perform!

I also got a chance to hang out with a lot of great Iowa Lincoln Highway Association folks during this time, including Bob and Joyce Ausberger, Bob and Janet Owens, Dean and Jeannie Parr, John Fitzsimmons and many more! One beautiful day after the festival was done, the two Bob’s and Joyce took me on a driving tour of Greene and Boone Counties, and I learned more about bridges in one day than I had in my lifetime.

I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves, but if anyone has any questions about the pictures feel free to ask in the comments below. Thanks!

This statue of Lincoln is right next to the courthouse in Jefferson and he faces the highway. An excerpt from his 2nd inaugural address is inscribed below.
The Jefferson Bell Tower is a Carillon Tower that has an observation deck in which you can view the whole city and a couple nearby towns.
View from the top of the Bell Tower.
The Jefferson County courthouse is truly one of the most beautiful courthouses I’ve ever been in. What a lovely ceiling!
I was honored to be a part of the Jefferson Bell Tower Opening Ceremonies. Thanks again to Bob and Joyce Ausberger for setting everything up!
Hanging out with some LHA folks after performing for the Opening Ceremonies of the Bell Tower Festival.
I was so happy to have my Mom drive down from Minnesota for the Bell Tower Festival, it was great to have her there. Thanks also to our family friend Leann for coming down and taking this picture as well!
Here’s me in the parade! The car is a 1929 Model A.
Here’s a picture of me and Marty, my accompanist for the Jefferson and Grand Junction performances.
Here’s what the museum looks like from the outside.
Here’s another view of the Grand Junction museum.
A great banner done by local artist John Fitzsimmons. You’ll read more about him later.
This Haynes-Apperson car was built in 1902, and is the 1st car ever owned in Boone county, and the 10th car ever owned in the state of Iowa.
Here’s the back of the Haynes-Apperson Car.
It really is the 10th car owned in the state, and here’s the plate to prove it!
Me with Terry, the Mayor of Grand Junction.
This 1914 newspaper was found when they were renovating the museum in Grand Junction. Definitely click on this photo so you can see all of the detail in the paper.
These recreated Burma Shave ads from the heydays of the highway can bee see randomly all over the state. They all are pretty funny too!
This table at the Lincoln Highway museum in Grand Junction has a table that has been covered and lacquered in old matchbook covers. Pretty neat!
Here’s a detail picture of that cool table.
The Eureka arch bridge was built in 1912 and has five large arches spanning the Raccoon River just west of Jefferson Iowa.
The Hillcrest Motel was opened just outside of Jefferson in the in 50’s. When the route was re-routed a few years later, it fell into ruin quickly. There is discussion to restore it back to its original glory and make it a historic site.
The Lincoln Highway has several incarnations as you all know. There were several places in Greene County like this where it went through a person’s property long ago, and then was re-routed. This farm outside of Jefferson has the original route running on their property, and you can see it here between the trees.
Old motel sign just outside of Grand Junction.
Want to know how the Lincoln Highway is spelled in Chinese Characters? This gas station in Grand Junction has it listed on their station.
This Lion’s Club Tree Park and Lincoln Highway Interpretive site is right outside of Grand Junction. It is is located at the point where the Lincoln Highway splits from the newer US 30 and where four bridges cross West Beaver Creek.
The Lincoln Highway wasn’t the only auto trail that was created in the early 20th century, and you can see what their logos/signs looked like here.
The Marsh Rainbow Arch Bridge is located just outside of Beaver, Iowa on the original Lincoln Highway Route. This bridge was one of the earliest bridges of this type, and it was built in the 1910s.
Bob and Joyce posing with two of the bridges that started it all. In the background you have the 1915 bridge, and in the left foreground you can see the 1920s bridge.
Before signs, the routes were painted on telephone poles. This is a faded Lincoln Highway post from that time.
This is the Little Beaver Creek Lincoln Highway Bridge. Note the “L” on the sides of the bridge.
Here’s a full view of the Lincoln Highway Bridge
I saw the leaning shed with the prairie, and thought this image had to be immortalized.
Another Bridge built over the railroad tracks near the Dragoon Trail. Look at that blue sky!
We got lucky when a train passed by I was photographing the bridge!
The Kate Shelley High Bridge (built 1889-1901) is among the highest double-track railroad bridges in the United States. This is the first bridge to be named after a woman in the US, and rightfully so – she risked her life by crossing a railroad bridge to save passengers from a train that had been derailed by flood waters.
View of the original bridge from under the tracks.
You can see the old and new bridge together in this shot.
The Wagon Wheel Bridge was built in 1909, and is one of the few remaining large-scale wagon trusses in Iowa.
John Fitzsimmons is an artist who lives just outside of Boone, IA. He not only does some great artwork about the highway, he also is trying to recreate an old ghost town on his property. Here’s the Miner’s Inn.
This is a picture of John’s barn on the property.
Detail of John’s barn.
Here’s the happy couple celebrating their 52nd wedding anniversary.
Here’s Bob and Janet Owens, some other great members of the Iowa Chapter. They have been married for 63 years.
This is an excerpt from a 1953 A&W menu. Even back then they had veggie burgers!
Me posing with Bob Owen’s LH Marker in his front yard.

Filed Under: Driving, Grassroots, History, Iowa, Lincoln Highway, Music, Uncategorized, Venue Tagged With: Beaver Creek, Bell Tower Festival, Bridges, Grand Junction, Iowa, Jefferson, Kate Shelley Bridge, Lincoln Highway Association, Wagon Wheel Bridge

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