Lima | An American Songline

When I was visiting with New York Director Jerry Peppers at the beginning of this tour, he handed me a postcard with a red building on it. He said, “If you can swing it, stop by this place. Nancy and Joe are lovely people and they are true fans of the highway.”

The J&M Trading Post Antique Shop lies about 20 miles West of Mansfield, Ohio. Built in 1830, it has been store of some type in continuous operation ever since its opening and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Today it is an antique store full of wonderful things as well as Lincoln Highway souvenirs (Note that if you are thinking of making a visit here, you should call them beforehand; they open the place by appointment only). But what makes this stop special is the people who have taken care of the place all of these years – Nancy and Joe Everly.

From the time I was greeted to the time that I drove away, Nancy and Joe became my family to me for that hour I spent at the store. When I told them who I was and what I was doing along the route, Nancy said, “I know who you are! I saw you in the paper yesterday!” She brought down a big box of vintage sheet music for me, and I looked through it. Whatever music I wanted, she said I could keep it and take it with me. We laughed over all of the crazy song titles from the time like “You Can’t Get Along With’em or Without’em, You’ve Got to Have Them, That’s All!” and “Take Your Wife to the Movies (If She Won’t Make Love at Home)”. In that short visit, I found my new “old friend” along the road. Definitely take the time to stop here, it will be worth the trip.

The rest of my time in Western Ohio was pretty much spent in Lima relaxing with an old friend, as well as exploring the Allen County museum in the city. I did take pictures of murals and markers in Crestline, Bucryus, and Delphos, which are all below in my latest photo gallery. Enjoy!

Outside of the J&M Trading Post with the American Songline-Mobile.

Here’s me in front of the famous blackboard at the trading post. It tells the history of the building.

While perusing all of the beautiful antiques in the store, I came upon the sheet music of “Beautiful Ohio” one of the songs that is on the touring program!

Love this directional sign outside of the store. All four sides are covered, and here’s one side.

This Lincoln Highway Marker is across the street from the trading post. It is not an original marker.

This is one of two 1922 Lincoln Highway Markers in Crestline, Ohio.

The “Great American Crossroad” Mural in Bucyrus Ohio is so big, I had to photograph sections of it! Here’s the main middle section of the mural.

Here’s a Lincoln Highway detail in this very same mural, middle left hand side

If you’re standing in front of the Bucyrus mural, these two windows will be on the far left hand side.

LH Marker that is in downtown Bucyrus and “faces” the mural.

The Allen County Museum in Lima, Ohio has a Mini-Lincoln Highway exhibit in their outdoor park.

This is a typed transcription of a letter written by John Dillinger’s girlfriend while he was in prison in Lima.

There were a lot of neat exhibits at the Allen County Museum, and this was one of them. It had beautiful instruments, old opera programs and other performance mementos.

Original gravel stretch of the highway heading westward towards Indiana.

The road beckons! My next post will be about my performance in Indiana as well as photos from the road both in Indiana and in Eastern Illinois (which is part of “Chicagoland” as it’s called). Until then, have a good weekend!