BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—Along the historic Lincoln Highway in Bucyrus, Ohio, a bold visual marker reinforces what local enthusiasts have long recognized—this corridor is a meaningful stretch of America’s first coast-to-coast, paved road.
An oversized 4-by-8-foot Lincoln Highway sign is proudly displayed on the side of Hank’s Garage—just east of the nationally-recognized Hopley Monument. The location of the Lincoln Highway sign creates a strong link between the highway’s early advocacy, its present-day preservation efforts, and the joyful celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
The concept of an oversized Lincoln Highway sign at Hank’s Garage began as a simple idea.
Elaine Naples, Projects Director for the Crawford County History Alliance and Crawford County’s liaison for America 250-OH, wanted a strong visual to help anchor the historic highway’s significance to the local community. She envisioned something bold that would make travelers stop and take notice.
Beyond the literal visibility, the goal was deeper. “Ultimately, we want people to understand that Crawford County is a place where transportation history was actively shaped, not merely passed through. That’s why the Crawford County History Alliance nominated Hank’s Garage for inclusion in Ohio’s ‘Transportation Trail’ in celebration of America 250,” said Naples.
The Eliminators Car Club Take the Wheel
After getting consent from owner Hank Davis to hang an oversized Lincoln Highway sign on his property, Naples then immediately turned to a local group known for getting things done–the Friends of the Eliminators Car Club of Bucyrus.
The car club carried the vision forward with an impressive level of quality, craftsmanship, and volunteerism. The vision quickly became reality once the club sourced a retired Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) highway sign that underwent a complete transformation. The club primed, painted, and carefully recreated the iconic Lincoln Highway design–fittingly on a former ODOT sign.
Jon Rowles of Jon’s Bodyshop painted the sign, while club president Arland McMichael handled the lettering layout and painted the club’s logo. The Eliminators also secured materials and engineered the mounting system, transforming the idea into a durable and highly visible installation.
Lincoln Highway Historic Byway and Ohio’s Transportation Trail
The Lincoln Highway Historic Byway still winds through cities and small towns in Ohio and throughout the U.S. Today, Ohio’s broader transportation legacy is being actively celebrated through the America 250-Ohio Transportation Trail, on which Hank’s Garage of Bucyrus is now listed.
A Local Garage Telling American Stories
Hank’s Garage embodies the spirit of the open road. Inside, visitors encounter a remarkable collection: the world’s largest running & driving collection of Edsel automobiles all under one roof, dozens of pedal cars, vintage signage, antique gas pumps, and an extensive array of automotive memorabilia all capturing generations of American travel.
For owner Hank Davis, the collection is more than a hobby—it’s a mission. “We’re helping preserve the story of how Americans traveled and how the automobile shaped everyday life,” said Davis.
Now, with the towering Lincoln Highway sign outside his building, that story begins before visitors even step inside.
Hank’s Garage is also notably located along a stretch of the Lincoln Highway less than 1,000 feet from historic Hopley Monument. This monument is a nationally-recognized landmark cataloged by the Library of Congress. It honors John E. Hopley, a Bucyrus native whose advocacy helped secure the Lincoln Highway’s route through Crawford County.
Together, the Hopley Monument, the oversized Lincoln Highway sign, regular-sized Lincoln Highway signs, and Hank’s Garage all combine to create one powerful transportation narrative.
Elaine Naples and Mary Lee Minor (co-chairs of the Crawford County History Alliance “Lincoln Highway Beautification Committee”) also approached the Elks Club of Bucyrus about sponsoring the restoration of the monument’s bronze plaque this summer. The Elks Club was a key group involved with the building the Hopley Monument in 1929. The Bucyrus Elks were extremely enthusiastic about repeating their role in local Lincoln Highway history.
From Local Effort to Statewide Recognition on the “Transportation Trail”
All of these efforts—the oversized Lincoln Highway sign, the Hopley Monument plaque restoration, the preparation & plantings for the Lincoln Highway beautification, the nomination of Hank’s Garage, and the Lincoln Highway exhibit at the Bucyrus Public Library—were not developed in isolation.
For the Crawford County History Alliance, they were all part of a coordinated vision, bringing together a unified goal to elevate Crawford County as a meaningful destination along the Lincoln Highway and also within the broader context of Ohio’s America 250-OH Transportation Trail.
“The Ohio Transportation Trail is about more than getting from point A to point B, it’s about discovering how movement shaped who we are as a state and as a people,” said Lance Woodworth, President and CEO of Destination Toledo and a team leader for America 250-Ohio’s “Trails & Tales” program.
“From our waterways to our roadways, Ohio has always been a crossroads of innovation, industry, and connection” Woodworth said.
A National Road That Helped Build Modern America
In terms of celebrated and historic roadways, the Lincoln Highway (est. 1913) stretched from New York to San Francisco, becoming the nation’s first paved, transcontinental road. It passes right through Crawford County. This historic road helped define car culture and connected communities–long before the government’s official interstate system even existed.
Small Projects for a Big Celebration
What makes this local story especially meaningful is not just the scale of the sign or the historical significance of the Hopley Monument. It is the idea that small, incremental efforts contribute to something much larger.
“These collaborative projects in honor of the Lincoln Highway brought together historians, car enthusiasts, local businesses, community groups, and volunteers,” Naples said. “That’s exactly what America 250 is about—people all coming together to proudly tell America’s shared story and heritage.”
As America approaches its 250th anniversary, the celebration is not confined to major cities or national landmarks. It lives in small towns and in places like Hank’s Garage—and also in the hands & hearts of volunteers and in the vision of community leaders. It reminds everyone that while the Lincoln Highway may be historic, the journey is far from over.
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