February 2024 Wander: Day Two

From the Dixie Highway to the Lincoln Highway

After our delightful time at the Alpha-Cafe and a damn good night’s sleep (I always sleep better in motels) we headed off for Day Two of the wander. We were heading initially for Lima, Ohio and of course we took an old road rather than the interstate. I was utterly delighted to find that we were on a stretch of the Dixie Highway! That means that by the end of this wander we will have been on THREE of my favorite highways: the Dixie Highway, the Lincoln Highway, and perhaps my favorite of all, the Old National Road or US 40.

Not long after happily realizing we were on the Dixie Highway, we came across the Tourest. The TOUREST! Is that a great name or what? The motel (perhaps apartments?) looked neat as a pin too.

We somehow got off track and off the Dixie Highway. Oh well, we came across this motel still up and running. Can you imagine how great this looked when all the neon was glowing and all the bulbs were in annd shining?

In looking for breakfast spots in Lima, it was somewhat thin. In fact, when I’d been looking for our previous night’s stop I had considered Lima and not come up with much. As we drove through town I could see why. It’s a hardscrabble town. Brawny but very worn, it could be a poster child for the Rust Belt.

Lombardo’s Liquors and Food. Good reviews. A tad scary at first but they were super friendly. It was freezing in there but a tv was over us showing Antiques Roadshow, which somehow seemed warming. Our standard two eggs-over easy, hash browns, and sausage patties hit the spot. Extra points for the iced tea spoon. And there was interesting conversations to listen to. “He’s got psoriasis, you know?” “Of the liver?” “No, of the skin.”

I probably could have asked them to turn on the neon, but I get shy. Love all the different styles here.

The Lima Mattress Company across the street.

We headed to our next stop. The iconic Kewpee Hamburgers. The chain goes back to 1918 but this location was built in 1939 and is reportedly the first building in Lima that had air conditioning.

It also had a turntable for cars in the parking lot because the lot was too small! I don’t quite understand how it worked butt I love it!

kewpeehamburgers.com

Just look at that moderne styling!!

Our last stop in Lima was Mello-Creme Donuts. Since 1959.

Then we headed up to the old Lincoln Highway and went east. We were covering more territory than we usually do because our goal was to capture the only two Louis Sullivan banks that we hadn’t seen.

We stopped in Upper Sandusky and I wish I’d spent a little more time with this building. It has truly beautiful detailing. It was a cigar factory—you can see San Felice and El Verso painted on the side. And a later drug store ghost sign on the first floor. I’d love to see an old picture of it but I wasn’t able to turn one up at first search.

Look at the height of that beautiful door on the left.

Remember the pictures of the covered exterior stairways I posted the other day? This is often all you see left of them. Oh, and also another Ernie taking pictures picture. He’s so damn cute.

I gotta admit it always tickles me when I see a building that I find interesting and then a bit of research shows that it is indeed interesting.

Here is the Leesville Town hall, built in 1830 and originally a tavern.

This is a Lincoln Highway marker replica.

And across the street was the building built by Rev. Robert Lee. It was a general store from 1829 to 1959. Since then it has been a business known as the Trading Post.

As we drove on there was this sad little trio. A restaurant, a truck stop, and a motel. I bet it was hopping long ago, a little oasis along the highway.

Look at this art moderne house!!

You can’t beat a good drive-in, particularly on a sunny day.

We finally made our way down to that night’s stop. Our room was heavenly. Ernie went down to the bar but I was exhausted and declined. Instead I curled up and watched a David Chang cooking show. Still not sure how I feel about him. Ernie brought back food and I did something I’d never done before. I ate a Reuben. I know! When I was younger I didn’t care for sauerkraut and somehow I just had never had one. And no that is not gluten-free or low fodmap. I paid the price but good god in heaven it was amazing.

In other words,

Then we curled up in our lovely hotel bed and the second day of the wander was officially over.

Onward.

Love,
Cynthia

Oh, and there’s a survey below!