Truckee on the Lincoln Highway

Map of Truckee showing the route of the Lincoln Highway. Click map for larger view.

The early eastbound Lincoln Highway traveler would have entered Truckee via the present-day Prosser Dam Road, which today crosses Highway 89, which has obliterated any old road traces. You can pick up the road by heading down E. Jibboom Street, which runs into Bridge Street. E. Jibboom Street was before the Lincoln Highway, a county road, and before that, the Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road (DFDLWR), built by the Central Pacific Railroad.

In the photo below, taken around the 1920s, we are looking north at Truckee and the Lincoln Highway, which is quite visible heading up the mountains. The early Lincoln Highway in this area followed the DFDLWR.

1920s view of Truckee and the Lincoln Highway.

Heading down The Lincoln Highway on East Jibboom, we come to Bridge Street and the Stone Garage, a landmark today. There is a plaque outside installed by the California Lincoln Highway Association and E Clampus Vitus, which describes this place's history.

Truckee Stone Garage on Bridge and E Jibboom Streets.

Once past the Truckee Stone Garage we turn right on Donner Pass Road and head down one block to Spring Street and the site of the Sierra Tavern, a popular stopping place along the old road. The first photo at the top of the blog shows the magnificent structure, which burned down in 1927, the year the Lincoln Highway became Highway 40.

Plaque on the wall of the Stone Garage.

Sierra Tavern in 1908 with Charles Fayette McGlashan’s home at the top left. Mc Glasahan was a prominent citizen of Truckee.

In the photo above, we can see the Sierra Tavern in 1908, five years before the Lincoln Highway. A lone automobile sits on Spring Street. The building at the top left was the home of CF McGlashan, a prominent Truckee Citizen. That building is long gone and was replaced by a Quonset hut shaped building for Truckee Veterans. To the Sierra Tavern's right, across Spring Street, we can see the Chance Saloon and OK Bar where the photo below was taken.

Rare photo of a Lincoln Highway “L” sign on Donner Pass Road, Truckee, sometime in the late 1910s, early 1920s.

In our next installment of the Lincoln Highway’s northern route, we will continue our trip towards the summit but will first stop to check out the Donner Party’s encampment site, now known as Donner Memorial State Park.

Photographs from Donner Summit Historical Society, Norm Sayler Collection, and Adventures in California History.

Dog Valley to Truckee on the northern route of the Lincoln Highway, Part 4

We are now on our way up Henness Pass Road, leaving Verdi and headed towards the “First Summit.” The First Summit is where the emigrants then descended to Dog Valley to camp and feed their animals. The Lincoln Highway does not head down to the valley but follows a ridge above the valley.

First summit. Click photo for larger view.

Here at First Summit was Bauer’s Hotel, 1865. I couldn’t find any more information on this hotel, nor could we see any hotel's physical signs. We always find it fascinating to think there was so much traffic on this road that hotels were needed every so often. Looking at the panorama photo above, we can see the Lincoln Highway headed towards the Second Summit, a road heading down to Dog Valley, the direction the emigrants traveled, and the road to Verdi.

Dog Valley as seen from the Lincoln Highway, looking north-east.

Just past the First Summit, we round a curve and the view of Dog Valley is spectacular. We intend to head down to the valley next year and check out a Trail West “T” Marker on the old trail through the valley the Emigrant Trail soon heads back up from the valley to what’s known as “Second Summit”. The Trails West “T” marker pictured below describes the scene.

Trail West “T” marker at Second Summit. Click photo fro closer view.

The road from Verdi to Prosser Reservoir is all dirt and fairly easy to travel. The first section up from Verdi to First Summit is a beautiful example of the “washboard effect”. Once at the summit the road is easy to drive, dusty in the summer, and not recommended in the winter. In the map below we can see a portion of the Lincoln Highway headed into Stampede Reservoir, which of course was not there during the early parts of the 20th Century. We will take up that portion of the adventure on our next installment of the Lincoln Highways northern route from Verdi, NV through California.

Map showing area and some key features. Click map for a closer view.

Satellite view showing Verdi off in the distance and the climb up to the first summit. Looking southeast. Click map for a closer view.

The Yuba River at Big Bend

This beautiful scene is looking east from the Rainbow Lodge, where we can see the present bridge crossing at left, built-in 1928. This is the south fork of the Yuba River, which provides a natural passage through the Sierra Nevada mountains. The river begins near Donner Summit and flows through Summit Valley, Soda Springs, and eventually here where it makes a “big bend”.

Big Bend is a natural crossing spot for travelers starting with the native people who inhabited this land. The first pioneers to come this way where the Steven-Townsend-Murphy party and their covered wagons. Some of the party over-wintered here, and one of their party, Moses Schallenberger, was caught in a snowstorm and spent the winter of 1844 in a tiny cabin on the east shore of Donner Lake. He was eventually rescued, and the cabin he stayed in was put to use a couple of years later in 1846 by members of the Donner Party.

There are emigrant trail traces still to be found in Big Bend. Trails West Association has two of its “T” markers in Big Bend. These markers are placed on or near the original emigrant trails, and each has a quotation from an emigrant diary describing the place where the markers are today. The one pictured above is located just 50 yards north of the Lock Leven Trailhead parking (see map).

The emigrants lowered their wagons down the rocks and followed the S. Yuba River, staying on the south side, where the trail, after crossing today’s Hampshire Rocks Road, follows the Dutch Flat Wagon Roads path. Today the trial is named “Old Wagon Road” and follows the river for about a 1/2 mile.

This section of the trail on Old Wagon Road is magical as you are walking on all the trails at once. Following in the pioneers' footsteps, we cross a Lincoln Highway era concrete bridge and another creek with an old metal culvert exposed.

Metal Lincoln Highway era culvert.

Soon we reach the Trails West “T” Marker #46, which lets us know that this is where the emigrant trail leaves the route of the Dutch Flat Wagon Road and heads up the hill. They couldn’t proceed any further as the rock cliff juts into the water, making passage impossible for the earliest travelers.

In the photo below, we see the emigrant trail heading up the hill, past our bikes, while the Dutch Flat Wagon Road continues, following the river. The builders of that road used rock retaining walls so the trail could continue along the river. These retaining walls over 100 years old still support the old roadbed.

The emigrant trail goes left and up, past our bikes. The Lincoln Highway continues starlight.

We followed the emigrant trail markers for a bit, as we had heard there was a pioneer grave somewhere along the trail near here. The photo below shows the emigrant trail's view back down to our bikes leaning against the “T” marker. Once again, we are amazed at these early travelers' perseverance making climbs such as this with all their possessions in a wagon pulled by oxen.

Looking down from the emigrant trail. You can see our bikes leaning against the “T” marker.

We couldn’t find the pioneer grave and decided to head back down to the river and the road. If you follow the Dutch Fat Wagon Road/Lincoln Highway further west, you rise above the river and can admire the fantastic rock work used for this section. Check out the two photos below taken 100 years apart.

Theodore Wohlbrück photograph cutesy of the Donner Summit Historical Society, Norm Sayler collection.

Looking east on the old Lincoln Highway above the S. Yuba River, Big Bend.

The above photo is taken near the end of the old road, which was destroyed during Interstate 80. Below is a map showing some more of the features mentioned in the post. Fall is an ideal time to visit as the trees start to change color, and the temperatures make for great biking or hiking weather.

Through this narrow passage in the Sierra Nevada mountains, thousands of pioneers and later motorists passed on their way to the Golden State. Big Bend is etched into California History.

Map showing the location of certain features along the emigrant trail in Big Bend.

Big Bend, crossroads in history.

This is an intriguing photo taken by T.C. Wohlbruck of the Big Bend Ranger Station on the Lincoln Highway. We know it’s a TC Wohlbruck photo by the distinctive handwriting and numbering on each of his photos. These photos were taken with the idea of using them as souvenir postcards at his three canteen service stations located in the Sierra Nevada's high country.

Big Bend is rich in history as a resting place along the old Emigrant Trail, the Dutch Flat/Donner Summit Wagon Road, a county road , The Lincoln Highway, Highway 40, and today Hampshire Rocks Road. We see the Lincoln Highway passing by the Big Bend Ranger Station building on the left in the above photo. The road makes a sharp right-hand turn as it heads east, up the mountains towards Donner Summit.

At this time, Highway 40 was still a dream, so the Lincoln Highway followed the old Dutch Flat Wagon Road, which had been built by the Central Pacific Railroad to ferry men and supplies up the mountain for Transcontinental Railroad construction in the 1860s. Once the road was built, the Central Pacific opened it as a toll road, which was very popular. Once the railroad was completed, much of the traffic took the train instead of the wagon road, and the railroad turned it over the counties it passed through. In this case, it became a Placer County Road until 1913 when it became part of the Tranconental Lincoln Highway.

In the above photo, we are standing in the same spot 100 years later. In 1932 Highway 40, the predecessor of the Lincoln Highway was completed through Big Bend. As we can see, the road cut straight ahead, bypassing the sharp right turn the Lincoln Highway made. The Ranger Sation in the older photo has been replaced by a larger Fire and Ranger Station set back a bit from the road at left. We can barely see the old Lincoln Highway turn just past the no-parking sign at the right.

Once you make that right hand turn these days, you will come upon this scene, where we see Monica riding her bike on the old road. There is a large red building along this stretch, but we don’t know what it was used for back in the day. It does appear to have been a barn at one point in its existence. Check out the narrow pass between those large rocks. Between those two rocks traveled the thousands of gold-seekers, emigrants, railroad workers, and transcontinental travelers that used this section of road between the 1860s and 1932.

In the above photo, we are looking west just past the two large rocks.

We see Monica on the old road in the photo below, having just passed by the red building while walking east. The old road eventually curves back out and reconnects with Hampshire Rocks Road, where it would follow the same path until reaching the Hampshire Rock Campground, about a quarter-mile away.

The Big Bend area is a historians dream location. So many old trails pass through here, with stories of survival from the early days. This was the place where the Steven’s-Townsend-Murphy Party spent the winter after having been the first wagon train to cross the Sierra in 1844, even before the ill fated Donner Party’s attempt. An entire day can be spent enjoying and exploring this amazing place.

Below is a map of the area showing the key features.

Map showing key features. Click map for larger view.

The Summit Station and Hotel, Donner Summit

Looking at the photo above you would be forgiven for not knowing that this is likely one of the most historic spots in California railroad history. I’m standing at the site of the Central Pacific Railroad “roundhouse” at Summit Station, Donner Summit. It’s the only evidence of what was a beehive of activity along the transcontinental railroad. In the background, we can see the entrance for tunnel 6, the longest of the tunnels the railroad built. The concrete I’m looking at makes a large circle. This was the foundation for the roundhouse.

Photo: Donner Summit Historical Society, Norm Sayler Collection

With this 1870 photo, we can see the 67’ turntable roundhouse in the photo center. The Summit Hotel is the large white building on the left. The wooden snow tunnel coming towards us it the west portal to Tunnel Six.

Photo: Donner Summit Historical Society, Norm Sayler Collection

The above 1884 diagram is quite helpful in identifying the objects in the photo.

Photo: Donner Summit Historical Society, Norm Sayler Collection.

The above 1920s photo and the one following were taken from the same spot. The first photo shows the Summit Hotel at left, with a ramp to the railroad snow sheds at right. Travelers would wait at the hotel until the train arrived and then proceeded across the ramp to the snow shed and the waiting train. It looks like some folks are digging in the street, maybe looking for gold? Some more people wait at the hotel and behind the truck.

Photo: Donner Summit Historical Society, Norm Sayler Collection

The fantastic photo above shows why people were waiting for the train outside. Notice the snow shed at right, which appears to be on fire with a great amount of smoke billowing out of the vents near the roof. The shed is not on fire; the train has arrived! Everyone would wait until the last minute to work their way through the smoke to the waiting train.

Photo: Donner Summit Historical Society, Norm Sayler Collection.

Here we see the other side of the loading ramp at the Summit Hotel. This photo was taken around 1900, so we are still in the horse and buggy era with a couple of riders with their horses on the road. With a covered area leading to it, at right, is what appears to be a three-story “outhouse.”

Photo: Donner Summit Historical Society, Norm Sayler Collection

This 1927 photo shows the transition from “horse and buggy” days to the automobile era. We are looking the same direction as the photo with the horse riders, but now we see a car driving on the Lincoln Highway, with Lincoln Highway sign visible just to the car's right. The road turned right, just before the building as the ramp to the trains is still standing.

According to the Donner Summit Museum, this is likely one of the last photos of the Summit Hotel as it burned down in 1925. Why is this photo dated 1927? I’ll let you know when I find out.

Map showing key features.

The Yuba River, a historic transportation corridor

This particular spot along the Yuba River has been recorded over the years as transportation has changed. The river is a natural passage once one has passed the summit, headed west. The earliest course along this route were the native people, followed by the first emigrant train across the Sierra, The Stevens-Townsend- Murphy Party. Soon after, others followed this “Overland Emigrant Trail” to realize their dreams. The photo above, taken at the time the road was the Dutch-Flat Donner Summit Wagon Road (DFDLWR), between 1860 to 1870s.

Photo: Donner Summit Historical Society, Norm Sayler Collection.

The DFDLWR operated from 1861 to 1871, with no tolls collected after 1869. The road was less traveled once the Transcontinental Railroad was completed in 1869, as traveling by the railroad was much faster. Over the next 40 years, the three counties maintained the road, but maintenance was limited, as only local traffic used it.  

In 1913 the Lincoln Highway used the old road as part of its transcontinental route, with improvements were made so that automobiles could traverse over the mountains on the old wagon road. The above photo taken by TC Wohlbruck shows the road as the Lincoln Highway, sometime in the 1920s. 

Photo: Donner Summit Historical Society, Norm Sayler Collection.

In 1927 the Lincoln Highway became Highway 40, which in these parts closely followed the older Lincoln. Soon traffic became unbearable. A new highway was built, which is visible on the northern side of the river, opposite the older Lincoln Highway in the above color photograph. The old DFDLWR and Lincoln Highway were no longer maintained as traffic moved to the more modern thoroughfare.

Donner Summit Historical Society, Norm Sayler Collection.

Eventually, as traffic grew Highway 40, it was plagued by crowded roads, such as we see in the above photograph. In 1956 Interstate 80 was the solution! We can see one of the Interstate’s bridges being built in the photograph with the right side of the bridge passing over the older Lincoln Highway.

Map of the location.

Dutch Flat Wagon Road at Castle Creek, Soda Springs.

The wagons in the above photo are headed east on the old Dutch Flat/Donner Summit Wagon Road. The road was built by the Central Pacific Railroad to bring men and equipment to the construction sites along the rail bed. The railroad was completed in 1869, so these wagons are likely headed up to the summit construction with supplies from Dutch Flat.

Once the railroad was built, traffic slowed on these old roads until the transcontinental Lincoln Highway for automobiles was completed in 1913. The Lincoln Highway often utilized the Dutch Flat Wagon Road through Placer and Nevada Counties, and this is one example. The bridge crossing at Castle Creek is still there, through the bridge is made from concrete, and only carries the curious adventure who utilizes the roads less traveled.

Location at Castle Creek, Soda Springs.

Our first "adventure" map!

One of our favorite drives is Auburn to Donner Lake via The Lincoln Highway. You can’t really travel all the way on The Lincoln, as much of it is bypassed, or has fallen into disrepair. We have mapped out what parts you can travel on, and what other alternatives will get you off the freeway. Sometimes freeway driving is the only way, but as soon as we can, we get off and travel on old Highway 40, which roughly follows The Lincoln.

The first incarnation of The Lincoln Highway often followed closely the old wagon roads and emigrant trails of the 19th Century. Where possible we have tried to map out historical markers pointing out these old trails, and actually mapping the trails so you can walk in the wagon ruts of our pioneers.

The entire trip from Auburn To Verdi, Nevada could be made in a day, but would require mostly driving without stopping much. We typically do the Auburn to Donner Lake, and back again in one day, with stops along the way! The section from Donner or Truckee to Verdi is a days worth fun, especially if you visit the town of Boca, which is a great ghost town to visit.

We mark the special historical spots with our logo (as seen above), so you can easily see them. When you “click” the logo either a photo or video explaining the significance of the location will pop up.

The maps are really best used on your portable media device, like a cell phone. The maps can be opened via Google Maps, showing you location and directions to the various places we visit. No longer do you have to figure out where you are on the map, and how to get to that place. It’s a boon for us history buffs!

We cannot make any guarantees as to the accuracy of this, or any map we produce. To the best of our knowledge they are up to date, and we change them as conditions warrant. Never the less, it’s up to you to decide whether to follow the map, or use your ‘gut instincts’ concerning these locations. We do not cross private property that’s marked, nor should you. Be respectful of the environment so these places and routes will stay open for us to explore.

The maps are located in our map section here.