Highway 61 and the Lincoln Hwy

Cathy Wurzer wrote the book on Hwy 61 and brought back a nostalgia for this north/south highway.  It is fascinating and we saw much of it when we did our trip to the Gulf of Mexico and back up along the Mississippi - perhaps it should be known as the Mississippi Highway.

We left Benton Harbor along the shores of Lake Michigan and with a long road day ahead chose to see country instead of freeways.  We followed the Lincoln Highway (30) to Highway 20 and then to Highway 61.  It was a long trip, but we stopped when we were inspired and did not worry about how many miles or hours were left.

This included time in Galena, IL (before we got to HWY 61) where we walked among the brick buildings, bought spices and pickles at the Garlic Shop, a pie cover at the Gourmet Shop, salsa and a hot sauce at another specialty store, and picked up a mixed six pack of Root Beer at a Root Beer Store.  Really - a Root Beer store! We shared a root beer float before heading back to the car.  The local economy definitely benefitted with this stop - not our plan originally, but you know how it goes I'm sure.



Picking up 61 in East Dubuque we traveled north with our first great find in Dickeyville.  I found this hilarious - I know some will think that irreverent, but that is irrelevant - I enjoy the trappings of religion and all the unique ways people find to express their faith (as long as they are not forcing their beliefs, harming others, or trying to take over the government).  The  Holy Ghost Park and Grotto is on the Wisconsin Heritage Trail. It looks like someone spent a lifetime building these structures, fences, towers and monuments with colored stones, glass and seashells.








We found another impressive monument in Lancaster. The City Hall.  A secular monument. I found the emphasis on the civil war interesting in this non-combatant state.

Along this stretch there is in the town of Tennyson. Do you think people there read his poetry?  And another of Fennimore - this is truly the literary section of the road.


We returned to the Mississippi and highway 35 (not the freeway) and enjoyed the view at Lynxville - an appropriate place for a Link to pause.




 Then it was back on MN 61 and great views of the river, like these views of Perrot State Park:



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