The original Lincoln Highway was built from Omaha to Elkhorn in 1913. The Lincoln Highway crossed the
Missouri River into Omaha on the old Douglas Street Bridge and traveled west on
Dodge Street, from which point it began meandering across the state following
section lines. The elimination of the Omaha section managed to preserve the roadway from too much usage, effectively securing its usage and appreciation today. Additionally, the
Rose Blumkin Performance Arts Center at 20th and Farnam Street and the
Farnam Street Automobile Row, from 30th to 40th Streets were both important landmarks. There were several other attractions on the Lincoln Highway in Omaha. They included
Jobber's Canyon, a warehousing district in the downtown area that once
outfitted the
Old West, and
Peony Park, an amusement park that was home to
Lawrence Welk's orchestra in the 1930s. Other important landmarks along the highway included the Guy Barton Mansion, built in 1892 and demolished in 1982; the
Hupmobile dealership at 25th and Farnam, which is the last preserved
Hupmobile dealership in the United States, and; John Sutter's Mill, built in 1847 and the intersection of Saddle Creek Road and
Dodge Street, immediately east of the
Saddle Creek Underpass, was a landmark during the entire life of the Highway, and predated the incorporation of the neighboring towns of
Dundee and
Benson.
Preservation In 1975 the
Douglas County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution to maintain and preserve the roadway. In the 1980s preservationists pushed for the highway to be restored after plans were revealed that covered the road with
asphalt. The section was eventually restored with original bricks that were laid in 1920. To protect the brickwork, vehicles weighing 6 tons or more are now banned from the highway. ==Development==