Lincoln Highway Map, Point of Rocks to Evanston
Until 1926, the Lincoln Highway was referred to by name. In 1926,
the highway was designated as U.S. Rte. 30. This provoked a furious
debate between Kemmerer and Evanston as to the route for the numbered highway.
Road Grading near Rock Springs, 1918
Ultimately, the dispute was resolved by designating the original route through
Evanston as 30S and the route through Diamondville and Kemmerer as 30N, the
highways splitting at Granger.
To the west of Rock Springs, the Lincoln Highway came to Green River. Near Green River, the highway
crossed the river three times.
Green River bridge.
Although, a campground was available, the Complete Guide to the Lincoln Highway indicated that there
were four hotels, 2 garages, auto supplies, tires, and a repair shop available. The speed limit of 15 m.p.h. was, according to
the guide, enforced. The route through town was marked and there were signs at the town limits. As indicated by the next photo,
the directional signs may not have been very large.
Shanghai Hotel, Green River, 1924. Note the directional sign
on the left for the Tomahawk Hotel.
Entrance to Green River, 1940.
Prior to the construction of the Tomahawk Hotel in 1921, the hotels in Green River were lacking in some of the
modern conveniences. Two of the four hotels referred to in the Complete Guide, the Oxford and the Big Horn were torn down in 1919 to permit
expansion of the Railroad property. The Overland Hotel and Restaurant was located opposite the
railroad depot on the south side of the tracks. The Shanghai was popular for railroad crews and later may have been
popular for other reasons. In 1949, Eugene Thompson was shot by Charles Allen when Allen found his wife in a room
in the hotel with Thompson. Allen was found guilty of manslaughter.
Hotel Tomahawk, approx. 1940.
The Hotel Tomahawk closed in 1980. When it was constructed the Green River Star, May 6, 1921, noted that there had been
a "crying need" for such an establishment in Green River for many years. The hotel was the first constructed in
Green River to
face the Lincoln Highway rather than face the railroad.
Before the availaility of decent hotels or for those who could not afford them, west of town there was a campground.
Campground, Green River, approx. 1920.
For photos and history of Green River see Green River.
Next page: Lincoln HIghway Continued, the Green River Palasades.
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