Lincoln Highway

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From Wyoming Tales and Trails

This page: Lincoln Highway, Little America .



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Panoramic view of Little America from a portion of a circa 1952 place mat.

As depicted in the above view from a circa 1952 place man, the facility was reconstruct in 1949 along side the proposed route for I-80. Not withstanding that Little America was a nice, new facility, it struggled. In October of 1952, R. Earl Holding, Covey's son-in-law purchased an interest in the facility and took over management. There was a turn around. Holding eventually purchased full ownership. Thus, Little America changed from Covey's Little America to Holding's Little America and it grew and grew.


Holding's Little America.

The sign inidicates that there are 55 pumps at the station. In addition to the place mats and postcards, other souveniers were made available in the souvenier shop.


Souvenier Shop, Little America.


Souvenier Shop plates, Little America.

Thus, the small cabin court has grown somewhat. By the 1960;s it was single largest gas station in the United States. It was estimated that more than 50% of all motorist on I-80 stopped at Little America and more than 20% of all trucks stopped. In 1965, a Little America was opened in Cheyenne. In 1967, Little America purhcased its own refinery in Casper and later acquired an interest in Sinclair Refining Company. Thus, the small two-pump roadside combination cafe and gas station swallowed a brontosuarous and became a major oil company.


Covey's Little America, Granger

Still growing, today the cafe and dining room can seat 250. 16 semi-tractors can refuel at the same time. The facility can store some 250,000 gallons of fuel. Six semi-tractors can fit in its service bays. On an average some 1.5 millions of fuel are sold a month. Branches have been opened elsewhere including major resort hotels.

As previously noted, at Granger, the Lincoln Highway split, one route going through Diamondville and into Idaho, the the other to Evanston and into Utah. When highways were given numbers, in a moment of bureaucratic common sense, the segment to Evanston the segment to Evanston was designated US 30-S and the segment to Diamondville US 30-N. With the completion of I-80 in the area in the 1970's, 30-S was de-designated.

Next page: Granger.