Page 6 - RAGBRAI2008

day 2 - Harlan to Jefferson

“A Walk Back Eureka Bridge, Jefferson
Through Time” The 81 mile journey from Harlan to
Jefferson takes us past 37 recorded
People have lived in archaeological sites and brings us
Iowa for at least 13,000 back for one of our longest stretches
years, which is about along the old Lincoln Highway. We
650 generations. For meet up with it again in the town of
this presentation, the Scranton, just 8 miles west of
participants will take a Jefferson. As we peddle along what
walk back in time, was the first transcontinental
where each step highway, we’ll see remnants of gas
represents one stations and roadside motels from
generation. After the the early twentieth century, as well
first 25 paces get us to as Lincoln Highway markers that
the time of Columbus, still dot the landscape. About 3 miles
we will continue west of Jefferson we come to the
traveling back in time, North Raccoon River, and the
stopping every couple historic Eureka Bridge that spans it.
thousand years to talk This beautiful 5-arch concrete bridge
about what it would was erected along the Lincoln
have been like living in Highway in 1912 and is still in use
Iowa at that time. today. While we make an overnight
We’ll develop an stop in Jefferson, we will continue
appreciation for how along the old Lincoln Highway for
Native Americans another 9 miles on Day 3, en route to
adapted to the land, Ames.
and changed their
ways of life through
time. Wear sturdy
shoes as we will cover
about half a mile,
walking and talking as
we go!

Presenter: Joe Alan Artz,
Office of the State
Archaeologist

When: 4:00pm,
Monday, July 21st
Where: Greene County
Historical Museum,
219 East Lincolnway,
Jefferson