Today’s Stop: Council Bluffs, Iowa

Today, the Overdrive 40th Anniversary Tour stops at the TA in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Council Bluffs, Iowa, has a history so rich you could cash it in and take it to one of the nearby casinos. Lewis and Clark traveled through there as part of the westward expansion in the early 1800s. Abraham Lincoln scouted the area for the expansion of the first railroad that would cross America.

SCENIC HIGHWAYS & BYWAYS

Lincoln Highway

Hwy 183 and Hwy 6 (Broadway):America’s first coast-to-coast highway passes through Council Bluffs. This route cut time on a trip that had taken up to 90 days prior to 1913 to 6 days in 1915.

Loes Hills National Scenic Byway

The unique landscape of the Loess Hills provides a blend of the past and present. It consists of 220 miles of paved highway in seven counties along the Missouri River. Tours offer ridge-top views of the Missouri River valley, woodlands, prairies and landmarks. A National Scenic Byway rated among the best in the country.


LEWIS & CLARK SITES

Lewis and Clark Monument and Scenic Overlook

This monument, north of Big Lake Park, honors the expedition of Lewis & Clark in 1804 and their historic meeting with the Otoe and Missouri Indians. This historic attraction will be part of the Lewis & Clark National Bicentennial Celebration in 2004. Expansive westward view of the Missouri River valley. Free admission.

19962 Monument Rd
(712) 328-4650
Hours: Year round 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.


LINCOLN MONUMENT

This impressive pylon was erected in July 1911. The site commemorates where Abraham Lincoln stood in 1859 to view and select the site for the eastern terminus of the nation’s first transcontinental railroad.

Lafayette Ave. near Fairview Cemetery.


CONFEDERATE AIR FORCE MUSEUM

The museum features four WW II airplanes and many other period aviation memorabilia. No admission fee. Donations accepted.

Council Bluffs Airport, Old Hwy 6/McPherson Ave
(712) 322-2435 or (712) 328-4682
Hours: Reservations requested.

Next stop:
West Grand Island, Neb.

August 19
TA
West Grand Island, Neb.
I-80 & Exit 305 Alda Road