OHIO LINCOLN HIGHWAY LEAGUE (OLHL) SPEAKER’S BUREAU

Any time we can gather enough ears to listen to our story, several members of the OLHL are willing to speak on the subject of the Lincoln Highway.  If you would like have someone speak to your group or class, please contact one of the members below.  These speakers are located across the length of the Lincoln Highway in Ohio.  The talks are free of charge; however, the speaker should be reimbursed for traveling expenses.

MIKE BUETTNER
Lima, Ohio
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After sixteen years, Mike recently stepped down as President of the OLHL, the Ohio affiliate of the national Lincoln Highway Association.  He continues to serve as Secretary of OLHL, and as editor of Buckeye Ramblings, the official newsletter of the OLHL.  Mike is also the author of A History and Road Guide of the Lincoln Highway in Ohio, which is the featured article at the OLHL web site.  In addition, he has prepared articles for that site which cover other significant highways in Ohio.  He may be contacted during business hours by calling 419-227-1135.

JIM CASSLER
Canton, Ohio
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Jim is president of the Eastern Ohio Chapter of the OLHL, and is also a Director of the Ohio Lincoln Highway Historic Byway.  In addition, he is also the owner and operator of the Klingstedt Brothers Company and the Lincoln Highway Trading Post.  Jim has logged many miles traveling the length of the Lincoln Highway, and is eager to share his experiences with interested groups.  He has also been active in promoting Ohio’s Lincoln Highway as a viable tour destination.  He can be contacted during business hours by calling 330-456-8319.

MIKE HOCKER
Galion, Ohio
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Mike is a founding member and Executive Director of the Ohio Lincoln Highway Historic Byway, an organization dedicated to economic development of the road, all while preserving its significant history.  Mike was a Main Street manager and is familiar with the task of promoting small communities.  He is the owner of Package Power, LLC, a design and marketing studio in Galion, Ohio.  He can be contacted during business hours by calling 419-468-6773.

MIKE McNAULL
Ashland, Ohio
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Mike is President of the Mid-Ohio Chapter of the OLHL, and is also the Vice-President of the OLHL.  He received his M.B.A. from Ashland University.  In addition to doing programs on the subject of the Lincoln Highway, Mike also is available for informal presentations on the subject of Ohio Indian trails, battles, and so forth.  He can be contacted at home by calling 419-281-3064.

Esther Queneau
Ashland, Ohio
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419-289-4323
412-498-4930 Cell

Esthers topics of talk are:

1. The COMPETITION for the CROSS COUNTRY TRIP (I have copy of the announcement from the March 1928 Boy Scout publication) - they reported to Camp Siwanoy on 1 July 1928 - spent two days honing their demonstration skills, and then were hosted by each of the three judges to two days of sightseeing around NYC, including a visit to Theodore Roosevelt's house at Oyster Bay, where they were awed by the big game heads displayed in the house -- Coney Island, fireworks at the Westchester Biltmore Country Club.  They then had to write an essay about the visit to New York, as those going to Africa had to write a book on the ships when returning home. 
2. THE LOSERS WERE WINNERS - of the seven finalist in the contest to go on Safari with Martin & Olsa Johnson, big-game photographers in Africa, three were selected for the Safari, and the remaining four were given a cross-country trip on the Lincoln Highway.  Using Bernie's diary of the trip, I selected four unusual things that they saw:
1. The new Rialto Square Theater in Joliet IL - Bernie wrote that it was "credited with having the longest foyer in the world."  The very palatial theater opened in 1926, and today it is listed as one of the Top Ten Theaters in the country.  It was a composite of architectural styles, and the first talking picture, "Lights of New York," was shown there on October 9, 1928
2. Cheyenne Frontier Days - Ken Maynard, a singing cowboy movie star, was there filming a movie, and he participated in the rodeo.  He was a forerunner of Gene Autry and Roy Rogers.
3. At Rock Springs WY, they were joined at campfire by Bill Stroud, a local man who roamed all over Wyoming, knew every square mile of it and painted various scenes.  He showed his artwork, some of which had been published in National Geographic.
4. After completing the trip, they headed south to Los Angeles, with a stop at Yosemite to see FireFall -- at dusk, rangers would light a bonfire on overhang at top of Yosemite, and then push the embers off, so there was a cascade of fire down the face of the massive stone.
3. PRE-FAB HOME of the FUTURE - about the Lustron Corporation in Columbus OH in 1948 - The Top of the Mark Motel at east edge of Canton was the only Lustron motel in the country.  The then owner probably bought the bedroom units when the company went belly-up in 1948.  It's a parallel story to the Tucker automobile:  both borrowed money from FHA, promising to deliver a 100 cars/pre-fab houses per day -- but barely made 50.  Both went bankrupt, and FHA foreclosed on them.  The Top of the Mark Motel is a restoration project waiting to be done -- which would please Canton police, as I understand drug dealers own it now.  It's a restoration job waiting to be done.  Also, there is a Lustron home at 406 Lincoln Way in Minerva OH.  The owner bought it when he returned from WW II, and has lived in it ever since.  He doesn't take care of his lawn, and has enclosed the entrance portico, but it's a Lustron home.
4. CONNECTING EAST and WEST COASTS -- The Mayflower landed on the eastern coast, while out west, the Russians were coming down from the North, establishing fur trading posts, which the Mexicans were coming up from the south, establishing Missions.   When gold was discovered in 1848, going by sailing vessel down around Cape Horn took the better part of a year.  A train across the Isthmus of Panama shortened the trip somewhat - the Panama Canal shortened it more.  Trips by land or sea were hazardous, and food was a problem.  Morse Code in 1861 connected it voice-wise.  The final two connections:  The Bell Telephone Line and the Lincoln Highway, both completed in 1914; both held off their celebrations until the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco.

ROSEMARY RUBIN AND BOB LICHTY
Canton, Ohio
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Both Rosemary and Bob have served on the Executive Committee of the Lincoln Highway Association (LHA) as State Director for Ohio.  In addition, Bob is a Past-President of the LHA.  This husband and wife team has traveled the Lincoln Highway many times, and has experienced the highway in a variety of ways.  Together, they chaired the 2003 Lincoln Highway Cross-Country Tour, and were part of the planning team for the Lincoln Highway Centennial Celebration in June 2013.  They may be contacted by calling either 330-418-3980 (for Rosemary) or 330-704-5271 (for Bob).