Lincoln Highway Ran Through El Cerrito

From the Dec. 28, 2011, El Cerrito (California) Patch "First Trans-U.S. Highway Ran Through El Cerrito" by Rich Bartke.

Rich Bartke is the president of the El Cerrito Historical Society.

San Pablo Aenue is the main artery of El Cerrito and runs through Emeryville, Berkeley, Alburg, El Cerrito, Richmond, San Pablo, Pinole and Hercules as well as Rodeo and Crockett and a couple now-gone towns.

Originally it was the El Camino Real (meaning main road)  Then, it became part of the Lincoln Highway and later U.S.-40 and I-80.

In 1928, it was marked by Boy Scouts (replicas of them are being placed in El Cerrito)

In 1935, the Lincoln Highway Association dissolved and was reformed October 1992 for the purpose of preservation.

As a teenager, Rich Bartke's father bought a  '20 or '21 Model T Ford, upgraded it and drove the entire length of the Lincoln Highway from New York to Berkeley.

Never heard of San Pablo Avenue.  --RoadDog