Niland's Cafe is located at the Reed-Niland Corner beside a restored gas station and the Colo Motel at the junction of two of the famous pre-numbered highways: the Lincoln Highway going east-west and Jefferson Highway going north-south.
The buildings are owned by the Colo Development Group and the Wilsons are leasing and managing the businesses.
In the early days of automobile travel, two famous roads named for presidents, the Lincoln and Jefferson intersected just outside of Colo, Iowa, at a spot that became known as the Reed-Niland Corner.
In 1923, a Colo farmer named Charlie Reed began selling gasoline and soon after that added food and lodging to his roadside business. He was assisted in the effort by his nephew M. Reed Niland. Three generations of the two related families served customers for more than 70 years and the location became known as the Reed-Niland Corner or Niland's Corner.
Located at 24 Lincoln Way in Colo, Niland's Cafe is open Fridays 11 am to 7 pm, Saturdays 7 am to 7 pm, and Sundays 7 am to 2 pm.
--RoadDog
