When it was established in 1963, the Lincoln Heritage Trail was intended to link historic sites across three states. Today, only remnants remain, a relic of a not-so-distant era of travel.

At its peak, the Trail was a 960-mile winding path through Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois, the three states that Abraham Lincoln called home in his pre-presidential years.

Brown-and-gray roadside signs that depicted Lincoln’s head and resembled a coin dotted the landscape, through both rural and urban areas. Main and alternate routes of the trail led motorists, at least in theory, to historic sites relating to Lincoln’s life.

The origins of the Trail stretch back to 1915, when the Illinois General Assembly requested the Illinois State Historical Library to mark the routes that Lincoln had traveled from Kentucky to Illinois. The Trail that opened a half-century later was a combination of history, tourism, and marketing.

In an interview for Andrew Ferguson’s acclaimed 2007 book Land of Lincoln: Adventures in Abe’s America, former Illinois tourism director Robert Newman attributed the establishment of the Trail to an unusual source.

“The whole thing was cooked up by the marketing guys at the American Petroleum Institute,” Newman said in the book. “They wanted to get people traveling. Get ‘em into their cars, get ‘em buying gasoline.”

Governors in each of the three Lincoln states were recruited to support the project, and similar motor trails were also established in other parts of the nation.

“There was a definite element of commercialism in it,” said Ferguson, a senior editor for the Weekly Standard in Washington, D.C. “It wasn’t just a historic venture. Like most things, there’s always a dollar sign attached.”

During its heyday, the Lincoln Heritage Trail was a resounding success. All three states heavily promoted the venture, and brochures with trail maps were produced in large quantities. Local documentaries were produced, and a commemorative coin was minted.

The Chicago Tribune carried coverage of the Trail on its Sunday front page three times in 1964, and traffic along the routes was substantially higher.

Some sites on the original Trail had dubious connections to Lincoln. A number of golf courses, recreational lakes, and tourist caves were included, as well as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

But the boosting of the historic sites brought an appreciation of Lincoln and American history to a new generation as car travel became commonplace for Americans.

Nearly sixty years after its inception, the Trail is mostly forgotten today. A mere handful of signs remain, many of them in disrepair. There is no official website, and brochures outlining the Trail route are scarce.

Some lament the Trail’s passing. “Part of it for me is purely personal,” remarked Ferguson. “I grew up in Chicago in the 1960s, and my parents would take trips that weren’t too far from home. We’d find the Lincoln Heritage Trail signs, and we had a map of the Trail. I have very fond memories of it.”

Some have taken steps to revive the Trail. The state of Kentucky has re-established its section of the Lincoln Heritage Trail as part of the Lincoln Bicentennial celebrations of 2008-10.

Municipal and nonprofit organizations joined to rebuild what one state website calls “not only a physical journey” but also “a personal journey through a life that continually brought Lincoln into contact with his fellow Kentuckians.”

Though admittedly nostalgic, Ferguson sees plenty of reasons to keep the Lincoln Heritage Trail. “It was so comprehensive, taking in all three states,” he said. “It had such great scenery, especially in southern Indiana. Even though some of the areas along the Trail have suffered, there’s still plenty of enchantment to think that the great Abraham Lincoln lived there. It’s hard to place a dollar value on that.”

Still, Trail signs in some communities remain visible and, in many cases, well-maintained. “We’ve tried to keep the signs for various trails up and in good condition,” said Olivia Majerchin, executive director of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce in Mt. Vernon, Ill. “Here, there are committees of the city council who oversee the signs and make reports on them.”

As in Mount Vernon, the city of Galesburg, Ill., has placed some emphasis on Lincoln Heritage Trail signs. Bill Morris, the former executive director of the Galesburg Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, says that reflects the city’s effort to maintain its wayfinding skills.

“I think it’s suffered from a lack of promotion,” he said. “But I think it still brings in some visitors. Lincoln is still a very hot topic and will continue to be. I believe the Trail is something that needs work, and could be renewed.”

• Tom Emery is a freelance writer and historical researcher from Carlinville, Illinois. He may be reached at 217-710-8392 or ilcivilwar@yahoo.com.