Letter to the Editor:

Prairie Rivers of Iowa is a nonprofit organization based in Ames with a mission to promote community-based stewardship that will improve the quality of life of our citizens, preserve the ecological integrity of the land, and meet the economic aspirations of landowners and communities. As part of this mission, we manage the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway for the Iowa Department of Transportation as part of the Iowa Byways program, The Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway is the longest byway in Iowa and the only byway designated as a heritage, or historic, roadway.

Prairie Rivers of Iowa supports the mission of the Lincoln Highway Bridge Park Tama Toledo Organization and their work to preserve and improve the historic and scenic qualities of the Lincoln Highway. Their effort to promote The Lincoln Highway, and the Tama and Toledo communities, to travelers is a model for other communities along the byway to look to.

The organization’s efforts to support the preservation and rehabilitation of the Lincoln Highway Bridge, one of the most significant architectural elements along the Lincoln Highway in any state, are particularly important. We will assist the organization in researching grant and fundraising in, publicizing and marketing their activities to ensure strong attendance, and providing connections to the wider Lincoln Highway community in Iowa. In fact, the Iowa Lincoln Highway Association will be holding its Fall 2014 meeting in Tama, and the Bridge Park Tama Toledo Organization is closely involved in the planning. We hope that our assistance can support the organization in reaching its goals in the future.

Please do not hesitate to contact me or our Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway Coordinator, Angie Hettinger, at (515) 232-0048 if you would like any additional information. We are looking forward to working with you to preserve and enhance the Lincoln Highway in Iowa!

Penny Brown Huber

Executive Director

Prairie Rivers of Iowa

Ames