The Official Road Guide of the Lincoln Highway, 1924 edition, stated: "Delightful side trips can be made...Up the beautiful Rock River". One reason for taking the trip to Oregon was to see the colossal statue of Blackhawk -- standing 48 feet tall on the bluffs over the Rock River. Dedicated in 1911, it was created by Lorado Taft, and is the second largest cement statue in the world. The statue was Taft's gift to the people of Illinois, with financial help from Frank Lowden, after whom Lowden State Park is named.
The Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition has produced a series of Interpretive Murals that are installed along the Illinois Lincoln Highway National Scenic Byway and its corridor across northern Illinois. Each mural depicts the history, heritage and events of the highway and its impact on the communities.