"Stagecoaches, Roadside Taverns, and Travel in the Nineteenth Century" by Theresa Gay Rohall
Saturday January 18, 2025 - 1:00pm
The Lincoln Highway Experience Museum will be hosting its first installment of the 2025 Lincoln Highway Talks lecture series on Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 1:00pm. The 2025 series – titled “Diners, Dive-Ins, and Drives” – will focus on various roadside businesses popular during the hey-day of the Lincoln Highway such as local eateries, public parks and pools, drive-in movie theaters, and other attractions.
As an introduction to this series theme, our first talk of the year will highlight regional roadside eateries which predate the Lincoln Highway, such as the Compass Inn and the Johnston House. To present this first topic, the Lincoln Highway Experience welcomes Theresa Gay Rohall - Executive Director of the Compass Inn Museum and Ligonier Valley Historical Society in Laughlintown, PA – to present the history of stagecoach stops, taverns, and dining in western Pennsylvania during the nineteenth century. These historic eateries were instrumental in the westward development of the United States and laid the groundwork for American travel which would culminate in the development of the nation’s modern road systems, such as the Lincoln Highway. Theresa’s presentation will highlight the prominence of these stagecoach stops and what the dining experience was like for passengers and guests during the height of eastern American stagecoach travel.
Coffee & cookies will be provided for a suggested donation of $1.
About Theresa Gay Rohall:
Theresa Gay Rohall has been the executive director at Compass Inn Museum and Ligonier Valley Historical Society since 2014. Previously, she was the executive director of Artworks in Johnstown and the education coordinator at Powdermill Nature Reserve for almost twenty years. Theresa has served in various capacities on multiple boards and advisory committees for regional nonprofit and community organizations. She is currently the chairperson of Westmoreland County Parks & Recreation and board treasurer of GO Laurel Highlands.
