2026 marks the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Numbered Highway System. To commemorate this milestone, the Sioux City Public Museum will explore the city’s earliest federal highways—U.S. 20 and U.S. 75—during History at High Noon: Road Trip to Sioux City on Highways 20 & 75, presented by Matt Anderson on Thursday, April 16 at 12:05 p.m. Attendees will discover how these major thoroughfares transformed from dirt wagon roads into paved state highways and, ultimately, into integral parts of the nation’s first unified highway system.

Located at a key transportation crossroads, Sioux City has long been shaped by the routes that pass through it. U.S. Highway 20 stretches east to west from Boston, Massachusetts, to Newport, Oregon, while U.S. Highway 75 runs north to south from Noyes, Minnesota, to Galveston, Texas. This program will feature historic maps and photographs that illustrate how these essential roadways have evolved over time, and how that evolution has influenced Sioux City’s development.

This presentation is part of the Sioux City Public Museum’s 250th anniversary programming, celebrating the community’s enduring role in American history.

History at High Noon is a popular lunchtime photo-based program series held on the third Thursday of each month at 12:05 p.m. at the Sioux City Public Museum. Attendees are welcome to bring their own lunches to enjoy during these free presentations.