Down Da 66: Rock Cafe-- Santa Monica Pier Wheel-- Berwyn Main Street-- Celebrating 8th Year

Some New News about an Old Road.


1. ROCK CAFE-- Sad to hear last week in the Route 66 News, that the Rock Cafe had burned to the ground late Tuesday night. It is an immensely popular site and has been serving up some great grub to 66 travelers since the 1930s. Dawn Welch has owned it since 1993 and vows to rebuild. Fortunately, the distinctive Ozark-style giraffe stone exterior still stands.


2. SANTA MONICA PIER WHEEL-- The old one is down and en route to OKC, but the new one in Santa Monica, Ca., is set to open tomorrow with a lighting ceremony, fire works, and free RIDEs, popcorn and cotton candy. Such a deal.

The new one stands 130 feet high, has 20 gondolas seating six each and can handle up to 600 riders an hour. It cost $1.5 million and has 1160,000 LED lights for energy savings. These lights will be coordinated by a computer system.


3. BERWYN MAIN STREET-- Staff members from the Illinois Historical Preservation Commission visited Berwyn, Illinois May 21st to discuss with businessmen the creation of a Main Street organization along the Cermak Road Corridor. These Main Street programs are a great thing aiming to help businesses and increase tourism in decaying small town business districts.

This will be a great thing for Berwyn, but you have to wonder why they would have allowed the Spindle to be taken down without more of a fight. This was a MAJOR tourist draw for the town.


4. CELEBRATING 8TH YEAR-- the May 26th Desert Dispatch of Barstow, Ca., reports that the Route 66 Mother Road Museum is celebrating its 8th year this June 14th. Excellent museum in the old Casa Del Desierto Harvey House from 1910.

Just Some Items from the Mother Road. --RoadDog