News From Along Route 66-- May 2015: The Sputnik and Lenore

MAY 19TH:    The Sputnik ball from Springfield, Illinois' doomed Bel Aire Motel will be saved and restored for a sign company's sign museum.  Ace Sign Company of Springfield will place it in their neon museum, which started operating today at 2340 S. First Street.

They also have a large collection of Reisch Brewing, Stag Beer, Steak N Shake and Hub clothing store signs.  It is believed that the Bel-Aire's owner installed the Sputnik ball in the 1960s during the Space Race.  The motel itself was built on Route 66 in the early 1950s and has been in severe decline since 2000.

It would have been nice to have saved the motel, but it was too far gone.  The Sputnik was by far the neatest thing about it and the motel sign hopefully will be saved as well.

MAY 20TH:  The Odell Station in Odell, Illinois, held a commemoration for Laura Weiss, wife of Mr. Route 66 in Illinois, John Weiss.  Between the two of them, they have been great to have on our stretch of the Mother Road.  Their efforts helped preserve this great old gas station.

It was held May 23.  Lenore died of cancer in 2010

The gas station was builtin 1932 as a Standard Oil station.  Then later, it was Sinclair and Phillips 66.  It closed in the 1970s and is on the NRHP.

We are so happy to have met and talked with Lenore Weiss on many occasions.  She is missed.

--RoadDog

Lenore Weiss

Liz and I were very sad to hear about the death of Lenore Weiss, one of Route 66's biggest advocates along with her husband John. We knew that she had cancer for quite awhile, but she never made an issue of it and continued on doing her works the whole time.

We have met and talked to her on numerous occasions and hold ourselves among the lucky ones to have had the opportunity to meet her.

You'll never find a more pleasant and approachable person to talk to.

Her death, coming so close to that of Bob Waldmire (and there is a great picture of the two of them taken from a few months ago, greatly decimates that special group of 66ers so responsible for the old highway's resurgence.

We'll Miss You, Lenore. --RoadDog

Some More Route 66 Stuff

As always, Route 66 gets its fair share of news.

1. JOLIET, ILLINOIS- This past Sunday, several Route 66 authors had a book signing at the Joliet Area Historical Museum.

Lenore and John Weiss were autographing their three books. They have had several printings of "Traveling the New Historic Route 66 of Illinois", a definite book you want to have when going through the state. They also have a short book called "As the Story Goes" which has all kinds on interesting Route 66 stories. Their newest is "Traveling the Historic Three" about Route 66, the Lincoln Highway, and the Dixie Highway. They have their own website and run bus tours and continue to play a huge part in the preservation of the road in Illinois.

Dave Clark, the Windy City Road Warrior, was also there signing his two new books: "In the Loop on US 66: Exploring the Mother Road in Chicagoland" and "Images of America: Route 66 in Illinois. Dave runs fantastic tours of Route 66 in downtown Chicago.

You can go to their websites at:

www.il66authority.com for Lenore and John Weiss

www.windycityroadwarrior.com for Dave Clark

I have been fortunate to meet these folks on several occasions. It is always a pleasure.

2. Speaking of books, I hear that Dave Wickline is preparing a follow up to his excellent "Images of 66" photographic trip along the Mother Road. I strongly recommend that anyone planning a trip along the road make this one of the books to take along with them. Each picture is accompanied by very informative captions.

3. SELIGMAN, ARIZONA- The August 25th Prescott, Az, Daily Courier reports that you will be seeing lots of those old Burma Shave sign groups along Route 66 both east and west of Seligman. Of course, Seligman is a Route 66 treat in itself with the Delgadillos and Snow Cap Drive-In.

A twenty mile stretch of the original 66, just north of I-40 will have 12 five sign sets of Burma Shave signs put up on both sides of the road.

Passing cars
When you can't see
May get you a glimpse
Of eternity
Burma Shave

I always enjoy seeing these old signs. Takes me right back, you know.


4. TULSA, OKLAHOMA- The Oklahoma Centennial Fund has given Tulsa $400,000 for a theme park in the western part of the town. The park is called Red Fork Derrick and the money will be used to build an 80 foot tall oil derrick to serve as a centerpiece. They already has a 1942 steam engine that used to run through Tulsa.

Red Fork Derrick is one of 21 different tourist attractions along the 23 miles of Route 66 in town that Tulsa intends to promote.

I also see that a street beautification project is being planned for the Red Fork area.

Keep up the good work, Tulsa!!!

Keep on Down that Two Lane Highway. --RoadDog

Lenore and John Weiss- Route 66 Preservationists

The July 16th Kankakee, Illinois Daily Journal had an article about Wilmington residents Lenore and John Weiss went to Pontiac, Il, recently and have touched up the old Illinois Highway 4 shield on one of the end posts of an old bridge in town. It was getting might faded.

The Weisses have been traveling 66 since 1989 and been leaders in Route 66 preservation since 1994.

About ten years ago, while driving an old alignment on the north side of Pontiac, Lenore caught a glimpse of a faint outline of Illinois with the number4 centered in it. This was the old Illinois State Highway 4 which was mostly done away with when Route 66 was built.

Unfortunately, structural problems to the old 1920s bridge necessitated its replacement a few years ago, but the city kept the end posts, including the one with the Il-4 on it. They also rebuilt the railings to resemble the original ones.

The Weisses have recently updated their guidebook "Historic Route 66 of Illinois" which is now in its 6th printing. This is the Route 66 source you want to use while traveling the old road in Illinois. On our first trip along the road in the spring of 2002, we bought a copy of it at the Cozy Dog in Springfield, and it greatly improved our trip the rest of the way.

They are also still involved with preservation projects like the old Log Cabin in Pontiac, the Mill in Lincoln, and a 1936 gas station in Bloomington. This past weekend, the Route 66 Association of Illinois worked at the wonderfully restored 1920s Standard station in Odell. Several months ago, a lady from Toronto, on a five hour layover at O'Hare, rented a car and drove the nearly one hundred miles to see it.

They also give tours of the Illinois section of the road. You can go to their website www.il66authority.com
They also just recently authored the book "Traveling the...Historic Three" about a 110 mile triangular tour you can make and go on not only Route 66, but also the Lincoln Highway and Dixie Highway, two roads that predate Route 66.

Route 66 is Made up of Many People Like the Weisses. --RoadDog