Our 48th Wedding Anniversary and the 'Lincoln Crawl'-- Part 1

Yesterday, Liz and I celebrated out 48th wedding anniversary at Donovan's Reef on Twin Lakes, Wisconsin.  We had been planning on going to Galena, Illinois, where we had gone for our honeymoon in 1973.  But, with all this flareup with the virus, we canceled plans to do it.

We were married in DeKalb, Illinois, on August 25, 1973.  We had both just graduated from Northern Illinois University there in May,

The whole time we were going there, we often went to places (specially those of the bar sort) on the main road through town which was called the Lincoln Highway.  At the time, that name was just the name of another street.  We had no idea of its importance of it in U.S. transportation history.  Hey, it was the first American transcontinental highway and went from New York City to San Francisco.

As a matter of fact, we didn't know its importance all the way up to 2002, when we "discovered" Route 66  and the fun of driving those old roads.

During our college student years and afterwards as alumni, we often did what students referred to as the "Lincoln Crawl."  This would be to hit a lot  of bars along this Lincoln Highway street.  Many of our college bars were on Lincoln.

And, that would include such as The Uprising, Shamrock, Andy's, McCabe's, Candle Light and Sullivan's.

And, back then you didn't have to worry much about the police and DUIs.  It just wasn't done like it is today.

To Say the Least, We Sure Partied on the Lincoln Highway.  --RoadDog

Lincoln Highway, Sept. 2020: Lauren Buches New Executive Director of Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor in Pennsylvania

News along the Lincoln Highway. September 29, 2020

Lauren Buches is currently with the Latrobe Art Center and is a University of Pittsburgh graduate with degrees in history and journalism.  She has worked at Westmoreland Heritage,  Bushy Run Battlefield (Pontiac's Rebellion 1763) and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

She will be splitting her time in October between the art museum and training with Olga Hebert, outgoing executive director of the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor.

As for Olga Herbert, she will still be  on the road as she and her husband Joe travel to visit their five children.  It just won't be on Route 30, the Lincoln Highway.

"There's other roads out there besides the Lincoln Highway," she said.  "I feel good that more people know the Lincoln Highway than they did twenty-five years ago.  It's always been a  runner-up to Route 66 -- but nor for long."

Well, Liz and I sure found out about the Lincoln Highway, but not until about eighteen years ago, even though we had spent out college years at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, right on the Lincoln Highway, where the road is still named Lincoln Highway.  We used to do what our friends referred to as the Lincoln Crawl from one bar to another on the famed road.  We never knew that it was just a part of a much bigger and more important highway.

Hey, college town you know.

Thanks Carl Fisher.  --RoadLinc

A Trip to DeKalb for NIU Basketball-- Part 12: About That Northern Win and Our Lincoln Highway Bars

Saturday, February 22

Tied at 72 apiece going into first overtime, that five minutes went on forever.  The score went back and forth.  Poor Bill Baker essentially lost his voice.  The intensity was unbelievable.  We were right in the car in the parking lot behind Lord Stanley's.

And, NIU won by one point, 82-81.

Now,that was some game.

We went into Lord Stanley's, one of the old-time DeKalb bars and now one of our favorites.  When we were students it was called Daddy-O's Shamrock and, along with The Uprising, McCabe's and Andy's, all on the Lincoln Highway, student favorites back when we were in school and for then years after.

My fraternity, Delta Sigma Phi, however, was among the first student groups to start going to Andy's which was more of a townie bar and this was our main Lincoln Highway bar.  At the time, I didn't know the Lincoln Highway, including our section in DeKalb, was a transcontinental highway or that it was the country's first transcontinental paved road dating to 1913.

We would do what we called the Lincoln Crawl where we would "Crawl" our way from bar to bar.

Crawling for Beer.  --RoadDog

NIU Homecoming 2018-- Part 11: Of Trains and Bars On the Lincoln Crawl

Even though we were early, we still had to park on the other side of the railroad tracks in downtown DeKalb.  This means you might likely have a wait for a train to go by.  Lots and lots of trains run through DeKalb.  And they run through REAL FAST.  I mean, real fast.

You don't try to beat the train, either on foot or in a car.  We had to wait for a train to go by.  We always laugh at each other and say, "Imagine that.  A train going through DeKalb."  If we didn't hear a train, we'd think we were in the wrong town.

We went in through the back door of Lord Stanley's, our new place to go in downtown DeKalb.  Of course, it is on the Lincoln Highway.

Back when we were in school, this place was Daddy-O's Shamrock.  Not too far west of it, on the corner of 1st and Lincoln Highway was Otto's (called the Uprising when we were at Northern).  That has now been torn down and a nice-looking apartment building built in its place.

Just to the east, and across the Lincoln Highway stands Andy's and McCabes, two other college watering holes.

Dodging Trains and Drinking Beer On the Lincoln Crawl.  --RoadDog

NIU Homecoming 2018-- Part 10: The Old Frat House and the Lincoln Crawl Downtown.

OCTOBER 13, SATURDAY

From the Lagoon, we drove east into a residential/student housing area, past the original Delta Sig (Delta Sigma Phi) house on 242 Augusta.  This was the house the fraternity was in when I pledged and had Hell Weekend before becoming an active.  It was kind of a dump then and continues to be although now it is student housing.  But, it was Our House.  The next year we moved out to Greek Row on Greenbrier.

Lots of beautiful big old trees along Augusta Avenue which are turning brilliant hues of gold this time of the year.

Now we were downtown DeKalb and drove around it a bit.  The main street running east-west through it is Illinois Highway 38, but at one time was the Lincoln Highway.  All addresses are still Lincoln Highway and the road is also called that.

Back in the day, we used to do the Lincoln Crawl, where we would hit lots of bars downtown like Andy's, McCabes, the Shamrock, Uprising, Candle Light and Sullivans.  There were others, but I don't remember them.

I don't know.  Just something about college and drinking.

We never knew it was the Lincoln Crawl because of the nation's oldest transcontinental highway.

Those Were the Days.  --RoadDog

Doing the Lincoln Crawl-- Part 7: Still at Lord Stanley's

October 15th.

The Northern victory made the party even more festive. Spirits were high and others flowing as the place rapidly filled up to standing room only. I'd say the majority were not students, but alumni and many even older than Liz and myself.

Of course, the Dekalb Footstompers' first song was the "Huskie Fight Song" which got a lot of cheers and lusty singing. I have written down all three set lists on entries on this blog from October 21-24.

The first set was a little slow, but things were a-hopping by the second. Like i said before, the Footstompers are not a band you'd want your kids to hear when they're doing their "dirty" songs which are hilarious, especially our two favorites, "The International Waltz" and "NIU Sorority Bitch."

I sure would have liked to have beer, but after what I saw the night before with all the police pulling people over, I wasn't taking chances. I sure got way too much pop. Liz was the lucky one and got to drink because she did not have to drive.

We saw all three sets and left at ten.

Of course, we did NOT SEE one single cop car on the way back to the hotel. That figures. "Shoot, I coulda' had one, twos, threes beers."

One Last Place to Go. --RoadDog

Doing the Lincoln Crawl-- Part 6: Lord Stanley's

Lord Stanley's was the Shamrock when we were going to school. It also has an upper level that is open to the lower, but it has been closed for many years since an unfortunate incident involving the death of a girl who fell over the rail.

There are lots of hockey pennants, flags and pictures all over the place. If you're a hockey buff, this is the place for you, especially if you're a BlackHawks fan.

Every day except Homecoming and New Years Eve, they have a really good special involving a large pizza and two pitchers of beer for $15. Even if I do say so, that is a REAL GOOD deal. And judging by the number of people ordering pizzas, theirs must be very good. We've never had a pizza there, though.

Pizza and other bar foods have to be ordered at a small window at the back of the place.

Meanwhile, Northern Illinois did some adjustments during half time and came out with all guns firing and demolished Western Michigan to win easily (after being behind 15-13 at half). This made the Homecoming Party at Lord Stanley's even more festive. (The rock band Kansas was playing with the NIU Orchestra at the Convocation Center.)

More to Come. --RoadDog

Doing the Lincoln Crawl-- Part 5: Lord Stanley's

Continued from October 27th.

October 15, 2011.

After leaving Sully's, we went to Lord Stanley's, about a quarter mile east on Lincoln Highway. Parked in the public lots to the south of the train tracks behind Stanley's.

Yesterday, we had noticed that all of the sidewalks and meridians had been dug up between the parking lanes at the public lot farther east across from Andy's. These big holes were not marked very well, just the thing to have with drunken alumni returning for homecoming, not to mention the students. At least at these lots, there was a walkway across the railroad tracks, not like at the other place where you had to negotiate the rails and ties straight on.

Lord Stanley's was already crowded when we arrived, but there were a couple seats up bu the bar next to Rick, the Dekalb Footstompers' tuba player who was eating a pizza and having a coupla beers before the band started. He was the only one there and said he was "watching" the equipment. Of course, the NIU-Western Michigan game was on and he was closely watching that as well.

By the way, last night (Nov. 8th), I see that Toledo was involved in yet another blowout game against these very same Western Michigan Mustangs, this time winning 66-63. Last Tuesday NIU beat Toledo 63-60 in a game that went right down to the last second. For details on the NIU-Toledo game, go to my Down Da Road I Go Blog.

Alumni and the Stompers Coming. --RoadDog

The Sully-Wood Connection

I did some further research on the charcoal drawing in Sullivan's Tavern in Dekalb, Illinois, done by Grant Wood. The way they had it worded on the menu made me believe that Grant Wood did it overseas in World War I.

I found out that Wood joined the Army even though he was exempted from the draft and never went to Europe until after the war and as a civilian. His artistic abilities were used by the Army to come up with camouflage for artillery pieces.

He did train at Camp Dodge outside of Des Moines, Iowa, which served as a regional training center. This is most likely where Earl Sullivan, Sr. met him and where the drawing was done. I could find no information on Earl Sullivan's life.

More information is on this past week's entries at my history blog (http://cootershistorything.blogspot.com)

Anyway, a bit of interesting stuff for you folks driving along the Lincoln Highway in Illinois.

A Beer and a Drawing. --RoadDog

Sullivan's Tavern on Lincoln Highway in Dekalb, Illinois-- Part 2: Drinks and Art

Like I said yesterday, I sure wish we hadn't waited so long to go to this place.

Earl Sullivan, Jr., served in World War II in the Navy, and after he returned in 1948, he joined his gather working at Sully's (as it is also called). In 1952, they moved to their current location at 722 E. Lincoln Highway. They will be celebrating 60 years at this location in 2012, a long time for a bar or restaurant.

Not only do they serve food and drinks, but they also have a package store in the back. They can also take the show on the road with their "Port-A-Party" trailer parked out in the parking lot.

We talked with the 4th generation of Sullivans working behind the bar. We would have liked to try some of their food, but were too full from all the tailgating at the Northern game.


SOME REAL ART

I had been planning on asking about a charcoal sketch hanging behind the bar of a soldier cleaning his rifle that seemed to be a bit out of place in a drinking establishment. It appeared to be of a World War I soldier. I noticed something about it on the menu.

It was a drawing of Earl Sullivan, Sr., made by his tent mate over in Europe during World War I. That made a real piece of art, but what was even more interesting was that that drawing was made by an Iowa boy. And that boy went on to make a more famous painting he named "American Gothic." That tent mate would be one Grant Wood.

Having a Bit of History with My Drinks. --RoadDog

Sullivan's Tavern on the Lincoln Highway in Dekalb, Illinois-- Part 1

Like I said earlier on our Lincoln Crawl for Northern's homecoming game, we had never been to Sullivan's before and that was too bad. It is definitely our kind of place. Nothing fancy, just good drinks fairly priced, food and folks.

The menu had a brief history of Sully's which first opened a short distance east in Maple Park in 1925. the owner was World War I veteran Earl Sullivan, Sr. Along with alcoholic beverages they offered "Sandwiches Known from Coast to Coast" (hey, it was on the Lincoln Highway, America's first transcontinental road.)

the place was sold in 1935. From 1937 to 1939, he operated a tavern in Sycamore and in 1939 moved his business to Dekalb and opened Sullivan's Restaurant on South Fourth Street, moving to the corner of 6th Street and the Lincoln Highway in 1945.

More Eating and Drinking to Come. --RoadDog

Doing the Lincoln Crawl-- Part 4: Tailgating--Sully's-- Lord Stanley's-- Pizza Pros

October 15th was Northern's 104th (?) Homecoming and we were up against a tough opponent, Western Michigan (actually expected to beat us).


TAILGATING-- After the parade, Liz and I went to the tailgating which begins at Lincoln Highway in one area and then extends to the Barsema Alumni Center and then all around Huskie Stadium. Lots of NIU attired folk. We got to meet the Dean of the College of Education.

We had planned to see the game itself, but there was way too much cold in the wind.


SULLY'S-- Decided to watch the first part of the game on TV at Sully's, Sullivan's Bar on the east side of downtown on the Lincoln Highway. This place was here when we were students, but we don't remember ever going to it. Nor have we been to it since we've been alumni.

Too bad. It is our kind of place and with an older clientele, probably why we didn't go there in our younger days. Northern was losing at half time, 15-13, when we left.

Some More Bars to Go To. --RoadDog

Doing the Lincoln Crawl-- Part 4: Home Town, O'Leary's, Fatty's

And, that's Lincoln crawl as in the Lincoln Highway which forms Dekalb's Main Street.

We often visited Andy's. The next three places we went on October 14th were not there when we were students.

We walked the short distance to Home Town Sports, a little west of Andy's. It opened about two years ago as the Upper Deck and had NTN at the time. Nice place, but with $3 pints, much more expensive than I prefer to pay. One drink and gone.

Next was O'Leary's Irish Pub, open about four years now. It is in the old J.C. Penney's store. They have $3 23 ounce drafts, considerably better price than Home Town. Never had the food, but it looks really good. Great decor as well. very Irish for some reason.

Last stop was Fatty's, within walking distance of our hotel. They have been there for probably nine years now (and, I believe, started out on Greek Row off Annie Glidden Road, named for the daughter of the inventor of barbed wire, which, by the way, was invented in Dekalb) and is one of "THE" places to go for the college students, the other being Molly's (also on Lincoln Highway).

Nothing Like a Good Crawl Through the Old Steins Along the Lincoln. --RoadDog

Doin' the Lincoln Crawl-- Part 3: A Look Back

We used to do this back in the day, many years ago, when we were students at Northern Illinois. It is still fun, but we have to be a bit more careful. Those mornings after are just too hard to handle. Plus, there's that DUI thing.

Neither of these were an issue for us back then. Hey, we saved all sorts of money drinking beer, which was 99 cents a six-pack for Old Milwaukee (in those days before light beer). Hey, a six-pack of Coke would set you back $1.49. We were "forced" to drink beer instead of pop at those rates.

Cigarettes were 3 packs for a buck at the Discount Den. Most of us smoked.

Like I said, my fraternity, the Delta Sigs and the AKLs were the ones who "found" Andy's and rescued it from the "townies." next to Andy's was McCabe's which was more for the beautiful people and top fraternities and sororities.

We really liked the 25 cent beer nights at Andy's.

Farther east on Lincoln Highway was the Candlelight right by the railroad tracks. It was a triangular shape and also had free peanuts!!

Farther west of Andy's, on the other side of the street was The Shamrock (now Lord Stanley's) and The Uprising (now Otto's).

But, like I said, we only hung out at Andy's.

Doing the Lincoln Crawl a Whole Bunch of Years Later. --RoadDog

Doing the Lincoln Crawl-- Part 2: Andy's

Today, Andy's has never looked better inside. The dropped ceilings have been raised, revealing a tin ceiling from around 1900. The whole wall behind the bar has TVs. Even better, the owner says they have the cheapest draft pints in Dekalb, $1.50, as well as bottles at $2.

Sadly, however, they are only open Friday night and Sundays for the Bears games. the owner says that is because he is spending so much time working on McCabe's next door. McCabe's was "The" place to go and be seen by the cool fraternities, sororities and students when we were at Northern and continued so well into the 80s, perhaps even the 90s. That was a big reason the Delta Sigs went to Andy's.

We first talked to the new owner, Bobby, several years ago and he was working on McCabe's back then. That is sure taking a long time. It should be open by now. And, Andy's needs to be open far more than two days.

Bobby did save the neat old Andy's sign that had been over the entrance all those years and was beginning to deteriorate badly. It is now up along the opposite wall from the bar.

However, the men's bathroom is about as bad as it ever was, and that would make it real bad. Liz says the women's bathroom is as bad as ever as well.

Here's Hoping to get Our Andy's Back Full-Time. --RoadDog

Doing the Lincoln Crawl: Andy's-- Part 1

That is what we call barhopping along the Lincoln Highway in Dekalb, Illinois. We even called it that back many years ago during our college days, even though we had no idea what the Lincoln Highway was all about. To us it was just another road.

However, since our introduction to Route 66 and old roads, we have since become aware.

Once in town, we went to Andy's, our favorite bar in college. It dates to the 1940s in that location, after having originated elsewhere. The building was built sometime in the 1880s. Before my fraternity, Delta Sigma Phi, "discovered" it, it was a "townie" bar.

They had cheap booze and some really great bands over the years. As a matter of fact, the Dekalb Footstompers, who we are going to see tonight at Lord Stanley's (a hockey bar) started there back in 1972. Three of the four members are the original ones. Other popular regional bands that got their start there are Mr. Myers (Caribbean Rock) and Howard and the White Boys (blues).

Still Whetting Our Whistle. --RoadDog

Our 38th Anniversary: Getting Married on the Lincoln Highway

Thirty-eight years ago today, Liz and I were in Dekalb, Illinois, along the Lincoln Highway, and preparing, at this moment to be married at the Newman Center in campus by Father Dan Hermes.

After the ceremony, we had the reception at the Holiday Inn right on Illinois Highway 38, which is the old Lincoln Highway. Today, the hotel is the Best Western. After the ceremony, we drove west on Lincoln until some point when we headed to Galena, Illinois, where we spent our honeymoon. We stayed at the old Paradise Motel, (a classic mom and pop place) on US-20 (it has since been torn down and replaced by a Ramada Inn).

All those years attending Northern Illinois University and doing the Lincoln Crawl and all Il-38 was to us was just another road. We did not know it was the first transcontinental paved highway.

We're going to call Father Dan, who is now monsignor at St. Thomas Church in Crystal Lake and hoping to talk to him.

A Real Long-Long-Long Time Ago. --RoadDog

Lincoln Highway Update-- Part 2

Once on the Lincoln Highway in Dixon, where the 2010 Lincoln Highway Association Convention is being held this June, we drove east on the old road.

West of Franklin Grove, we saw a bald eagle flying over the fields, something we never expected to see. You see them around rivers or lakes, but not that often in a strictly-land area.

We ate at the Lincoln Highway Cafe in Franklin Grove, great food and even better prices and I went to the Lincoln Highway Headquarters in the Lincoln Building. Entering town via the original Lincoln, we saw that the old bridge is still sitting on the ground.

West of Rochelle, the great old car sitting and rusting in front of the old barn is still there.

ROCHELLE-- the old Beacon Restaurant is finally reopened as a Chinese buffet, but, unfortunately, the top of the sign with the lighthouse has been removed. We never got the chance to eat there.

DEKALB-- the mural on the side of the Edwardo's Restaurant building needs to be lit up at night as you can't see it. We saw the new Lincoln Highway art deco-style marker across the street from McCabe's Bar. McCabe's and Andy's next door were often spots where we did the old Lincoln Crawl.

Cruisin' the Old Lincoln. --RoadDog