Along66, Jan. 2023: Deaths of Caitlin-Legitko and Okura

JANUARY 25

Illinois State Museum director dies shortly after appointment to Route 66 Centennial Commission.

Cinnamon Caitlin-Legutko, age 50.

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JANUARY 28

Albert Okura, restarantaur who owned the town of Amboy, California, died at age 72.  He also owned the Juan Pollo restaurant chain.

He bought Amboy in 2005.  In addition, he also owned the original McDonald's in San Bernanrdino, Calofornia.

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JANUARY 30

About $15 million in improvements are planned for the Old State Capitil Building in Springfield, Illinois.

The funds come from the state's Rebuild Illinois Program.  Money will be spent on the relacement of the roof and wooden flooring among other things.

--RoadDog

Along66, Jan. 2023: McLean Train Depot Opens, Jungle Jim's Closes

JANUARY 8, 2023

McLean Depot Train Shop opens in the town's former train depot.  It is run by model train enthusiasts. 

The depot was built in 1853 and closed in 1970. 

The new business will be open 10am to 6 pm Monday to Friday and from 10 am to 5 on Saturday.

JANUARY 9

Jungle Jim's Cafe is closing permanently.  The auto-themed  restaurant is on the north side of Springfield, Illinois.  It closed Jan. 3, citing labor shortages, higher costs and the advancing age of the owners as the reasons.

It is at 1923 N. Peoria Road (Rt. 66).

The place was opened in 1988 by Jim Davison and his wife, and is listed for sale at $360,000.

We never ate there, but were planning to.  Guess not now.

--RoadDog

Route 66's Quirkiest and Most Wonderful Attractions State by State: Illinois

From Stacker.

ILLINOIS

Grant Park (Chicago)

Pontiac (Mural City)  (Old Log Cabin)

Springfield  (Lauterbach Giant)

Staunton  (Henry's Rabbit Ranch)

Collinsville  (World's Largest Catsup Bottle)

Madison  (Chain of Rocks Bridge)

Who Says There Is Nothing to See in Illinois?  --RoadIll

Those Two Oldest Route 66 Fast Food Places (By State): The Cozy and the Frozen

From MSN:  "Your state's oldest fast food place."

ILLINOIS:  COZY DOG DRIVE-IN, Springfield

Founded in 1946, this retro restaurant on historic Route 66 has a lengthy fast food-oriented menu, but, their main attraction is its signature Cozy Dog, which is essentially an early version of the now familiar  corn dog.

Ed Waldmire started toying with the recipes of corn batter-coated deep-fried hot dogs on a stick back in the 1940s and they've continued to be a favorite in Illinois.

Just don't order a "corn dog" there.  You'll be corrected.

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MISSOURI:  TED DREWES FROZEN CUSTARD, St. Louis

Tennis pro Ted Drewes actually opened his  his first frozen custard stand in Florida in 1929, but he soon brought the concept to his home state of Missouri.

While the  frozen custard custard business floundered at first, it began flourishing by the eighties.

In the winetr months, the shop sells Christmas trees that are grown on the Drewes' family Christmas tree farm in Nova Scotia.

Did You Guess Them?   --RoadYum

Along66, October 2022: Eatin' Corn Dogs and Neon Signs

OCTOBER 3

Corndog eating record broken during Mobil 1's Route 66 tour stop in Albuquerque.

Geoff Esper of Massachusetts ate 11 big corndogs in three minutes and broke the old record which was 8.

Of course, Cozy Dog in Springfield, Illinois, would not agree with this because they were NOT Cozy Dogs!!  I bet Geoff ate them plain when everybody knows a properly clad corn-err Cozy dog should have mustard and raw onions (with a side of Cozy Dog fries).

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OCTOBER 5

The newest neon sign in Tulsa's Route 66 neon sign grant program is at the Chicken and the Wolf restaurant at Harvard Avenue and 11th Avenue (Route 66).

As I Have Often Said, You Can't Ever Have Enough Neon Signs.  --RoadDog

Along66, August 2022: Restaurants in One Springfield, a Hotel in the Other

AUGUST 11

Springfield, Missouri, History Museum launches an exhibit on Route 66 restaurants.

The History Museum on the Square in downtown Springfield has a new exhibit titled "Order Up:  The Restaurants of Route 66."    It features a wide variety of eating places such as fine dining at the Colonial Hotel and Kentwood Arms Hotel.

Others include Graham's Rib Station which opened in 1932 and ran for nearly 60 years and, of course, the great Steak and Shake and Red's Giant Hamburg.

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AUGUST 12 

Landmark Springfield, Illinois, hotel may still have life; zoning panel to hear new variance request.

It is currently the  Wyndham City Center.  The request will be heard on September 21.  The request will be for the place to be turned into 275 apartments and 125 hotel rooms.

It originally opened as the Forum 30 Plaza Hotel in 1974.  In 1980 it became the Hilton Towers then it became the Springfield Hilton and Hilton Springfield Wyndham in 2015.

We have stayed at this great, centrally located hotel on several occasions.  It is a great experience, so hoping something positive happens and it is not torn down.

--RoadDog

Along66, August 2022: Neon Sign Goes Up at Illinois State Fair and Miles of Possibilty Update

AUGUST 7

A big Route 66 neon sign was installed at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield.  It is 40 feet high and near Gate 2, the corner of Peoria Road (Route 66) and Sangamon Avenue.

Bigger is better in my book, especially NEON!!

AUGUST 7

An updated list of speakers has been announced for the Route 66 Miles of Possibility Conference being held October 20-23 at the Pontiac Eagle Performing Arts and Conference Center in Pontiac, Illinois.

Stephanie Stuckey, CEO of Stuckeys will be the keynote speaker Friday morning, October 21

They have quite the list of speakers.

--RoadDog

Along66, May 2022: Motels Closing in Needles and the Black Experience on Route 66 Pre-1960s

MAY 27

Two Route 66 motels in Needles are forced to close within a year.

The River Valley Inn on 66 has been cited with unsafe conditions.  It was built in 1963.

Also the Best Motel (which is not so best these days).

Both were red-tagged last June and showed no improvement.

Sad when a motel has to close, but sometimes there is no alternative.

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MAY 30

Interactive Metaverse Exhibit os coming to Springfield, Illinois, and will involve the Negro Green Book.  It will be located in a former Texaco station at 737 E. Cook Street, now called Route History Museum.

It will primarily be about the experiences Blacks living along Route 66 and those traveling on it back before the 1960s which was not such a wonderful thing for them.  

The Negro Green Book, published from the 1930s to 1960s, listed establishments which would serve them and where they would not receive racist treatment.  It also listed "Sundown Towns" where a black person could not be after sundown.

A Sad Chapter in Our History.  --RoadDog

Along66, May 2022: Grants in Illinois

MAY 16

Illinois announced  $4 million in grants for Route 66 projects.

This is a project of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and Governor J.B. Pritzker.

Targeted projects are the visitors center in a former gas station in Edwardsville, the reopening of the Old Cannonball Jail in Carlinville and a new muffler man restaurant in Berwyn.

**  $1,170,523 to Springfield CVB to create interactive focus on Blacks traveling or living along Route 66.  Plus, there will be Route 66 signs at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in that city.

**  $919,000 to Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau to retrofit the West End Service Station in Edwardsville to serve as a Route 66 visitors center and museum.

Reopen the historic Cannonball Jail in Carlinville.

Create 12 Route 66 postcard-style murals with Route 66 facts in Virden, Girard, Gillespie, Carlinville, Litchfield, Staunton, Hamel, Edwardsville, Collinsville, Livingston, Granite City and St. Louis.

**  $1,575,488 to the Heritage Corridor CVB to build electric charging stations in Wilmington and Pontiac, a Route 66 welcom center in Joliet and an integrated statewide marketing campaign focused on Route 66 destinations.

It's All Good.  --RoadDog

Illinois' 25 Biggest Cities Today-- Part 2: Aurora, Springfield, Waukegan

Continuing with the 25 largest Illinois cities in 2022.'

12.  Bloomington    (77,725)

11.  Cicero    (81,471)

10.  Waukegan    (81,157)

9.  Champaign     (88,288)

8.  Elgin    (112,062)

7.  Peoria     (112,644)

6.  Springfield     (115,075)

5.  Joliet     (147,323)

4.  Rockford    (147,441)

3.  Naperville    (147,734)

2.  Aurora    (199,326)

1.  Chicago    (2,699,347)

--RoadNumbers

Illinois' Biggest Cities in 1870-- Part 2: Rockford, Aurora and Chicago

#12.  Rock Island:  7,890   (#254 nationwide)

#11.  Belleville:  8,146

#10.  Alton:  8,665   (#228 nationwide)

#9.  Jacksonville  9,203   (#213 nationwide)

#8.  Galesburg:  10,158   (#178 nationwide)

#7.   Rockford:  11,049   (#152 nationwide)

#6.  Aurora:  11,162   (#148 nationwide)

#5.  Bloomington:  14,590  (#108 nationwide)

#4.  Springfield  17,364   (#88 nationwide)

#3.  Peoria:  22,849   (#59 nationwide)

#2.  Quincy:  24,052   (#55 nationwide)

#1.  Chicago:  298,977   (#5 nationwide)

Interesting.  --RoadPop

Along66 Oct. 2021: Ed Debevic's in Chicago and the Old State Capitol in Springfield

OCTOBER 11

Ed Debevic's Diner reopens at a new location in Chicago.  In the past, the place was famous for its 50s decor and surly waitstaff.  It has reopened in the Streeterville area after the previous one in River North was closed and demolished six years ago.

The old one wasn't on Route 66, but it was such a unique experience that many 66ers went there.

The original was opened in 1984 at 640 Wells Street.  The new one is at 159 E. Ohio.

We went there on several occasions and once with my nephew who had no idea about the waitstaff.  When she plopped down next to him and started yelling at him to make up his mind about the order, he just about crawled out of the booth.  I, of course, enjoyed this immensely.

OCTOBER 13

The Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois, has reopened for tours.   

Abraham Lincoln served in the legislature there and gave his famed "House Divided" speech there.

--RoadDog

Hey, Route 66ers!! Five of the Sixteen Remaining Teams in the Illinois State High School Football Playoffs are on the Mother Road

Five out of sixteen teams, not too bad at all.

Playing today. we have Wilmington, the Home of the Gemini Giant playing for the Class 2A Championship at 1 pm.

Then, we have two teams on 66 playing for the Class 4A Championship, Joliet Catholic in Joliet, home of the Rialto Square Theatre and Springfield's Sacred Heart-Griffin.  Of course, Springfield is the home of Cozy Dog.

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Tomorrow at 1 pm, we have East St. Louis and the nearby Cahokia Mounds.  They are Class 6A.

Then at 4, we have Chicago's St. Rita playing for Class 7A's Championship.  Home of famed  Lou Mitchell's.

When I have my Route 66 vs. Lincoln Highway, I do not include Chicago teams.

--RoadDog

Along66: August 2021: New Book on Sports on Route 66

AUGUST 3

Review of a new moon:  "A Sports Fan's Guide to Route 66" by Ron Clements.

The book follows a traditional east-west trek across the famed Mother Road stopping at professional, College Division 1 and smaller schools.  There are even some high schools in it.  Also included are golf courses, race tracks, rodeos, hunting and fishing spots.  Every site is either on the route or within a few miles of it.

Some of the places visited are the Chicago United Center (I'm guessing Soldiers Field, but probably not the recent possibility of Da Bears moving to Arlington Park Race Track), Pasadena Rose Bowl, Dodger Stadium, Jackie Robinson playing at Pasadena College.

There is a place in Normal, Illinois, that I have often wondered about called the Corn Crib which hosts a team called the Normal Cornbelters.

Hinsdale Central High School in Illinois has won 103 state championships.

Plus, there is Ken Leonard, coach of Sacred-Heart-Griffith High School in Springfield, Illinois (who are always in the running for a state football championship.

Myself, I am a big sports fan, this book is of interest to me.

Go Bears!!  --RoadSports

Along66, July 2021: Keeping the Mother Road Festival in Springfield, Illinois

JULY 14

Springfield, Illinois, almost lost Route 66 Mother Road Festival.  Always a fun thing.

It returns in September for its 20th year after one year off for the you-know-what.  But, it was an almost wasn't as Bonner Events, which had managed it for so long is stepping away from it.  However, Greg Cooper will take it over.  

This year it will be September 24-26.  Typically it draws between 60,000 and 80,000 people over  three-day run Friday to Sunday.   Other than the Illinois State Fair, it is Springfield's most popular event.

We went to the first two events when it was the Route 66 International Festival and had a great time and was another reason why we ended up getting so hooked on the road and all old roads for that matter.  Since then, we have been to about four of them.

Here's hoping they have it this year as the you-know-what is storming back.

--RoadDog

Along 66, July 2021: A Tale of Two Springfields

JULY 8

The old Bel-Air Motel sign in Springfield is ending up at the Route 66 Motorheads Bar in Springfield, Illinois. Yo will see it in their beer garden.

The Bel-Air Motel was built in the 1950s and had a history of troubles for many years until torn down in 2015.

Motorheads has a lot of Route 66 and automotive artifacts, including Art's Motel sign, Sonrise Donuts in Springfield and quite a few items from the old Bill Shea's in Springfield.  

A highly recommended place to visit on the south end of Springfield.

JULY 8

Springfield, Missouri, plans to reassemble one of the old Lurvey's Court cabins and turn it into a visitors center.

Lurvey's Court was long-abandoned and torn down in 2020 after being declared a danger and nuisance in2019.

The motel was constructed in 1928 by Burt and Irene Lurvey who moved the cabins from nearby Stafford, Missouri.  The cabins became extended rental units in the 1970s.

I am glad they kept one of the cabins as they were neat looking.

--RoadDog

Five Guys & a Goat on Route 66 Back in 2012-- Part 1: Back to Springfield?

In the last post, I mentioned that Ken and Delores Bogren had met five guys& a goat while taking a picture of the Niangua, Missouri, bridge.  Now, that name sure piqued my interest to find out more.  One of the things that we really like about Route 66 is that you just never know what is around the next bend.

Lots and lots of stories out there.  And you just don't know.  Like the time Liz and I were at Ted Drewes in St. Louis for a concrete stop and came across a whole bus load of Brutish folks on an end-to-end Route 66 trip.

We talked with a couple enjoying that frozen treat and they said they had just been in Springfield, Illinois, the day before and that morning and after, the concretes, they were going to get back on the road and spend the night in Springfield.

They said that they were a bit confused as to why they were going back to Springfield, Illinois, since they had just been there.  We explained to them that the United States is a big country and there are many cities and towns in different states with the same name.  "You are going to Springfield, Missouri."

Just one of those little Route 66 tidbits, nothing major in its own right, but just interesting.

Back to Springfield?  --RoadDog

Along 66, Feb. 2021: Will Summer 2021 Be Better?

FEBRUARY 11

Should tourism on Route 66 be up or down for 2021?

I know tourism had to have been bad last year.  Even Liz and I did not go out on it.  Not so much from fear of getting it, but if I make the effort to drive somewhere I want to enjoy it on my own terms.

But, I'm hoping that this year will be better as it seems the virus is dying down some, plus the vaccines should definitely help.

Liz and I are planning to be out for Ramona's 50th anniversary at the Munger Moss in June, plus, I'm ready for several days or more in Springfield, Illinois.   Ready for some Route 66 Hotel, Curve Inn and Motorheads.

Chompin' At the Bit, You Know.  --RoadDog

Illinois' Horner Highway-- Part 2: Lots of Trees and Landscaping

The name "Horner Highway" was the brainchild of the Women's Horner Clubs of Sangamon County which were established to support Horner's political efforts.  This was a statewide organization (outside of Chicago).  A reception in June 1935 drew women from 50 Illinois counties, including representatives from  32 clubs in Sangamon County alone.

The clubs began pushing to name the highway after Horner when the section of road was paved in 1933.  The new pavement opened that August in time for the Illinois State Fair.  The clubs negotiated with landowners and members helped convince the state to plant thousands of trees along the road.

"That road from Walnut Street north to Illinois  124 on the far side of Cantrall, ... was landscaped very heavily by the Department of Public Works and Buildings," Henry Scheer, a former state  highway maintenance engineer in 1978.  "(T)hat road was a showplace for quite awhile.

Scheer credited Robert  Kingery, director of the department under Horner, for what was called "a daring attempt at modern conservation practice."

--RoadPretty

Illinois' 'Horner Highway' an Early Example of Natural Beautification Along Roadways-- Part 1

From the Jan. 11, 2021, Springfield, Illinois State Journal-Register from the SangamonLink.org. Online Encyclopedia.

The Horner Highway north of Springfield was one of the first examples of roadway beautification in the United States.

Horner Highway, named for Governor Henry Horner ran along Illinois Highway 29 to the junction of  today's Illinois Highway 123 east of Athens.  Horner was governor from 1933 to his death in 1940 and was a huge fan of Abraham Lincoln, amassing quite a collection of Lincoln memorabilia. His collection was bequeathed to the people of Illinois upon his death and it has become the foundation of today's Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library (right next to the Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield).

The Horner Highway was planned partly to recognize Horner's interest in Lincoln, connecting Oak Ridge Cemetery, site of Lincoln's Tomb with what is today Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site.  The road, however, between Athens and New Salem was never incorporated into the Horner Highway.

--RoadDog