Chicago's Northwest Tollway to be Renamed the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

Last week, the Illinois Toll Highway Authority announced that the Northwest Tollway was to be renamed in honor of Nobel Prize winner and humanitarian Jane Addams some 72 years after her death.

She never had a car of her own but loved to walk and ride a bike, and becomes the first woman to have a major road in Chicagoland named after her.

According to the Chicago Tribune, her "social justice work influenced many leaders including President Theodore Roosevelt, who put women's suffrage, old-age pensions and unemployment insurance on his Bull Moose platform...in 1912." She also established Hull House.

From the I-294 intersection all the way out to Rockford and to the Wisconsin border, the road will now be known as the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. It will pass close to her hometown of Cedarville, Il. (where she is buried), and where she studied at the Rockford Female Seminary, now known as Rockford College.

I doubt that I will drive it as I am still VERY unhappy with the tollway's I-Pass system where if you don't have one, you have to pay double tolls. However, this name change honors a very worthy lady.

Chicago Tribune "Drive for social justice honored" by Mary Ann Fergus and Richard Wronski.

Let's Update Those Roadmaps. --RoadDog

The Lincoln Log-- News of the Lincoln Highway

One way business owners used to get people to get off the old roads and into their business was to construct a unique structure that would catch people's attention. I know for a fact that I'm a sucker for these places. See one, and a pulling-over I go.

Along the old Lincoln Highway in Pennsylvania there was the 2 and a half story Koontz Koffee Pot in Bedford and the York building that replicates an ankle high shoe. These have been getting motorists to stop for decades.

They are built for just that purpose. Now, Olga Herbert is asking some 20 architects to get in a similar mindset using their creativity in devising an updated master site plan for the Lincoln Highway Corridor Experience to be built on a six acre property at the intersection of Route 30 and Route 259 in Ligonier Township. In short, she is looking for something quirky.

There will be three phases in the $1.85 million project which will include an existing filling station, two 1938 tourist cabins, and a 1938 diner that will be moved to the site. There will also be a visitors center. I assume this is one of the things Herbert wants to be quirky.

They are also looking for any Lincoln Highway artifacts. You can call Olga at 724-238-9030.

I would recommend the visitors center to be made to look like the famous Ship restaurant since it is no longer exists.

The More Quirky, the Better. --RoadQuirk

Man, Was I Ever Being Historical This Past Weekend

Saturday, I went to the monthly Fox Lake Historical Society meeting in the morning and then out to Lake Villa's Lehmann Mansion for a Civil War Encampment and manned the Sons of Confederate Veterans booth during the afternoon. Enjoyed the skirmish between blue and gray in the field by the Illinois Highway 83 bridge. I can only imagine what the people driving over the bridge thought with the cannons going off and rifle fire. The Lehmann Mansion was the home of Ernst J. Lehmann, founder of Chicago's Fair department stores in the 1870s.

Yesterday, I went to the Petersen Historical Farmstead in McHenry  and the Spring Grove Fish Hatchery for their open houses in conjunction with the competition among 25 historic sites for $1 million in preservation funds compliments of American Express.

I have already reported on the fish hatchery, see "A Day at the Hatchery" and will post about the other three.

Guess I'm Still Hooked on History. --RoadDog

Down Da 66

A few things going on along the Mother Road.

1. NORMAL, ILLINOIS- Plans are afoot to turn the structure at 305 Pine Street into a Route 66 visitor and education center and bed & breakfast. Terri Ryburn-Laymont has secured some grant money and is asking the city council for $400,000 more for the project. Normal's mayor is in support of it.

I'd sure like Normal and Bloomington to do something with their Route 66 heritage. Of all the Illinois towns, they seem to have done the least.


2. SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA-- The annual Stater Brothers Route 66 Rendezvous has ended. It took place this past weekend, Sept 13-16th. Last year, they had 1900 pre-1973 cars at the show.

This year, Candy Clark from the movie "American Graffiti", Ed "Kookie" Burns from the TV show "Sunset Strip" were in attendance.


3. TUCUMCARI, NEW MEXICO- So you missed out on buying the Blue Swallow. Here's your chance to get a bona fide piece of Route 66 heritage. The Motel Safari is for sale with that great old neon sign. It was reopened after extensive repairs in 2006. They feature 24 rooms with coffeemakers. Price is $250,000, a low-end price for a single family home here in the Chicagoland area.

Over the past 12 months, $262,000 in room revenue was made, with the average daily room going for $30.

Here's your chance. Go buy a motel.

Keep on Down that Two Lane Highway. --RoadDog

Spring Grove Fish Hatchery Now in 18th

I just voted and am happy to report that the Spring Grove Fish Hatchery moved up a place since yesterday. Great news. However, the Leong Merchant Building is till in first, but increased from 14 to 15% of the vote.

We've got miles to go and lots and lots of votes. Get out there and vote.

http://www.partnersinpreservation.com/

Vote, Vote, Vote. It's All I Can Say and All You Can Do. --RoadDog

A Day at the Spring Grove Fish Hatchery

One man was there because he was afraid there wouldn't be many people there.

Another woman remembered seeing them "Fish Squeezin'".

Small cups of Goldfish crackers were being given out. I thought that was a nice touch.

I was there because even though I have now lived nearly 15 years in Spring Grove, and have the property taxes to show for it, I have never toured the actual grounds of the fish hatchery. I read at the website of the new and very popular effort by American Express Partners in Preservation and the National Trust for Historic Preservation to give away $1 million to projects in the Chicagoland area.

The Spring Grove Fish Hatchery was the state's first functioning hatchery, built in the early 1900s. Fish from here helped stock Illinois rivers and lakes as far south as Springfield and east to Lake Michigan. Lack of funding forced its closing several years ago.

The Village of Spring Grove hopes to turn this into a park for everyone to enjoy. No plans are for reinstating the fish hatching, however.

Today, the holding ponds are overgrown and it appears some of the grounds were also overgrown judging from the thick stalks of the freshly cut grass.

It will by a beautiful spot to visit when funds are acquired to accomplish it. The main house was built in 1913 and still stands, but is in need of restoration after all these years. There are still troughs and other machinery for the newly hatched fish downstairs and, evidently. the pumps still work.

The Chicagoland site with the most votes will receive the full amount of their request and the rest of the million dollars will be doled out to the others. Right now, the Leong Merchant Building in Chicago's Chinatown is in first with 14% of the vote. The Spring Grove Fish Hatchery is in 19th place with 2%. We need your help!!! Please vote every day until October 10th.

As far as the man worrying about attendance, he didn't have to worry. Parking was at a premium and lots of people were touring the house and grounds.

The woman with the "fish squeezing" was referring to the method for getting the eggs out of the female fish. Very high tech, indeed.

You can vote at http://www.partnersinpreservation.com/

Get Out There and Vote and Vote Some More. --RoadDog

Port O' Plymouth Museum

The September 9th Raleigh News and Observer had an article about Harry Thompson the curator of the Port O' Plymouth Museum in Plymouth, NC. It says he is a great story teller and quite a character; well worth a trip to the museum just to talk with him.

He has the ship's bell from the Confederate ironclad ram Albemarle as well a a huge US flag that flew over Plymouth during the Civil War (Plymouth was occupied by Federal troops). He got a northern town that had unceremoniously stored it to "lend" it to him. It is not likely they're going to get it back.

He has lots and lots of other stories to spin and often goes out to schools to tell the students.

Thompson said the Civil War decimated the population of young men in the Plymouth area who left to fight. But 3000 Union soldiers stationed in the region formed relationships with the Southern women. Many of these Union soldiers returned after the war, and, according to Thompson, "Now everybody in the county has one Confederate and one Union ancestor." I'm sure this story sets well with the local folks, especially the UDC and SCV.

Raleigh News and Observer "His stories make NC history come alive" by Jerry Allegood

I'm Going to Have to Look This Guy Up. Quite the Character.  --RoadDog

Confederates Buried at Arlington National Cemetery

I must admit that I did not think any Confederates were buried at Arlington National Cemetery, but I recently came across a blog that says around 482 were buried there in Section 16. That will also be a must-see site the next time I'm in the area.

The North started burying its dead there in 1864, after Robert E. Lee's home and grounds were confiscated for failure to pay back taxes. Imagine that? What would make Robert E. Lee not pay his taxes to the Federal government in 1862 and 1863. As I once heard in a movie, "Don't surprise me none."

As of 2006, there are 320,000 buried at Lee's former estate. Even some Confederates were buried there, but their families were not allowed to visit their graves until 1900 when Congress also authorized Confederate burials. Confederates from all around the DC area were reinterred at Arlington.

An interesting Civil War blog site. "Throwing Down the Gauntlet' at
http://madnessmike.blogspot.com/

File Under Things I Didn't Know. --RoadDog

What Caused the Hunley to Sink?

I watched a special on the History Channel series "Digging for the Truth" about the ill-fated Confederate submarine Hunley which disappeared after its successful attack on a Union ship blockading Charleston, SC's harbor.

It was lost for 130 years until recently found, raised, and currently being stabilized. A big search is on to find out what caused the submarine to sink.

Some think it was caused by the force of the explosion that sank the USS Housatonic. A mock-up of the Hunley was made and plastic explosives approximating the charge were set off at a similar distance. This rocked the sub some, but nothing else.

A more plausible reason was carbon dioxide from the exertions of the seven crew members in the very confined area. A test was run on the show's host which measured his carbon dioxide output on a bike. This would have been enough to cause the men to die.

The bones of the men were found at their stations, so, whatever caused the Hunley to sink happened quickly. Had they had time, they would have been bunched up by the cunning tower attempting to escape.

They found a small piece of cast iron under the commander, Lt. Dixon. The only part of the sub that was cast iron was from the cunning tower. Presently, there is a big hole in the cunning tower by where a porthole was. When the Hunley attacked the Housatonic, it was pelted with small arms fire. Had a bullet stuck one of the portholes and broken it? Sounds like a plausible reason for sinking to me.

However, we will probably never really know why it sank.

It was a very well-done show, except when they referred to the Housatonic as a battleship and one of the Union Navy's strongest ships.

The Hunley's crew's remains were buried with full Confederate military honor at Charleston's Magnolia Cemetery. The next time I visit Charleston, that is high on my list of must-visit sites.

A Salute to a Very Brave Crew. --RoadDog

GAR Hall in Aurora, Illinois

I am a Southerner and a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, but when it comes to the Civil War and preservation, we are all brothers. The Grand Army of the Republic Hall in Aurora, Illinois, is in dire need of repairs.

This was built between 1877-1878 and was a meeting place for Union veterans of the Civil War. It was funded by "popular subscription". It is an octagonal Gothic Revival structure constructed of locally-quarried limestone and  features arched stained glass windows and has a Union soldier on guard duty standing on the top.

In the late 1960s, public outcry prevented it from being torn down and turned into a parking lot.

American Express is donating $1 million toward preservation projects in Chicagoland, but only those with the most votes will getbthe dough.

You can vote for it at http://www.partnersinpreservation.com/

I'd Definitely Appreciate Your Vote. --RoadDog

Get Out There and Vote for Preservation

American Express has a million bucks that they would like to donate to various preservation projects here in the state of Illinois. They have selected 25 potential sites. The only catch is that you have to go online and vote for the ones you want. You're allowed to vote once a day until October 10th.

I read about it in the Chicago Tribune, then received an e-mail from my SCV, Sons of Confederate Veterans organization which had been forwarded from the Sons of Union Veterans requesting votes for their GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) Hall in Aurora. How about that, almost 150 years later, the two groups locked in that four year struggle are cooperating!!!

I have also notified other organizations that I belong to.

I'm begging for votes for the Spring Grove Fish Hatchery here in my hometown, the Peterson Historical Farmstead in nearby McHenry, the Viking ship in Geneva, and the GAR Hall in Auror(the last two are along the Lincoln Highway.

If you would help us out and do some voting, I'd sure appreciate it.

You will have to register to vote, however.

Go to http://www.partnersinpreservation.com/

You can also find out about the sites requesting funds. Most are in Chicago, so we suburbs need all the help we can get.

Vote Early, Vote Often. --RoadDog

September 10th- Lincoln Highway's Anniversary: 94 Years

I saw on a This Day in History site that this past Monday marked the anniversary of the opening of the Lincoln Highway, the nation's first transcontinental highway, back in 1913, that's 94 years ago.

If Route 66 is the "Mother Road", the Lincoln Highway is definitely the "Father Road."

I know the Lincoln Highway Association is planning all sorts of things to honor the 100th anniversary in six years.

Plus, the 200th anniversary of the road's namesake comes up in just two years. Well, for that matter, the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the war that namesake was involved in is just four years away. All sorts of important anniversaries coming up.

Happy Birthday to the Lincoln!!! --RoadDog

Talking About Creston's 51st Annual Booster Days

I came across a column by Fred Cederholm in Axcess News where he talked about his hometown of Creston, it's upcoming festival, and other community parties along the stretch of the Lincoln Highway between Dekalb and Rochelle in Illinois.

He said that Booster Days marks the end of the community celebrations along his stretch of the Lincoln, now Illinois Highway 38. Malta, home of Illinois' first seedling mile kicks it off first, then Rochelle has its Lincoln Highway Heritage Festival (this year the 10th annual) to honor the Hub City's role in the nation's transportation. At the same time, DeKalb has its Corn Fest (this year the 30th annual) to welcome the NIU students back and salute its agricultural heritage. If you see those DeKalb signs along the roadside, that is from DeKalb Agri Research Corp., now a part of Monsanto. (I proudly have a DeKalb corn sign in my garage, but, I BOUGHT it and didn't purloin it as do many NIU students.)

We went to both of these celebrations the weekend of August 24-26th. I just wish DeKalb and Rochelle would work out an agreement not to continue having both celebrations on the same weekend. They're only about 15 miles apart.

Cederholm says that Creston's claim to fame is being the highest point along the Union Pacific Railroad, formerly the Chicago & Northwestern. I would imagine that refers to Illinois only.

Creston always has its celebration the third weekend in September.

This year's kicks off with a steak cookout Friday. Then there is a pancake breakfast on Saturday, entertainment, carnival, and auction.

Already Busy, but Sounds like a Great Time if You're Out That Way. --RoadDog

Journal Entry 9-11-01 Part 2

All we did at team meeting was watch the internet site that Terri Zumbrook had on in her room. We saw the second tower plane crash over and over then the almost unbelievable collapse of both towers in a cloud of debris. They almost looked like they'd been imploded, coming nearly straight down almost in slow motion.

Went to Freddie's, but did not feel like playing NTN. Just watched TV. A guy across the bar from me agreed that perhaps the terrorists were on the ground and placed bombs during the chaos. That is the only way we could explain the implosion effect. However, as we continued to see the second plane crash and the towers coming down, I noticed that the debris was starting from the top and plummeting down almost in slow motion so it wasn't an implosion.

We got very excited when we got reports of explosions in Kabul, Afghanistan. Everyone was hoping it was a US retaliatory attack, as almost since we first heard of the attack, we were sure it was bin Laden's work.

We never did hear anymore of it [the explosions in Kabul], too bad. The major networks had nothing on but the news and NO commercials. Somehow, seeing a beer commercial or Must-See TV promo would be hugely inappropriate.

Liz and I just watched TV until 11. The plane that crashed in Pennsylvania apparently did not reach its target (it had been taken by the hijackers) because the passengers rose up against them when they heard.

Liz said she first heard about it at home and listened on the way to school. They did not discuss it with her 3rd graders, but one of her kids went home.

End of Journal for this day.



A Follow-Up

I lived through the Kennedy assassination, but was born ten years after Pearl Harbor. I never in my wildest dreams could have even imagined this happening. The idea that terrorists would use our own planes to do the killing and destruction is still pretty much unfathomable.

It still gets to me when I see those buildings spewing the smoke into that blue sky. Plus, it is strange to see movies or TV shows that have the Towers in the background.

I checked out other cable channels to see what they had on. Many had accounts of the days events, even MTV. Some were continuing with regular programming. Actually, I felt regular programming wasn't that bad of an idea. Some people just needed to do something different.

Of course, with Kennedy's assassination, we only had about six channels to watch. This were in the pre-cable days.

Journal Entry 9-11-01

I have been keeping a journal since the summer of 1978. This is my entry for six years ago, today. I started off with a brief, several word overview of each day. This was that day's. The first part was recorded before I left for school.

UNBELIEVABLE --- OUR "DAY OF INFAMY" ---FREDDIES ---BEAUTIFUL SUNSET

Rerecording Rick Jackson and he said George Jones was celebrating his 70th birthday [Rick Jackson has a radio show called Country Music Hall of Fame. I would record the show on Sunday, then go through it later in the week to tape songs I didn't have] as he was playing "She Thinks I Still Care, Still Doing Time, and The Race is On." I just saw him a week and a half ago,

6:47- flock of gesse flying southeast--uh oh. 6:49 another flock.

The yard looks a lot better since I cut it yesterday.

**********************


The Daily Challenge question was about Sunday's suicide bombing attacks in Israel. I only did it with the honors class. At the end of the first hour, Linda Curran [another teacher] came by and very quietly told me that planes had crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City. This would be a very horrible accident but PLANES would mean that this was no accident.

For the rest of the day, we listened to events as they unfolded. Evidently, one plane hit one of the two 110 floor towers, then around twenty minutes later, another plane slammed into the other tower. Less than an hour later, a plane flew into the Pentagon then we heard that a jet had crashed in Pennsylvania under very mysterious circumstances. Any thoughts that accidents were happening were dashed by the second tower's collapse.

We were all stunned. I tried to get the old black and white TV to come on, but could just get the sound. I guess the picture just finally went. The sound is perfect. A lot of teachers are trying to get in pictures on their TVs but Magee just is not conducive to TV reception. It was hard to get through to any of the internet sites and when you did, there wasn't much information. I did get one picture of the top of one of the towers bellowing smoke from the ABC news site.

We're having problems with the lunch tickets which have to be picked up from your mailbox which means you have to enter the building by our wing, walk to the office, and then back to your room. For 28 years, I've entered the main back door, checked my mailbox, and then gone to my room. I absolutely hate retracing my steps like this. Diane Korzsynski was supposed to get my tickets but was called in to internal sub for Terri Zumbrook [who was at the contract negotiations meeting with Kip] and didn't get them so I had to go down with my kids and get the tickets to hand out. [I walked my kids down to lunch] On my way back, I stopped in at Bob Dawson's room where he had a TV with poor reception but at least I got my first eyewitness shots of the day.

They kept showing scenes of the second plane striking the tower. You could see the nose of it come out the other side before the fireball exploded. Most of his kids and Kathy Warner's class which was in there were talking and not really watching it. I suggested [to Bob] that perhaps they should have them write a 200 word account of it like my kids have to do. Our kids have heard over and over about Pearl Harbor and the Kennedy assassination and how everyone remembers where they were and what they were doing when they heard about it. I told my kids this would be a shared experience as a generation.

To Be Continued...