New Lincoln Highway Bridge in Morrison, Illinois

While in Clinton, Iowa, Sunday, I got a copy of a Quad-Cities Times on Sunday, and it had an article in it about a new bridge in Morrison, which is right on the old Lincoln Highway.

A new bridge is to be built on US-30 over Rock Creek on the west end of town. It is right next to the 160 year old Annan Mill which is quite a beautiful site. It is hoped that this new bridge would be built in such a way as to compliment the mill.

The Morrison City Council has met with the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency to begin the involved process of getting the structure placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Placement would greatly help the city in its negotiations with IDOT. The IHPA thinks the Annan Mill is a likely candidate to be placed on the register.

Also, near the bridge and the mill is something that is fast disappearing on the American landscape in these days of the ubiquitous cell phones and that is a public telephone booth. Perhaps it can be placed on something to connote its past importance to people.We drove by this area just this past Saturday, and there is still a phone in the booth.

Here's Hoping for a Historical-Looking Bridge. --RoadDog

Dead Page: WW II Vet Walter Launing

When I taught school, I did current events every day. Quite often, I would talk about people who had died. These would be people who had had an impact on lives or who had lived an interesting life. The kids would have to write it down. We did this so often, that some of my students came to call the current events page, "the Dead Page." I continue this on the blog.


ROYAL WALTER LAUING 1921-2007

WW II vet, entrepreneur

Royal Walter Lauing, 85, died June 28th at his home in Naperville, Illinois.

He was born in what relatives described as "a little house on the prairie" in Blunt, SD. At age 5, his family moved to Downers Grove, Il.

At age 20, he enlisted in the army during WWII and served in General George Patton's 6th Armored Division and 25th Engineers Battalion in Europe. He participated in the Battle of the Bulge and Liberation of Buchenwald Concentration Camp.

He had a lot of WWII stories and many about Patton. In the middle of one particularly fierce battle, with shells exploding all over and everyone taking cover, Lauing looked back and saw a tank approaching with someone standing on top of it. "It was Patton himself, waving two silver pistols in his hands."

In the 1950s, Lauing started his own subcontractor bricklaying business, which he ran into his seventies. he did work in several Naperville subdivisions and completed the sixteen stone piers of the Grand Pavilion at Naperville's Riverwalk.

In his retirement, he worked as a living-history speaker with Naperville's HURRAH project and volunteered at the local VA hospital.

July 9th Chicago Tribune Obituaries- story by Joan Giangrasse Kates.

15 Places to See in Chicago Before You Die- Revised

Patricia Schultz has written a new book "1,000 Places to See in the USA and Canada Before You Die, which includes 15 places in and around Chicago. The Chicago Tribune says she got a few places right, but as long-time Chicagoans, they wanted to revise some of her choices. If there is no other place behind a site, the Tribune agrees. If there is a second place listed, that was the revised choice, sometimes with the Tribune's remarks.

1. The Art Institute of Chicago
2. Arun's---   Borinquen- birthplace of the jibaro, a Puerto Rican-style sandwich
3. Charlie Trotter's---    Alinea- unbelievably delicious, modern, innovative, and original

4. Chicago's architecture
5. Chicago's comedy scene---      Chicago's theater scene
6. Chicago-style pizza---    city's movable bridges- the most in the world

7. The Magnificent Mile---    Chicago's lakefront
8. Millenium Park
9. Museum campus (Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, and Field Museum)---     National Museum of Mexican Art- get out into the neighborhoods for goodness sake

10. Music in Grant Park---    Orchestra Hall
11. Ravinia Festival---     Pritzker Pavillion- easier to get to, stunning setting, it's free
12. Superdawg (hotdog place)---     Gene & Jude's

13. Taste of Chicago---     Bud Billiken Parade
14. Wrigley Field
15. Frank Lloyd Wright home and studio---     City Hall

I imagine this could start some arguments about these choices. I would like to add the place by Union Station on Jackson Street where you can see the three forms of transportation that caused Chicago to become the fastest-growing city in history. At that place, you can see the Chicago River, the trains, and, you're standing right next to Good 'Ol Route 66. I was on a walking tour of Route 66 architecture when noted Chicago expert on Route 66, Dave Clark,  pointed it out.

Well. I Agree with Some and Disagree with Others. --RoadDog

Route 66 Death: John Korelc, Launching Pad

JOHN KORELC 1919-2007

Opened the Famous Route 66 Launching Pad in Wilmington, Illinois

John Korelc died on July 23rd. He and his wife originally opened it as the Dari Delite in 1960 before changing the name to The Launching Pad in 1965 to capitalize on the excitement of the space program. It is noted for the Gemini Giant, the 28 foot tall, 500 pound fiberglass (muffler man) green giant holding a rocket in his hand and wearing a space helmet.

He retired in 1986 and his family ran the business until they sold it within the past year.

This is a major Route 66 attraction with customers coming from all over the US and places all over the world. They have great food and lots of Route 66 memorabilia on the walls. Definitely a place to stop if you ever get in the area, about 60 miles south of Chicago, not too far from Joliet.

Route 66 has lost one of those special people that make it such a treat to drive.

Illinois Preservation

1. MOLINE HIGH SCHOOL- Moline, Il- was slated for demolition, but now will be saved and converted to new uses.

2. NEW PHILADELPHIA, near St. Louis, may no longer exist, but it has one of the more interesting stories of any Illinois town. It was started by an ex-slave called Free Frank who had been a slave in South Carolina for 42 years. He purchased his freedom and that of his wife, and moved to Illinois where, in 1836, he bought 600 acres of land in Pike County and founded New Philadelphia for blacks.

It is located near Griggsville, Illinois, the Purple Martin Capital of the US, an interesting story in itself.

GREAT NEWS- it has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. You can find out more about it at: www.newphiladelphia.org or www.freefrank.org . This is a mighty interesting story.

While coming back from the Munger-Moss Motel anniversary celebration last June, I was able to get out to the site, where a lot of archaeological work is underway. If you've ever had the hankering to get your hands dirty digging into history, this would be a great place to visit.

Good News from Illinois. --RoadDog

Sad Day in Chicago History- Eastland Disaster

This date back in 1915 was a sad day in Chicago history. The SS Eastland rolled over in the Chicago River and 844 people met their death on a day they were to go to a big company picnic. Unfortunately, today very few people today know anything about it. It is regarded as the worst maritime disaster on the Great Lakes.

This past Sunday, the Eastland Disaster Society commemorated the event with a ceremony at the site of the sinking between LaSalle and Clark streets. The US Coast Guard put bouquets of flowers in the river. The Eastland was about to embark for a Western Electric annual picnic to take place in Michigan City, Indiana. There were 2,570 passengers aboard when the ship suddenly listed over to its side in just 20 feet of water, trapping many people inside where they had gone to get out of the rain. It happened so fast, there was no chance to use the lifeboats or pass out life jackets.

One woman, Pat Allen, was there to honor her father, Frank Garbe who had been aboard the ship, but had disembarked to buy some cigars. On his return, he found the ship on its side. And they say smoking is dangerous to your health.

There was one other story in the July 23rd Chicago Tribune, where on of the victims was just called "little feller" by the police as they didn't know his name. Five days later, his grandmother and two neighbor boys identified his body as Willie Novotny. His parents and sister also perished that day.

The Eastland was launched in 1903 and had a history of problems and even a mutiny at one point. The Seaman's Act of 1915 was passed after the Titanic sank and required all ships to carry a full complement of lifeboats. However, this extra weight caused many Great Lakes steamers to become top heavy.

SANK A GERMAN U-BOAT IN LAKE MICHIGAN

The Eastland was raised in October 1915 and became the gunboat USS Wilmette, a Naval Reserve ship and served in that capacity until February 1940. After WWI, it was given the task of sinking the captured German U-Boat UC-97 in Lake Michigan.

In February 1941, it was recommissioned because of WWII and served to train gun crews for US supply ships crossing the Atlantic Ocean. After WWII, it was again decommissioned and broken up for scrap in 1947.

Sources- Chicago Tribune "Society honors dead where Eastland fell" by Jeff Long and Wikipedia.

A Sad Day in Chicago History. --RoadDog

Lotsa Cars on US-30 in the Lincoln-Way Municipalities

In an article by Dennis Sullivan in the July 1st Chicago Tribune, there are evidently BIG car problems along the old Lincoln Highway in the suburbs of New Lenox, Frankfort, and Mokena in Will County, the so-called Lincoln-Way Municipalities.

Chicago's urban sprawl has been steadily growing out in all directions, but one of the fastest growing areas is south of Chicago in the Joliet-area.

In the 1970s, US-30, Lincoln Highway's successor, offered easy travel between these three towns. But, in recent years, the number of cars traveling along it have multiplied as subdivisions and shopping centers have sprouted where once corn and other vegetables grew. As many as 25,000 vehicles travel each day between I-57 and I-80.

Eleven million dollars have been set aside for a much-needed widening of the road.

Cars, Cars, Cars=Roads, Roads, Roads. --RoadDog

Route 66 Revisited

Some news of the Mother Road:

1. SPRINGFIELD, IL- I got some of this story as I didn't want to pay to get the whole thing- A Springfield railroad enthusiast has made a very detailed scale model of the newly remodeled and reopened Union Station. This cost $12.5 million and is located right across from the Lincoln Museum and Library and will serve as Springfield's tourist center. There is still a lot of controversy as some still think it was money ill-spent. I have seen it and it is ONE impressive structure.

2. Ron Warnick's ROUTE 66 NEWS on the death of Ladybird Johnson, said that hers was a mixed legacy to Route 66. Her 1965 Highway Beautification Act, while it did make America's roads more scenic without the clutter of billboards, really hurt struggling Route 66 businesses as billboards along the interstates were the only way to get customers off the interstates.

3. There was some discussion on a website about the WESTERN TERMINUS of Route 66. Actually, it is at the corner of Lincoln and Olympic Boulevard in Santa Monica. However, Swa Franzen of www.historic66.com said its spiritual endpoint at Palisades Park at the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Ocean Drive because of the Will Rogers historical plaque.

Keep on Down that Two Lane Highway. --RoadDog

Viking Treasures Found in the United Kingdom

The July 20th Chicago Tribune reports in an Associated Press story, that a 9th century gilt silver container, probably taken by Vikings from a monastery has been found by a father-and-son treasure hunting team.

It contained quite a collection of coins and silver and was buried more than 1000 years ago. The British Museum reports that this is the largest find of its type in over 100 years. The items in the container came from Ireland, France, Russia, and Scandinavia.

David Whelan and his son Andrew were walking across a farmers field near Harrogate in northern England when their metal detector went off. They found the cache about a foot down in the soil. There were more than 600 coins and dozens of other objects including a gold arm band, silver ingots and fragments of silver.

These finds have to be reported to authorities in Britain.

I Can Just Imagine Their Hearts Racing When They Uncovered That!!! --RoadDog

Out and About on Route 66

1. Good news out of EAST ST. LOUIS- The July 12th St. Louis Today.com, reports that two of the hangars of St. Louis' Downtown Airport, located across the river in East St. Louis have been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.This is where both Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart landed.

Assistant Airport Director Wendi Sellers has tried for years to get federal funds to refurbish them.

The buildings, called Curtiss-Wright Hangars 1 and 2 are brick-sided, two stories and done in an art deco-style. Both have Curtiss-Wright emblems on them of a plane rising above the clouds. The airport is also where Jimmy Doolittle crashed during an air show, but survived.

2. Ron Harsh of the Cartersville, Missouri, Route 66 Welcome Center appeared before the Carthage, Missouri, city board and requested that they institute a better signage program to bring tourists to their city. He said that a lot of visitors had come to him saying they had gotten lost and missed turns.  (We have gotten lost in that town on more than one occasion.)

He told the board that Route 66 attracts visitors from around the world. One day, he had had people come from Norway and Italy.

Ron also suggested that they host the 2010 National Route 66 Festival since no Missouri town has ever done it before.

Still Gettin' My Kicks on Route 66. --RoadDog

Speaking of Road Signs

Just the other day, I noticed an oops near where I live. The town of Ringwood has a sign up with an arrow pointing to US-31, about a quarter mile away. The big problem with that is that US-31 goes through Indiana, not Illinois.

The 31 in question refers to Illinois Highway 31. It should have had the generic Illinois highway sign.

Looks Like Someone Pulled a Rex Grossman on This One. --RoadDog

Ditch the Generic Illinois State Highway Signs

Since I'm on the subject where the Weisses are working on the old, original Il-4 sign in Pontiac, I THINK it is time that we dropped the generic ones currently used in the state and return to the old design. It has an outline of the state with the road number centered in the middle. Now that REALLY looks sharp, and you'd have no problem knowing which state you're in. Well...perhaps also write Illinois at the bottom.

Actually, until I got into old roads back in 2002, I never really noticed the difference between US and state signs. I imagine most people don't either. Just us road fanatics. For that matter, neighboring Indiana has the same state signs, only with Indiana written on them.

Bring Back the Old Illinois State Highway Signs. --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

More from the Chicago History Museum

I'll continue with yesterday's article.

Another interesting display in the exhibit is the 4000 pound "WAUBANSEE STONE" which is a six foot chunk of granite with a human face carved at one end. Popular lore has it that soldiers constructing Fort Dearborn (on the future site of Chicago) in 1803, found it.

In the 1860s, a prominent Chicago family put it in their front yard, and then gave it to the museum in 1914, where it was cut down in size and used as a drinking fountain for 18 years.

There are many stories as to its origins. Some have a soldier in the fort carving it in honor of the Potawatomi Indians. Other stories have it coming from the Phoenicians or Vikings.

The SERPENT SKIN from the Garden of Eden is about one foot square and came from an unnamed church or monastery in 19th century France. Charles Gunther, one of Chicago's biggest history collectors, found it on a trip to France in the 1880s and displayed it in the second-floor museum above his State Street candy store.

A printed label in French says that "Adam took a stake and killed the snake the day after the temptation." A slit in the snakeskin is supposed to represent the wound.

The WOODEN GUN supposedly belonged to Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger who supposedly carved it in his Lake County, Indiana jail cell and used it in his 1934 escape from it. Drugstore owner Charles Walgreen, Jr, donated it to the museum. His father, who was a big gun collector, had bought it, and there was a signed statement from jail guard Ernest Blink attesting that it was the one used in the escape.

Two other museums also have wooden guns purported to be the one used in the escape, however.

The Lincoln STOVEPIPE HAT is another story. Lincoln scholars claim that only three hats survive that can be verified as belonging to him. The one at the museum is not one of them. The museum's hat comes with the claim that it is the one he wore en route to his 1861 inauguration.

Lincoln left Springfield to go to Washington on a very meandering route, including a long stopover in New York City. There was a big fear that someone might try to assassinate him. Supposedly, while there, a hat maker had made one identical to the one that Lincoln had worn for years, and arranged a swap with Lincoln. The label on the hat does show that it came from the haberdasher in Springfield where Lincoln always got his clothing

Other Lincoln objects in the exhibit are a pair of eyeglasses, a swatch of cloth from Lincoln's suit coat he was wearing when he got assassinated, and the bloody sheet upon which he died.

Also, there are questions about some of George Washington's things, including a colorful waistcoat, his ceremonial Masonic apron, and a ceramic mantle clock.

There are some supposed bricks from Christopher Columbus's home where he lived in the New World, some relics of the Great Chicago Fire, and a little glass chest containing tea that supposedly came from the Boston Tea Party.

Articles from the exhibit that curators determine to be fake will not be thrown away because they are so old and are linked with Chicago's history.

This really makes you want to go and spend $12 for adults and free for children under the age of 12.

Careful, This COULD get you Interested in History. --RoadDog

Is it Real, Or, Is it a Fake...Only the Historian Knows for Sure

And even then, he or she may not know. Many people think of history as set in stone and any item from it to be the bona fide, real deal. The old Chicago Historical Society, now renamed the Chicago History Museum, has a new temporary exhibit that runs until January 6th, where you can play the role of a historian and look at 18 items (of the museum's 22 million) and decide if they are real or not.

You are given facts about each one and get the chance to make your own observation. Then, you can see what the historians decided. This is real history and not what you get out of that old cursed school history text. I like this idea a lot, and just might have to visit the place myself.

Some of the objects on display:

1. A wooden gun that may or may not have belonged to John Dillinger and used in a jail escape.
2. Snakeskin that may or may not have come from the serpent that tempted Eve and the Garden of Eden.
3. Stovepipe hat that may or may not have belonged to Abraham Lincoln.
4. Death mask that may or may not have been of John Dillinger.

"Curators lay out all known facts, where it came from, chain of ownership, and supporting documentation. In some cases, there is even laboratory tests for age, or other authenticating evidence."

From July 5th Chicago Tribune "Finding true history among the false" by William Mullen.

Now, this is my idea of an interactive display. Who knows, this might even get some of the visitors interested in history. Great idea.

Only Her Hairdresser Knows for Sure. --RoadDog