Video about Tulsa’s Route 66 and Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza April 14, 2013
Posted by Ron Warnick in Art, Attractions, History.1 comment so far
The City of Tulsa produced this video about the city’s section of Route 66 and Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza. The clip concentrates on the recent installation of the “East Meets West” statues:
Fire destroys former reputed brothel used by Al Capone April 8, 2013
Posted by Ron Warnick in Businesses, History.1 comment so far
A brush fire destroyed two homes Saturday in the Route 66 town of Godley, Ill., including one structure that reputedly was a brothel used by notorious Chicago gangster Al Capone, reported the Joliet Herald News.
Kalvin Noonan, who owned the homes, said the fires started when township workers burned debris nearby.
Noonan said the property at 335 S. Route 53 in Grundy County has been in his family for about 25 years. Its claim to fame is a “cathouse” for Capone back when he visited the Riviera Roadhouse and Supper Club, a former Route 66 speakeasy that burned down in 2010, Noonan said.
The address on Route 53 also carried Route 66.
I ran the address through Google Maps, and it came up with this Street View image. However, I cannot vouch whether the site chosen by Google is accurate:
I’m skeptical whether the structure was a house of prostitution frequented by Capone during the 1920s. It’s not a secret Capone spent time with ladies of the evening. But consistent details about any sort of brothel in Godley are sketchy at best.
The Legends of America site reports a house of prostitution straddled the Will and Grundy county lines, enabling its ladies to thwart police raids by simply going into another part of the house. Another version was the house of prostitution occupied a railroad car that was simply moved from one county to another if police arrived.
A ghost on the borderlands April 4, 2013
Posted by Ron Warnick in History, Towns.add a comment
Nick Gerlich, who’s been exploring old alignments of Route 66 in Texas and New Mexico, produced a new video about the ghost town of Glenrio, on the Texas and New Mexico border.
Glenrio, due to its direct access off Interstate 40 via Exit 0, isn’t as obscure as Gerlich’s other recent explorations. But that doesn’t mean it’s uninteresting.
Springfield museum exhibit will focus on Route 66, its patriarch March 23, 2013
Posted by Ron Warnick in Events, Highways, History, Museums.add a comment
An exhibit dedicated to John Woodruff and the highway he helped guide to fruition, Route 66, will debut April 28 at History Museum on the Square in downtown Springfield, Mo.
According to a news release from the museum:
The exhibit titled “Woodruff ’s Dream: The Mother Road through Springfield – The Route 66 Exhibit” will be on display at the History Museum on the Square. The exhibit tells the story of the early development and growth of Route 66 through Springfield. “Woodruff ’s Dream” explores both the impact of Route 66 on Springfield and the effect the “Queen City” had on the Mother Road. History Museum on the Square will show some never-before-seen items and photographs that will fill two floors with this exciting exhibit at 155 Park Central Square.
Sunday at the Museum, our preview exhibit opening and reception, will be from 1 to 4 p.m. April 28. “Woodruff ’s Dream’s” public opening is on Tuesday, April 30, and will remain open from 10:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday through Aug. 31.
Along with “Father of Route 66″ Cyrus Avery, Woodruff promoted the idea of a national highway, eventually designated as U.S. 66, coming through the region. Woodruff, an attorney and businessman based in Springfield, was called the Godfather of Ozarks Highways.
The museum, which sits on an alignment of Route 66, is closed so it can prepare for the exhibit.
Key figure in Our Lady of the Highways Shrine dies March 21, 2013
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, History, People, Religion.1 comment so far
Loretta (Marten) Ludek, 74, who was instrumental in founding the Our Lady of the Highways Shrine along old Route 66 near Raymond, Ill., died Tuesday at her home in Anderson, Ind., according to an obituary by Brown-Butz-Diedring Funeral Home.
The Our Lady site explains Loretta’s role in getting the statue there:
In June of 1958, members of the Litchfield Deanery’s Catholic Youth Council sought to erect a monument to the Blessed Virgin. The group included kids from Litchfield, Staunton, Mount Olive, Hillsboro, Morrisonville, Divernon, Farmersville and Taylorville amongst others, and one of the members from rural Raymond, Loretta Marten, asked her father Francis to donate space on his farm along US Highway 66 west of the town. He gladly agreed.
Ground was broken on February 11, 1959, with Father Robert Leo Heintz of St. Mary’s in Taylorville presiding over the ceremony. A cararra marble statue of Mary was imported from Italy at a cost of $400, and over the summer the kids worked on preparing the Shrine: building the wooden alcove, laying the brick base and placing the cobblestone walkway up to the statue. Lights were installed so passers-by could view the Shrine day or night. Total cost for the Shrine, including the statue: around $900.
The shrine has looked over old Route 66 — and adjacent Interstate 55 — ever since. Francis Marten, who was elected to the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame, died in 2002, but his family continues to maintain the site.
Loretta worked a nurse at St. John’s Hospital in Anderson and after retiring, taught in the nursing education program at Ivy Tech and worked as a nurse in the clinic at Anderson University. She served as local and state chairwoman of the Mothers Against Drunk Driving organization.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Francis and Anna Ruth; husband, Michael; daughter, Lisa; and brother, John.
A Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Anderson with The Rev. Richard Doerr presiding and The Rev. Robert Williams concelebrating. Burial will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Anderson.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Brown-Butz-Diedring Funeral Home. The Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Friday.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Ambrose Catholic Church, St. Vincent DePaul, or the charity of choice.
Longtime co-owner of historic Girard drugstore dies March 15, 2013
Posted by Ron Warnick in Businesses, History, People.add a comment
Bob Deck, longtime co-owner of the historic Deck’s Drug Store in Girard, Ill., that later became Doc’s Soda Fountain, died Thursday at a hospital in Springfield, according to an obituary by Davis-Anderson Funeral Homes. He was 82.
This recent video, produced by the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway, captures the memorable atmosphere of Doc’s Soda Fountain, and includes interviews with Bob Deck and his brother Bill, also a longtime co-owner of the drugstore:
Bob Deck’s grandfather started Deck’s Drug Store in downtown Girard in 1884. Bob Deck was the third generation in the business when he became a registered pharmacist and co-owner with his brother Bill in 1960. The soda fountain dates to 1929, and remains in operation today. The Decks also maintained displays of old drugs and pharmacy equipment.
Bob Deck retired in 2001. When Bob and Renae Ernst bought the drugstore building in 2007 and renamed it Doc’s Soda Fountain, the Decks loaned them their pharmacy collection. Doc’s Soda Fountain became a popular stop for Route 66 travelers and nostalgia buffs.
Bob is survived by his brother Bill.
Visitation will be Monday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Davis-Anderson Funeral Home in Girard. Graveside services will b Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Girard Cemetery. Memorials can be made to the Parkway Christian Church, Girard Township Library, or the Girard Community Center.
Home movies of Tucumcari, circa 1960 March 5, 2013
Posted by Ron Warnick in History, Music, Towns, Vehicles.3 comments
The Historic Tucumcari page on Facebook posted this 15-minute home movie, circa 1960, from the Route 66 town of Tucumcari, N.M.
Locations in the film include the Tri-Angle Café, Tucumcari Memorial Park cemetery, Harry’s Cafe, and the train station. Does anyone know whether Harry’s or the Tri-Angle were on 66?
Regardless, the film is fascinating to watch, especially of the old cars.
And the songs added to the video all refer to Tucumcari. Those songs made the 2010 compilation “Songs of Tucumcari,” produced by the Tucumcari-Quay County Chamber of Commerce in 2010.