Dave Hoekstra, a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times and a longtime roadie, paid a visit to the Stateville Haunted Prison, which is across Route 66 from the real Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill, Ill. Stateville Haunted Prison, which is located on Siegel's Cottonwood Farms across from the real Stateville, has been operating each Halloween … Continue reading Haunted prison
Category: Ghosts and Mysteries
Bigfoot near Seligman?
No, it's not a joke. KTVK-TV reports that a Phoenix resident who's building a cabin near the Route 66 town of Seligman, Ariz., claims he saw Bigfoot twice in a year there. "Java" Bob Smallsback of Searching for Bigfoot, Inc. is in Seligman investigating: Smallsback says he was called in after the most recent sighting … Continue reading Bigfoot near Seligman?
Graveyard tours included in Cuba festival
Cuba Fest, an annual festival thrown by Viva Cuba in the Route 66 town of Cuba, Mo., is holding a chili cook-off, a trolley tour of the town's many murals, and a celebratory gathering in front of Recklein Auditorium, according to an article in the Cuba Free Press. However, it's this activity during the festival … Continue reading Graveyard tours included in Cuba festival
Authentic American Spook Light
Time magazine put out a list of 50 Authentic American Experiences 2009 -- one from each state. The state-by-state listing can be seen browsed here. It's a great list, with many obscure and quirky attractions. One that made the cut was the mysterious Spook Light, which is a few miles off Route 66 in a … Continue reading Authentic American Spook Light
Going through The Mill
The Lincoln Daily News has posted a few photos from the 80th-anniversary celebration of The Mill in Lincoln, Ill. The re-enactors of old characters at the mostly restored Route 66 restaurant are a hoot. I didn't know the place had an association with gangster Al Capone. The main story is here. A lot of interesting … Continue reading Going through The Mill
Let’s celebrate The Mill’s 80th year
The Mill, a former restaurant on Route 66 in Lincoln, Ill., will mark its 80th anniversary on July 25 with several events, reports the Springfield Journal-Register. Route 66 Heritage Foundation of Logan County is hosting the festivities that day, beginning at noon. Music and food will be served beginning at 1 p.m., with an informal … Continue reading Let’s celebrate The Mill’s 80th year
White Dog Hill video
This recent video about the White Dog Hill restaurant, located just off Route 66 east of Clinton, Okla., is well-done. It was produced by the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department. One thing owner Nelson King didn't tell us about in previous visits is the apparent ghost in the establishment. I guess he didn't want to … Continue reading White Dog Hill video
Ghosts in the motel
There were some suggestions in the past that the historic Hotel Brunswick on Route 66 in Kingman, Ariz., was haunted. Debe Branning of Examiner.com has more specific stories about those ghostly incidents: A previous innkeeper told the MVD Ghostchasers crew about some of the difficulties he encountered with the Brunswick ghosts after he purchased the … Continue reading Ghosts in the motel
Suicide Bridge
The LAist has a story about the Colorado Street Bridge in Pasadena, Calif., which once carried Route 66 on the way to Los Angeles. Here's a startling fact about the 1913 bridge that gives it its nickname: Six years after the construction the first suicide took place, and it is now estimated that more than … Continue reading Suicide Bridge
Book review: “Roads to Quoz”
After losing his job and marriage, William Least Heat-Moon and his Ford Econoline van (dubbed Ghost Dancing) embarked on a 13,000-mile journey around America. He avoided the interstates and drove two-lane highways and country roads. He eschewed chain restaurants for mom-and-pop eateries. And he met a lot of interesting people. "Blue Highways: A Journey into … Continue reading Book review: “Roads to Quoz”