On Saturday, Chicago will host a 90th-birthday party for Route 66 near the eastern terminus of the Mother Road. According to Time Out Chicago, the Illinois Office of Tourism will throw up a pop-up birthday party for Route 66 on Jackson Boulevard in downtown Chicago, near Michigan Avenue, where the historic highway begins. The nearby Bow Truss coffee shop … Continue reading Chicago plans Route 66 birthday party Saturday
Tag: Chicago
Berghoff Restaurant sold
The Berghoff Restaurant, a mainstay in Chicago for more than 100 years, recently was sold, but the ownership will stay in the same family. The Chicago Tribune reports: The sale is being driven by the retirement of Carlyn Berghoff, 55, CEO of the company that operates the restaurant as well as Berghoff Catering. Her brother Peter … Continue reading Berghoff Restaurant sold
A chat with the owner of Lulu’s Beef
KC Keefer interviewed Don Greico Jr., the proprietor of Lulu's Beef, which has occupied the corner of Leavitt Street, Taylor Street and Odgen Avenue (aka Route 66) in Chicago for nearly 50 years. Keefer describes the restaurant as exuding "Chicago charm," and Greico reflects that as well. And if you're craving a Chicago-style hot dog, Lulu's … Continue reading A chat with the owner of Lulu’s Beef
Jackson Boulevard Bridge marks 100th birthday
The Jackson Boulevard Bridge in Chicago, which carried Route 66 until the 1950s, marks the 100th anniversary of its opening today. The North Loop News dug up history on the draw bridge over the Chicago River, which still is used today. --- The bridge replaced a swing bridge built in 1888. A photo of it … Continue reading Jackson Boulevard Bridge marks 100th birthday
Wife of Chicago Route 66 researcher David Clark dies
Carol Krohn, the wife of longtime Chicagoland Route 66 researcher David Clark, died at age 56 in early September of a cardiac arrest after she endured several other serious health problems, Clark said during a recent Facebook post. Clark concluded in a post Friday: My life partner left me at 7:45 a.m. on September 4th, … Continue reading Wife of Chicago Route 66 researcher David Clark dies
Many of the “66 bookstores on Route 66” aren’t on 66
A recent Associated Press article reported about used bookstores along Route 66. Specifically cited in the article are 5th Street Books in Kingman, Arizona; Downtown Books and The Book Case in Albuquerque; Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, California; and Selected Works Used Books and Sheet Music in Chicago -- all of which are on Route 66 … Continue reading Many of the “66 bookstores on Route 66” aren’t on 66
Chicago’s Willis Tower sold for $1.3 billion
Chicago's iconic Willis Tower, still called the Sears Tower by many Windy City residents, was sold for $1.3 billion to New York investment firm Blackstone Group last week. The price tag for the 110-story building -- the second-tallest in the United States -- was the highest for any office building outside New York City. The … Continue reading Chicago’s Willis Tower sold for $1.3 billion
Ernie Banks broke the Cubs color line
I didn't know this until nearly two days after his death, but Ernie Banks, aka Mr. Cub, essentially was the first player to break the color line with Chicago's National League baseball club. Sports writer Joe Posnanski explains: At that time in the National League, just about every black player played in New York, either … Continue reading Ernie Banks broke the Cubs color line
Teen with rare aging disease is touring Route 66
Sammy Basso, an 18-year-old Italian boy afflicted with progeria, a rare genetic disease that ages him prematurely, is traveling Route 66, and a subsidiary with the National Geographic Channel is documenting the journey, according to the Bloomington Pantagraph. The folks in Pontiac, Illinois, in typical fashion, rolled out the red carpet for him: Basso, his … Continue reading Teen with rare aging disease is touring Route 66
Proposed Chicago park may include Route 66 museum
View Larger Map A small lot on the corner of Wabash Avenue and Adams Street in downtown Chicago that's planned as a Chicago Symphony Orchestra Park may include a small Route 66 museum to recognize its location on Route 66, according to a story in DNAinfo. The so-called pocket park would sit just west of the … Continue reading Proposed Chicago park may include Route 66 museum