Return of Drive-In Theaters-- Part 7: The 66 Drive-In Theatre

And what would drive-in theater's be without at least one on the famed Mother Road, Route 66?  There are several, including one that just reopened on Sapulpa, Oklahoma, and, of course, Litchfield, Illinois, but probably the most famous one even carries the name, 66 Drive-In Theatre neat Carthage, Missouri.

Its original neon sign continues to attract road-trippers.  (Route 66 is part of the National Trust's National Treasures Program.)

Tickets are often sold out of the original ticket booth, a glowing little building with walls made entirely of glass blocks.

For a complete Route 66 experience ,owner Nathan McDonald recommends staying at the recently restored Boots Court motel (1939) in the nearby town of Carthage, which advertises "A Radio In Every Room)"

Whether You Want One Or Not.  --CootBoots

24 Illinois Sites Listed on NRHP-- Part 4

DOWNSTATE SITES

Quite a few Lincoln Highway and Route 66 places.

Heimberger House, Springfield  (Route 66)
Glen Carbon School, Glen Carbon  (Route 66)
Marshall Site Petroglyphs, Chillicothe vicinity
Jacksonville Historic District, Jacksonville

Great Western Railroad Depot, Springfield  (Route 66)
Morrison Main Street Historic District,  Morrison  (On Lincoln Highway)
Lincoln branch of the Peoria Public L:ibrary, Peoria
Peoria Warehouse Historic District, Peoria

Kickapoo Building, Peoria
Broadview hotel, East St. Louis  (Route 66)
Downtown East St.Louis Historic District (Route 66)
Union Trust Bank Company Building, East St. Louis (Route 66)

West Belleview Historic District, Belleville  (Route 66)
Civilian Consaervation Corps camp, near Lerna
Martin House, Fulton (Lincoln Highway)

Saving Old Places, One At a Time.  --Cooter

"Cars 2" a Lemon?

From the June 30, 2011, Chicago Tribune by Russ Britt.

Some considered the "Cars 2" sequel to the 2006 "Cars" as the first clunker in the 25-year history of Pixar Animation Studios.  Critics are giving it failing marks, even as they had for the original one.

So, why was it worth a sequel?  In a word, merchandising. More than 300 toys will come from the new movie and Disney, who owns Pixar, is planning a huge product-push.

I saw "Cars 2" and must admit, it was nowhere near as good as the original.  Kind of contrived and it really lost its emphasis on Route 66 and the loss of a way of life.  And, of course, I am a big old roads fan, especially Route 66.

But, it is always fun to see Tow Mater and what he says.

I'd say a "Cars 3" should be in order, but more of a Radiator Springs thing.

And, I Love My Animated Movies, Especially Those "Ice Age" Ones.  --DaCoot

"Moon Trees" Followup

It turns out that we did have one "Moon Tree" here in Illinois. One was planted at the Siskiyou Smoke Jumpers Base near Illinois Valley in Oregon. We go through there every so often so planned to take a look at it. Unfortunately, it is no more. When the base closed, it and one of its offspring were destroyed accidentally.

Being somewhat of a Route 66 fan, I also found one was planted at Flagstaff Junior High School in Arizona on April 30, 1976. It is still living the last I read about it.

It is a Douglas fir and because of the high altitude has been stunted to only about six feet tall. It overlooks water and has a sign by it.

Also, there are 8 living ones in California, a dead one in New Mexico and live ones in Kansas and Missouri (of the 79 located).

Moon River, Wider Than a Mile. No, Moon Tree, Higher Than Five Feet. --Cooter

Catching Some History on Route 66

Saturday and Sunday, we were on the Route 66 Association of Missouri's Motor Tour from Miami, Oklahoma, through that short stretch of Kansas and the state of Missouri east to the town of Bourbon, whose water towers have to be among the most photographed on the Mother Road or anywhere for that matter.

We stopped at historical museums in Baxter Springs, Kansas; Rolla, Missouri and Cuba, Missouri. Unfortunately, we didn't get to spend much time in any of them, but this was a first-time visit for us and we'll definitely be back.

The museum in Baxter Springs was especially impressive.

Along Route 66, we saw the old stuff, like the Munger Moss Motel in Lebanon and the Boots Motel in Carthage. And then, there were the new Route 66 places like Mr. C's, the Cave Restaurant, Tow Mater from the movie "Cars" and new addition "Big Red" from the same movie at the Four Women on the Road station in Galena, Kansas, and the Rosati Winery Museum and sampling room near Fanning. Of course, there is also the World's Largest Rocking Chair in Fanning as well.

Sure Enjoyed That Motor Tour. --Cooter

Dead Page: Ran White Fence Farm on Route 66-- Part 2

According to his daughter, Robert Hastert liked to see people enjoying themselves.

In the late 60s, he began opening satellite carry-out White Fence Farm locations and there are currently four of them. He also allowed the White Fence Farm name to be used at another place in Lakewood, Colorado.

Hastert told the Tribune in 1993, "Over the years, we've put on a total of 30 additions, including 11 new dining rooms, 11 additions to the kitchen and eight sets of bathrooms." The effort clearly shows with the place's popularity and steady stream of customers (but you have to catch the place open. Liz and I have been there probably five times and they were closed each time except once when they were open for the Illinois Route 66 Motor Tour so at least we were able to go inside.

For almost 50 years, Hastert lived within a mile of his place.

An example of a Mom and Pop kind of a place that has done well.

Dead Page: Ran White Fence Farm on Route 66

ROBERT J. HASTERT 1936-2010

One of the top attractions and places to eat along all of Route 66 is White Fence Farm near Romeoville, Illinois, and it is so because of the efforts of Robert Hastert who took his father's business and expanded it until now they can seat 1100 people in 12 dining rooms.

He died June 30, 2010.

He was born in Aurora, Illinois and worked in his father Robert C. Hastert's poultry business delivering chickens to local restaurants. In 1953, his father bought the 450-acre estate of coal tycoon Stuyvesant Peabody on the old Route 66. Peabody had already converted the farmhouse into a hamburger joint.

His father saw the possibility of drawing crowds from the Chicagoland area even though the area was still rural.

His daughter Laura Hastert-Gardner said, "He liked to make sure people were happy and that they got fed good."

We have been by White Fence Farm many times, but have never eaten here because they are always closed when we do. But some day we hope to get a meal there. We've already eaten at the nearby Del Rhea's Chicken Basket and understand there is quite a rivalry between the two.

More to Come. --Cooter

From July 9th Chicago Tribune.

It's a Road History Thing

Since Wednesday, we've been cruising the old Route 66 from Dwight, Illinois, out to Afton, Oklahoma.

Lots of old places still in business and some falling into disrepair and ruin. It is like a trip back into the 40s to 60s and something we really enjoy.

Route 66 dates back to the 1920s. Two weeks ago, we toured the original transcontinental road, the 1913 Lincoln Highway through Illinois and Iowa.

Yesterday, we ran into small groups of road enthusiasts from Germany and France at the old Gay Parita gas station in Missouri, a couple from Ireland at 4 Women on the Road in Galena, Kansas. While driving the old Ribbon Road stretch of 66 between Miami and Afton, Oklahoma, we came across two bicyclists pedaling away. They were from Spain and said they are doing the whole route from Chicago to LA. They'd left Chicago on Tuesday.

A Real Piece of History. --Cooter

Eating in a 1930s Cafe-- The Palms Grill in Atlanta, Illinois-- Part 1

We had read about the Palms Grill opening in Atlanta, Illinois, about three months ago, and put this high on the itinerary for this trip. That means forsaking a trip to the Cozy Dog in Springfield, but it was something that was necessary.

We always try to support businesses on the Route, especially new ones. We're on a trip to Joplin and points west and will hook up with the Missouri Route 66 Association's Motor Tour on Saturday and take it east to Pacific, where we're at tonight (with a car that presently will not start).

I've been watching the progress of the place over the last several rears. I once peered through the windows and saw nothing but bare earth for a floor. The last time through, there was a floor as well as the counter and stools.

This place is a credit to the community and a definite plus for Route 66. They have taken every effort to make the interior the same as it was all those years ago. They have succeeded admirably.

More to Come. --Cooter

World War II Planes Crash/Land Near Litchfield, Illinois-- Part 1

Terry Birkencamp and his sister Marge Allen were just children on Feb. 15, 1945, when two Douglas A-20 Havoc Light Bombers (each capable of carrying up to a 4,000 pound bombload with 300 mph flight speeds) circled their home six to eight times before crash landing in the fields and cutting a 30 inch deep V in the earth.

The flights had originated at Kellogg Field in Battle Creek, Michigan and were on their way to Scott Field east of Belleville and eventually on to California.

However, they ran into a really bad snowstorm and were running low on fuel and Scott Field was closed. They thought of trying Chanute, St. Louis, Chesterfield, or Springfield airfields, but all were closed as well. Marge remembers 7-9 inches of snow that day.

With fuel low, radio contact bad, and not trusting the gauges, one pilot made an emergency belly landing that ended up about 50 yards from the Birkencamp home. The other landed in an adjacent field.

The first plane was heavily damaged on its underside and had bent propeller blades. The second one was not as bad as it landed with wheels down.

Too Damaged to Take Off. --Coot