The Route 66 Chick

Here's #2 in my series of blog posts on Edwardsville's (Illinois) Route 66 history. This story originally ran in my "Along Route 66" column in The   Prairie Land Buzz in the August 2013 issue. Make a note that when you visit Edwardsville, you can still patronize this historic tavern! Stolz Building's Taverns Have “Staggered” into History On Historic Route 66/E. Vandalia Street in Edwardsville stands a building that houses Stagger Inn...Again, a long-time watering hole and gathering spot. It's well known for its eclectic group of patrons – locals, St. Louisans, artists and lovers of the arts, attorneys, and an occasional Hollywood star. But the tavern's history at 104 E. Vandalia on Route 66 predates the long run of the Stagger Inn. Known in Edwardsville history as the “Stolze block,” two brick two-story business buildings were built by lumberman John Stolze between 1890 and 1892. The second building was larger and contained two storefronts,...

Now that the City of Edwardsville, Illinois, has announced that it will hold a Route 66 conference in 2015, some of you farther afield might still be saying something like, "Oh, I think I drove through Edwardsville in between Henry's Rabbit Ranch and the Luna Cafe," or, "What does Edwardsville have left of its Route 66 heritage, anyway?," or "Frankly, my dear, where in the hell is Edwardsville?" Those of us who are Edwardsville residents - whether long-term or transplant (like I am) -realize that we have done a less than stellar job of sharing our Mother Road heritage with the larger Route 66 community. Although, I will point out that in the past two years my Historic Preservation Commission colleague Cindy Reinhardt and I have nominated two local businesses/businesspersons to the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame (both accepted), we have researched, designed, and had printed Edwardsville Route 66 rack cards, and every other year, Edwardsville hosts the...

Trip's over, car's unloaded and washed, laundry's done, there's food in the house again, a few minor home repairs and some car maintenance still to attend to. (We won't talk about housecleaning.) It doesn't seem quite right that it's September already. I spent a good share of the summer planning my 66 trip, preparing for my 66 trip, and being on my 66 trip. But here it is, September, whether I'm ready for it or not, and time to regroup and prioritize writing and tourism projects. Short-term, I'm working on what seem to me to be some interesting stories for upcoming issues of the three publications I contribute to. One story is my third in a row on Edwardsville car dealerships. The first two of those were on Bothman Ford and Butler Chevrolet, both legendary family dealerships on Vandalia Street/Route 66 in Edwardsville. But the one I'm working on now involves a lot of shady deals and across-state-lines crime. (If you missed the first two on Bo...

August 9 - 30, twenty-two day solo trip. Over 3,500 miles traveled in my trusty Prius. Seven of the eight Route 66 states - Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona. $1,569.00 spent on lodging, gasoline, food, books, and miscellaneous, plus probably a couple hundred I don't have receipts for spent  in Route 66 communities. Sixteen blog posts. Back home in Edwardsville this past weekend. My intentions for the trip:  be on the road a whole month, from August 1 - 31, travel all the way west to the Santa Monica Pier, take the old alignment in New Mexico up through Santa Fe and also visit Las Vegas and then Taos to see the "Fred Harvey and the Making of the American West" exhibit at the Millicent Rogers Museum, meet up with a dear friend in Vegas (Nevada). None of those happened due to a bit of illness. But...I made it to the festival in Kingman, enjoyed time with old friends and new, stayed with daughter and son-in-law a week in Albuquerque, drove ...

I knew I'd returned to the Midwest when I stuck my nose out the door this morning at the Boots Court in Carthage! The humidity was back with a vengeance. Well, I suppose it was already there and it was me that had just arrived in town. Anyway, it was great to stay at the Boots again and I tried out a different room this time. I've included an interior photo for those of you who have not yet had the pleasure of staying here. This place is a real treasure. I just love the feeling of going back in time when I enter one of those rooms - period furniture, wood floors, and no TV - but a "radio in every room," playing 40s-50s tunes. If I ever get around to writing one of the period novels I'm thinking of, I might just have to enter the Boots "time machine" and stay awhile. Before leaving Carthage this morning, I had an early lunch and good conversation at the Carthage Deli with Deborah Harvey and Debbie Dee of the Boots. Always good to catch up with ...

On Friday I gave myself a tour of Tulsa. I love all the art deco architecture and also the commemorative Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza and love to photograph it in different light. The oil boom and the art deco craze flourished at the same time here, coming together in a huge array of types and sizes of buildings in the various nuances of art deco style. If you'd like to know more -  http://www.tulsapreservationcommission.org/artdeco/ I had stayed in Oklahoma City the night before and woke up feeling a bit lazy. The morning disappeared with some writing and some shopping and then I made up some time on the interstate for awhile. From Sapulpa I took 66 right on up into Tulsa to the Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza. There were lots of heavy dark clouds to give things a moody look. In 2004, the old 11th Street Route 66 bridge was renamed in honor of national highway advocate and "father of Route 66" Cyrus Avery and closed off with a memorial gate. The "East Meets West...

Thursday dawned bright and beautiful in Amarillo with the kind of brilliant blue Southwestern sky that takes over every photo I snap. It's a nice complaint to have. After a great breakfast at the Pancake Station, it was off for a real tour of Amarillo's Route 66 with Nick Gerlich, marketing professor, bicyclist, admitted sign geek, and Route 66 "roadologist." The first thing we took a look at was the amazing Herring Hotel on 3rd Avenue. This imposing redbrick structure was built at the same time Route 66 began its trek across the country, and, like 66 itself, has been used, abused, and left to deteriorate, but is still around. It's said to be one of three Amarillo oil-boom-era hotels built in the 1920s, but the only one left standing. It was used for government purposes during the 1970s, but has now been empty for quite awhile. We parked and walked across the street to get a close look, but when we went back to the van my mind was still so busy with details, arc...