William Sanders, 77, co-owner of the historic Sprague's Super Service gas station on Route 66 in Normal, Ill., with his wife Terri Ryburn, died Thursday in an area hospital, according to the Bloomington Pantagraph. Sanders' death was announced Sunday by Cathie Stevanovich, president of the Illinois Route 66 Association. Stevanovich wrote: Terri and Bill were in … Continue reading Co-owner of Sprague’s Super Service Station dies
Category: People
Honored volunteer’s efforts included Route 66 charity cruise
Nick Dragan of Sunset Hills, Mo., received a 2011 South Journal Award from the Suburban Journals newspaper chain in the St. Louis area for his volunteer work. The former Marine was honored for his efforts with the area Semper Fi Society: The group also hosted a Route 66 classic car cruise on Watson Road in August to … Continue reading Honored volunteer’s efforts included Route 66 charity cruise
The old neon cross
The Alton (Ill.) Telegraph published a story about the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Hamel, Ill., which has featured a blue neon cross atop it that Route 66 and Interstate 55 travelers have gazed upon since the 1940s. A story about the neon cross that you may not have known: The cross was dedicated in … Continue reading The old neon cross
It’s all gute
Globe Reisefilme, based in Germany, has been posting videos on YouTube from Route 66. Here's one about the town of Seligman, Ariz., and native son Angel Delgadillo. Even with the clip's language barrier, it's pretty cool: More Globe Reisefilme videos can be found here.
Longtime owner of Edmond restaurant dies
Bessie "Cleo" Noe Lamson, longtime co-owner of the now-defunct Wide-A-Wake Cafe on Route 66 in Edmond, Okla., died at age 102 on Monday, according to an obituary in the Edmond Sun. Lamson and her husband Crawford owned the Wide-A-Wake for about 50 years until they retired. The restaurant was open 24 hours a day, a rarity during … Continue reading Longtime owner of Edmond restaurant dies
A taste of the past?
I stumbled onto this video today, posted by Casey Smalley. The description of the video: Here you can place an order for a 18 oz. bottle of my family's barbecue sauce that my grandpa, Ed Smalley, made popular through his days running the Okie Steakhouse, the world famous Rock Cafe [my emphasis -- Ed.] along … Continue reading A taste of the past?
He’s no tenderfoot
The Quay County Sun in Tucumcari, N.M., caught up with a Ron Zaleski, who's walking barefoot across the country -- including much of Route 66 -- for Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. Zaleski is walking across the United States without shoes to gather signatures for a petition calling for mandatory counseling for soldiers heading into … Continue reading He’s no tenderfoot
Joplin blessed with a generous Secret Santa
The Route 66 town of Joplin, Mo., boasts a Secret Santa who manages to place fat cashier's checks into Salvation Army kettles in town every year, according to Time magazine. Amidst the haul, a Salvation Army counting crew found five $1 bills, folded tightly into squares — each concealing a $20,000 cashier's check with "Santa … Continue reading Joplin blessed with a generous Secret Santa
Man finishes cross-country run
Using the 1928 Bunion Derby as his inspiration, John Radich recently completed his transcontinental run from Santa Monica to Atlantic City, N.J. -- two-thirds of it on Route 66. The Pasadena (Calif.) Star-News caught up with Radich, who lives in nearby Monrovia. It required four months, 20 days and seven pairs of shoes for him … Continue reading Man finishes cross-country run
Mayor of Springfield, Ill., found dead
Tim Davlin, 53, the mayor of Springfield, Ill., since 2003, was found dead at his home Tuesday morning of a gunshot wound, according to the Springfield State Journal-Register. The newspaper reported that the wound was self-inflicted. Police remained tight-lipped throughout the day, and would not say whether it was a suicide or accident. An autopsy … Continue reading Mayor of Springfield, Ill., found dead