Pig hip sandwiches predated Ernie Edwards’ restaurant in Broadwell along Route 66

A few online sources claim Ernie Edwards (sometimes listed as "Earnie") of the Pig Hip Restaurant along Route 66 in Broadwell, Illinois, was the inventor of his famous pig hip sandwiches. However, recent research effectively refutes that claim. First, a little background. Edwards ran what was the Pig Hip Restaurant in Broadwell from 1937 until … Continue reading Pig hip sandwiches predated Ernie Edwards’ restaurant in Broadwell along Route 66

The Mill Museum in Lincoln to reopen to the public on May 22

In another sign of the return to normalcy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Logan County Tourism Bureau announced this week it would reopen its Mill Museum in Lincoln, Illinois, to the public at 11 a.m. on May 22. A news release from the bureau states the reopening follows more work on the historic structure, which … Continue reading The Mill Museum in Lincoln to reopen to the public on May 22

The Mill likely will reopen as a museum by April

The Mill restaurant in Lincoln, Illinois, likely will reopen as an area history museum in April after almost 10 years of restoration work on the Route 66 landmark. The Springfield State Journal-Register published a detailed story about The Mill and the plans for it. A $10,720 cost-share grant recently awarded by the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program … Continue reading The Mill likely will reopen as a museum by April

Wife of Pig Hip Restaurant owner dies

Frances Edwards, the wife of longtime Pig Hip Restaurant owner Ernie Edwards, died March 1 at age 94 at St. Clara's Manor in Lincoln, Illinois. She helped her second husband, Ernie, at his landmark Pig Hip in Broadwell, Illinois, for about 30 years until the restaurant closed in 1991 after 54 years in business along Route … Continue reading Wife of Pig Hip Restaurant owner dies

“Route 66 in Illinois”

The "Route 66 in Illinois" presentation by Joe Sonderman and Cheryl Eichar Jett -- who co-wrote a book by the same name -- during the Miles of Possibility conference in Edwardsville, Illinois, contained a few tidbits of information even veteran roadies might not have known, such as: An explosion in 1942 at the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant … Continue reading “Route 66 in Illinois”

“The Hidden Voices of Route 66”

David Dunaway's keynote speech, "The Hidden Voices of Route 66," to begin the Miles of Possibility: The Edwardsville Route 66 Conference on Oct. 27 at the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville, Illinois, set a candid tone for much of the weekend's presentations. Using audio clips from his "Across the Tracks: A Route 66 Story" audio program and excerpts … Continue reading “The Hidden Voices of Route 66”