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Potholes in the Mother Road Vol. 1

The Birthplace of Route 66

Cyrus Avery of Tulsa is known worldwide as the “Father of Route 66.” Springfield, Missouri, is known as the “Birthplace of Route 66.”

By 1923, there were 148 miles of street in the city, 60 of which were paved. So, when John T. Woodruff, of Springfield Missouri, along with Cyrus Avery of Tulsa, Oklahoma began to suggest a transcontinental highway, Springfield was a logical choice along the path of what would soon become Route 66. Woodruff remains mostly known as being among a group of highway advocates (including Avery) and engineers near the Colonial Hotel in Springfield when they sent a telegram on April 30, 1926, to Washington accepting the number 66 assigned to a federal highway from Chicago to Los Angeles — hence the reason Springfield boasts the “birthplace” tag.

Both Woodruff and Avery worked tirelessly for a highway that would carry America’s new “traveler” from Chicago, Illinois all the way to Los Angeles, California. Persistence prevailed and Route 66 finally became a reality in 1926.

Over the years I’ve taken and accumulated a pretty fair amount of images from the road. I’ve been doing my best to get the images of buildings that may be short lived due to decay. The loss of Reds simply blew my mind, the city has since built a replica sign to celebrate Red Chaney’s iconic diner.

Why the hell didn’t they step up when the original was still here and make it an historical site? Better yet, wouldn’t it have made a great Visitors Center? “No, it’s on the west side”. They would say “it would cost too much”, I have to think they have spent far more in the buildings they have now, with much less historical value. Springfield has always wanted to tear those building and landmarks down only to remove what city officials deem eyesores. Wake up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Return of the Wagon!

The Return of the Wagon! Part 1
Just over 20 years ago, my Dad and I resurrected a rusty 1967 Chevy Nova station-wagon, with the intention of building our next drag-race car. I remember asking Dad: “why a wagon” and he simply said, “because they’re different…and they’re cool”. And for many years it was pretty dang cool and one of the fastest and most consistent grocery-getter’s at the track. But we sold it and moved onto the next project…but the wagon was always special. Fast forward 20 years later and the man that bought it passed away and his son called us up out of the blue and said: “would you like your wagon back?”.

At this point I figured it was a basket case that had been rusting away (again) but instead it was, literally, a time capsule! They did not change one thing on it. Heck, the license plate ring was the one we got Dad on his 50th B-day. I couldn’t believe it, so I said let’s get it home and see if we can fix what needs fixing and go racing again. Stay tuned for part two where we’ll rebuild the motor and part three where I’ll take it down the track!

The Return of the Wagon! Part 2
Back in the old garage with Dad! We have built and restored so many cars in this 30′ x 30′ home of horsepower but the wagon was memorable because it was the first build that I was old enough to really work on. It was the first car I could really contribute to but I was still too young and inexperienced to drive it. This, like most of our cars, was on a tight budget. It was all hand-built and armed with mostly swap-meet parts. In fact, we found a left for dead ’79 Camaro race car and got many of the parts we needed for the wagon from that old car.

Fast forward 20 years and here we are with the same short block 406, same heads, same intake and same old double pumper. We decided on a roller cam this time but everything else is pretty much exactly the same. The 9 inch Ford out back has 4.10’s so the car will mile-per-hour well and we added new rubber all around but the long-roof racer is basically a time-machine filled with 90’s tech. This episode has become a fan favorite since you get a glimpse of my Old Man in his element. He has been drag racing on an off the track since 1962….and you get to hear the old small-block roar again!

The Return of the Wagon! Part 3
Here we go! Off to Gateway Motorsports Park, the drag strip that I practically grew up at. The last time we ran the wagon here was in the mid 90’s before the track was renovated and expanded. It was fitting to make my first run back here where I have so many memories of this great sport and the hard-working, friendly racers that chase their dreams at high speed!

Ryan Hanlon
Route 3 Films (Race Team)

MUSIC by Gin House, song is Marianna (Acoustic) – Instrumental – licensed thru TheMusicBed.com

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Kindall’s General Store

Kindall’s old General Store is one of the oldest continuously operated businesses in the Ozarks. The Old Store has been serving generations for well over 60 years. The business, situated in front of the majestic and scenic Ozark Mountains, continues to be operated to this day.

The interior of the store is much the same as it was when constructed with many old features and antiques. The original board floor, the antiques, metal, stamped tin ceiling, the original shelving and counters, and numerous antiques give the visitor the feeling of stepping back in time. The architecture of the building along with the big front porch represents the vintage of middle and late 1800s.

The current operator plans to keep the store as is, even though it’s not as profitable as it needs to be. There’s more to this labor of love than money.

The original ceiling tin is intact, more than one person has tried to pry it out of the store, there’s not enough money to make that happen. The oak tongue and groove floor is soft in spots, heck I would be too if I were that old. It just adds to the ambiance of the place. The wood stove still sits in the back but due to insurance it’s disconnected.

The Store is an antique and be truly an educational experience.

Across the street is where the Kindall’s lived, underneath the giant oak sits the homestead.

The house appears to be the same time period as the store, the chairs out front were a perfect place to watch traffic on the highway.

Living on top of the hill meant a storm cellar was a must, tornado’s are common place in this part of the Ozarks. This place was old but I was directed to the original home site which was much older and still standing.

Like taking a step back in time, walking into the general store in the community of Olga, Missouri takes you to a place in Ozark history. In the 1980’s, Corda Kindall kept her store alive even though supermarkets in nearby towns got most of the business. At that time, her store was like a museum, full of items once commonly sold in country general stores. She stocked modern necessities as well, but mostly just enjoyed the people dropping by for a chat, a loaf of bread and way of thanking her for keeping the store open and welcoming to local people. Corda Kindall passed away in 1995. Video Produced by Ed Fillmer.

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Saying Goodbye To Old Friends in Halltown

At the height of Route 66 Halltown had roughly 20 businesses which included three grocery stores, a drugstore, a blacksmith shop, service station, garage, and a variety store.

Today, Halltown has a few surviving businesses. It’s boarded up store fronts are sitting empty. One long standing store closed recently The Whitehall Mercantile, known for it’s antiques which filled the store from floor to ceiling. Built in 1900 as a grocery/general store, the false front mercantile, with it’s stone foundation and wooden porch, provided a view of Route 66 from the past. Historic buildings like the 1930’s Las Vegas Hotel and Barber Shop, Brown Shoe Company, and a few older buildings are of interest.

With progress and the construction of Interstate 44 Halltown is losing a battle with time and being by-passed, parts of the town are decaying and abandoned.

Whitehall Mercantile – Thelma White – Halltown, MO – Route 66 – September 2, 1993

The Mercantile is now closed, it’s a shame but there was no interest by anyone in the family to keep it going. Lost to progress and time, like Thelma who has passed it’s now just a memory.

 

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2018 Abandoned Calendar On Sale

Just finished up the Abandoned in the Ozarks Calendar for 2018 just follow this link to get yours! Photos from across the Ozarks places like Galena, Protem, Cane Hill, Brighton, Greenfield and Bona to name a few. It’s a collection of photos I’ve taken featuring abandoned and endangered buildings that due to Mother Nature, lack of funds or care and soon will be lost to time forever.

It’s choked full of 12 months of abandoned goodness.

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No Vacancy

On this trip I was lucky enough to have a running mate, my son Jake. I am hoping to instill my love of Ozarks history into him, even if I have to beat it into him. He seems to enjoy the abandoned side of the adventure so it isn’t going to be too hard. We traveled south of Cassville on Hwy 86 to our destination the Eagle Rock Motel. From what I see in the architecture it was a 1950’s-60’s design, low slung with a canopy as most of those motels were. I can’t find much information on the subject of the Eagle Rock Motel aside from this excerpt from The Barry County Museum.
“In 1909 some of the men here got jobs cutting railroad ties for the railroad coming in. The ties were cut and slid down the bluff on White River (the bluff we now call the Tie Slide across the road from the Eagle Rock Motel). They were floated down the river to Branson where the ties were sold.

The late 1800’s and early 1900’s were not all hard work and no play. On Saturday nights the local people would take turns having dances and parties at each other’s homes. One Saturday night they would go to John Munsey’s home and do the two-step and then the next Saturday night to Bartolomew Stringer’s house (Vernon and Johnny Stringer’s great-grandfather), which was reported to have 83 people there. Can you imagine that many people in those tiny homes back then?” For the complete article click here. I was lucky to run across Fields Photo in Cassville. Fields sure documented Barry County, lucky for everyone they kept those records.

Lets get to the trip, When we got to Eagle Rock Motel it was the entrance to some homes that sat behind the motel. I know they would like to see the motel demolished and cleaned up. I was told that the owner hasn’t made a decision on what to do with the property but likely will expand an adjacent business onto the property. Who knows?


I’m sure the brochure would have read: “Your family can enjoy our clean modern pool”. Amazingly it really wasn’t in that bad of shape structurally. I bet the pumps are shot though.

The office walls were completely gone, but they are still serving a continental breakfast after 7:00A.M. in the dining room.

The lobby closes at 9:00 P.M. but if you need anything you can ring the bell at the entrance.


There are rooms on the back of the property if you need privacy and quiet.

We chose to stay on street side so we could overlook the pool and bypassing traffic.


We got a double but had to call for room service. Out of towels!

We always pack light. It’s just an overnight, I can wear the same pants but I need a change of shirts. Which I forgot but lucky me the previous occupants left one just my size.

Jesus saves, but he didn’t lift the lid.

A bit of a twist in this story, neighbors told me that the owners/operators of the motel divorced and the two continued to occupy the motel. The man moved from the adjacent house to a room in the motel. Don’t think I could do that, the tires were 225 I need 265.

Overall it was a fun trip…Thanks Jake, let’s do it again!

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Flying Below The Radar on 66

This structure left in Spencer, MO was first built in the 1920’s. Johnson Creek trickles under the old steel bridge, at one time many years ago Johnson Mill was on the banks of Johnson Creek. In later years a store was built on the site of the old mill by Mr. Spencer. In 1868 a post office was in place and the settlement of Spencer began.

When Route 66 came through it brought new life to the town in the 1920s. Travelers came through headed off to California or might have been soldiers on Greyhound buses headed off to boot camps during the war time. However nothing major ever really materialized for Spencer with the addition of the then new Route 66 and eventually it’s nothing more than a ghost town.

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Tractors Gone Wild

Within the first few decades, tractor use was slow to catch on. Yet once farmers realized the benefits that could be had in tractor-driven farming, popularity soared. There was no need for cumbersome manual labor when a simple machine like a tractor could do the job for you. From 1910-1970, tractor production drastically increased from 1000 tractors to nearly 5 million.
Falling prices contributed to tractor to tractor growth. Early tractors cost as much as $785 in 1920. Just two years later in 1922, a tractor could be purchased for only $395. The price dropped by nearly half in just two years, making tractors an affordable piece of agricultural machinery for almost every farmer.

 

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Prying Eyes: “The Barn Finds”

According to the World Famous Wikipedia “A barn find is a classic car or motorcycle that has been discovered, often in derelict condition. The term comes from their tendency to be found in places such as barns, sheds, carports and outbuildings where they have been stored for many years. The term usually applies to vehicles that are rare and valuable, and which are consequently of great interest to car collectors and enthusiasts despite their poor condition.

In the past, barn find cars were typically subjected to exhaustive restoration, to return them to a condition close to that when they were built. However, the current trend is to treat the cars more sympathetically, to avoid restoration that removes evidence of the car’s history and to place greater value on any original features the car retains even if they’re in poor condition. In some cases, intense restoration can actually lower a car’s value.”

I admit some are better, some are worse. Some may not have any value whatsoever but they have been spotted and I’m sure someone might need a part or a widget, maybe you’ll just want to drool.

This photo section of barn finds is my attempt to document what I’ve found through my travels in The Ozarks. I’ll add to this post as I run across new finds.

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Bennett Spring State Park

Bennett Spring and its valley have attracted visitors since the mid-19th century. Settlers found the spring-fed streams to be ideal locations for their grist and flour mills and the wilderness around the stream was perfect for hunting. James Brice was one of the first settlers in the area and he built his first mill in 1846. Although several other mills were built at different times, the most successful mill was operated by Peter Bennett, Brice’s son-in-law. Bennett became the namesake for the spring and the spring valley became a popular hunting and camping ground for farmers waiting for their grain to be ground at the mill.

Already a favorite among fishermen, the area became even more popular in 1900 when the Missouri Fish Commissioner introduced 40,000 mountain trout into the spring-fed stream. In 1924-1925, the state purchased the spring and part of the surrounding area to create one of the first state parks. In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps contributed much of the present-day character of the park, building cabins, a shelter house, roads, trails, the arched bridge across the spring branch and the rustic dining lodge.