Tag: historic

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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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Break Time is over, now get back to work!

Every adventure starts with planning, this time it’s localized. No big road trip just close to home, down and dirty foot work. Over a number of years I’ve been visiting as many locations as possible digging up images from the Ozarks past. Whether it’s an old mill site, abandoned home, deserted road or well traveled touristy spot I’m shooting it.

I’m in the process of updating my website to reveal this project and all the while planning the next project. No I’m not in it for the money I’m doing it to preserve the image of these places while they still exist. Already a few of these places have been removed, bulldozed, fallen into oblivion, or burned. It won’t be too many more years before the structures of my grandfathers era are nothing but a memory. When I get the site functional I’ll put you out a notice and hope you’ll visit.

If you have information on any historical, abandoned or sentimental site you would like to share and see permanently captured leave me comment below. I’ll do my best to visit it.