West Baden Springs Hotel

If you enjoy great architecture, the West Baden Springs Hotel in Indiana is a sight to behold.
The hotel features an enormous domed atrium that was the largest free-spanning dome in the U.S. until 1955. It was the largest dome in the world from 1902-1913.
From the hotel's web site I learned that George Rogers Clark discovered the area's mineral springs and salt licks in 1778. Due to the beauty of the land and the belief in curative powers of the springs, the area was ripe for resort development.
In 1832, the French Lick Springs Hotel was built. In 1855, a hotel was built in the town of Mile Lick, which later became known as West Baden.
By the late 19th century, seven rail lines brought guests from all over the U.S. to the area.
In 1901, the entire hotel was destroyed by fire. Then owner Lee W. Sinclair took the opportunity to build the hotel of his dreams, complete with the world's largest dome, decorated like the grandest spas of Europe. The architect was Harrison Albright.
In 1902 the hotel opened for business and advertisements touted it as the Eighth Wonder of the World. The grounds included golf courses, bowling, a pony and bike track, swimming and more and attracted the likes of Al Capone and professional baseball teams.
The hotel was used for other purposes from the 1960s-1980s and was in fairly good shape then but eventually fell into disrepair. In 1991 a portion of the exterior wall collapsed.
The West Baden Springs Hotel was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974 and was reopened as a hotel in 2007 at a cost of almost $100 million in restoration.
Even if you do not plan to stay at one of the hotels guest rooms, you can tour the hotel or dine in the on-site restaurant.
I visited this fall, as some of my grandfather's family had settled in the Martin County, Indiana area.
Stepping in to the beautiful domed atrium with the floor lined with millions of tiny mosaic tiles and seeing how tall the dome was, I would have expected the room to carry a lot of noise, but it was as serene as a library and quite peaceful.
We toured the grounds and walked along sweeping porches lined with rocking chairs where people enjoyed a cup of coffee or a good book.
Walking the circular halls we took in all of the historic photographs and soaked up some of the history of what this hotel has been and what it has been through to emerge once again as a beautiful example of architecture.
I hope to spend a night at the hotel in the next year or two.

West Baden Springs Hotel
8538 West Baden Avenue
French Lick, IN 47469

Arcadia, OK

We detoured into Arcadia, Oklahoma once we saw that part of Route 66 passed through the town, mainly to check out the giant soda bottle.
Unfortunately we were not bowled over by it. It looked to be pretty new and modern, but years from now I'm sure it will be a big hit.
The bonus was that we decided to drive further and ended up stopping at the Arcadia Round Barn. What a beautiful specimen!
The round barn, now beautifully restored, was built in 1898. Inside we found an impressive collection of round barn history from all over the U.S. and a charming older man named Sam, dressed in cowboy attire. There were pictures of the upstairs loft and the ceiling looked stunning. The loft is available for rentals.
Inside the barn was also a small selection of gift items for sale.

Leaving the barn, we explored some of the beautiful historic buildings nearby, and then headed on to try to find OK Country 66, where one man has build replicas of many classic roadside attractions. We drove past a couple of times without seeing it, but once we did we thought it was even better than we expected, but, alas, the gates were closed and there was no sign on when they would be open.

We didn't have to go away empty-handed, however. While at the round barn, I had noticed some information on the ruins of a 1920s filling station nearby, and I spotted it in our search for OK Country 66. We got out and admired the stone pillars and walls that remain, and on our way back to the Interstate my husband stopped at the round barn once more and ended up finding out that Sam, the man holding down the fort at the barn that day was also the owner of the filling station.

The detour into the Arcadia area to check out Route 66 turned out to be one of the highlights of our vacation for me.

Arcadia Round Barn
11250 E. Highway 66
Arcadia, OK 73007

Old Filling Station
E Danforth Rd near Oklahoma 66
Arcadia, OK 73007

Rodney, Mississippi: "ghost town"

I discovered the "ghost town" of Rodney, Mississippi online and we were able to make a visit there on our latest vacation.
Said to be settled by the French in 1763 as Petit Gouffre (Petit Gulf), the town was renamed Rodney in 1828. The town thrived as a river port in the 1840s and 50s, but in the mid 1860s a sand bar formed and the Mississippi River changed course, which forever changed the course of this town.
The Presbyterian church in Rodney still bears an imbedded cannon ball above the center arched window on the top row of the building. A sign informs "Rodney Presbyterian Church chartered in Jan. 1828 as the Presbyterian Church of Petit Gulf. Shelled by the gunboat 'Rattler' when Federal sailors were captured by the Confederate cavalry while attending Sunday services September 13, 1863."
Near the Federal style Presbyterian church there are several signs detailing more history of Rodney.
We walked around the quiet town with the sound of bugs being our only accompaniment. There were several houses and buildings in a state of ruin, and a store with an old gas pump in front. There were also some well-kept houses of those who now call Rodney home, and a charming Baptist church topped with a silver dome.
A heavy rain storm began just as we would have gotten out to visit the graveyard and church, and soon the gravel roads we used to arrive seemed a bit treacherous with the amount of rapidly falling rain, so we decided it would be best to head out.

Rodney 
Lorman, MS 39096

Arcade Restaurant

We've been to Memphis, TN many times, but on our visit this summer I decided to see what type of historic restaurants were in the area, since we love soaking in the character of these beauties. I came up with the Arcade Restaurant, Memphis' oldest restaurant, which is also on the National Register of Historic Places.
According to their web site, Greek Speros Zepatos founded the restaurant in 1919. In the 1950s, his son updated the restaurant to it's current diner style. The Zepatos family still runs the restaurant.
The attractive Arcade has even been featured in scenes from many movies.

We rode our bikes to the Arcade for breakfast, but another great way to arrive is via the Historic South Main street car line, which will take you on a scenic route through one of Memphis' restored business districts. We used the street cars a lot on this trip, and they are very beautifully restored. Each ride was only $1 (make sure you have exact change) and the drivers were friendly and helpful. A helpful rider also told us that day passes can be purchased for just over $3.


Arcade Restaurant  
540 South Main Street
Memphis, TN 38103

Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co.

Years ago a friend of mine heard of the Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co. in Chicago and we decided to try it while we were in town for a concert.
The address has been etched in my mind ever since, even though we live in a small town in Central IL.
On my first visit, the two of us arrived at the narrow brick house at 2121 N. Clark on a Saturday night to find the place packed to the gills. A white-haired gentleman eventually made it to the entrance area and asked us how many were in our party. We said two, and he said "an hour and 10 minutes". He did not take any names. We learned that one of the notable things about the restaurant is that they will not take names, they remember you by sight, and are pretty damn accurate about your potential wait time.
We waited at the bar and enjoyed big glasses of red wine. At one hour and 10 minutes after our arrival, right on the nose we were tapped on the shoulder and taken to our cozy wooden booth where, now ravenous, we immediately ordered the first thing we could see on the menu: Mediterranean bread.
Our waiter soon brought the flat bread, draped over a platter and covered in dried herbs and cheese to our table where we tore at it like wild dogs.
Soon our 1/2 pound steaming pizza pot pies arrived, baked in ceramic bowls. I had the sausage and mushroom and my friend Minney, who does not eat pork or beef, had just mushrooms. Deeeeee-licious!!
I later told my husband about the entire experience, and after we saw the restaurant featured on the Food Network he wanted to try the place for himself.
I told him that I could taste green peppers in the sauce (since he is a pepper hater), but I wasn't sure if the flavor would bother him or not.
The two of us visited and had a repeat great experience (he absolutely loves the pies, green peppers and all), and now we make a point to go once a year.
It has become a tradition during December. We go to Chicago for Christkindlmarket, eat dinner at the Pizza and Oven Grinder Co. and take two frozen pot pies home which we prepare and eat together over wine on Christmas eve.
I would also suspect that it is a good place to work, even with the standing room only crowds, since year after year we recognize the waiters and bartenders as those who have been there for years.
The restaurant alone is historic in that it has been serving up these wonderful pizza pies since 1972, but according to the following from their web site, the location itself has some interesting history.
"If the building ever did possess gentility, though, it was abruptly forsaken on February 14, 1929, as the guttural yammering of submachine guns in a garage almost directly across the street brought the notorious 'St. Valentine’s Day Massacre' to headlines around the world. Rumor even has it that the house at 2121 North Clark served as a lookout post for hoodlum henchmen of the Valentine gunners."
So, if you go for the great food, the possible history or the hosts who can distinguish you from the waiting crowd, the Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co. does not disappoint.

Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co.
2121 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60614

Castleman's River Bridge

On our way home from vacation we decided to take a more scenic route, traveling US Route 40 through several states.

This gave us the opportunity to view several historic sites and road markers.

We noticed a beautiful stone arch bridge in Maryland and stopped to stretch our legs and have a look.

According to the historic marker posted at the site, the Castleman's River Bridge "formerly 'Little Youghiogeny' was erected in 1813 by David Shriver Jr., the superintendent of the 'Cumberland Road' (National Road). This 80 foot span was the largest stone arch in America at the time. It was continuously used from 1813 to 1933."

The bridge was built to aid in the westward movement through the wilderness west of Cumberland and was declared a registered national historic landmark in 1963.

It is no longer used for traffic, but due to preservation efforts remains in good condition.

Castleman's (Casselman's) River Bridge

146-198 Casselman Road

Grantsville, MD 21536

Wadhams pagoda-style gas station

With its unique pagoda-style design, Wadhams Gas Station in West Allis, Wisconsin is one place I wanted to take a look at.

Built by Milwaukee architect Alexander Eschweiller in 1916, the steel-frame, glass-walled design is considered iconic.

The station was restored to the 1950 appearance in 2000 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in the summer of 2004.

The building is quite beautiful with its remarkable red roof, and there are also lovely stained glass inserts in the roof displaying the letter W.

Looking inside the windows at the historic display, I was amazed at how tiny and efficient the space was and could imagine an employee hard at work in this tiny pagoda.

There are several old cans and bottles of petroleum products on display, and I thought it was funny how many variations of Mobil hand lotion there were. The mechanics must have been concerned about keeping their hands soft and supple back then!

There were also several neat maps and brochures on display.

While at the site, my husband checked the Geocaching web site and found there was a cache hidden on site, so we searched for that for a while before finding it, then logged our find and continued our travels.

Wadhams Gas Station

1647 South 76th Street

West Allis, WI 53214

Cerno's Bar & Grill

Sometime during the later 1990s, a friend of mine introduced me to a gorgeous bar in Kewanee, Illinoid.
Now, anytime I am out in that neck of the woods, I try to stop by, as I did in early August this year.
When I started visiting the bar it was known as Lloyd's.
My dad, who grew up in the area knew it as Ann's Place. And well before his time, it is said that the bar remained open during Prohibition.
Currently it houses Cerno's Bar & Grill.

From their website:
"Imported from Belgium, this bar was built by Pabst Blue Ribbon in 1898.
John P. Brady (prominent young business
man of Kewanee, a wholesale and retail liquor dealer who was born in that city in February, 1868, son of Thomas and Rosanna [Trainer] Brady) was the original owner; his initials are still etched in the front door glass.
The Mahogany mirrored bar spans fifty feet, with hand carved figurines at each end. It is also accented with the original brass fixtures.
Detailed carved lion heads are throughout the building.
Along the wall are small buzzers topped with tiny eagles that were used to summon a waiter to the customers. While overhead is an embossed tin ceiling. Stained-glass and leaded windows enhance the 19th century atmosphere.
The brass footed pedestal tables are still here, as is the teller cage where men would cash their paychecks, and then come in for a drink. The brass spittoons are now used as tip jars behind the bar. Years ago when women were not allowed in the taverns, the men would have to take their lady friends upstairs to drink. Their drinks were then sent up to them via the dumbwaiter, which still works today."

I never tire of looking around the bar, taking in the ancient looking wallpaper murals depicting horse and buggy, the tin ceiling, the mahogany lion's heads carved into each arch of the bar and doorways, the old tile floors, the curved brass foot rail, the cozy wooden booths...this is one place where despite changing hands several times over the years, the character has largely been left intact.

Cerno's Bar & Grill
213 W 3rd St
Kewanee, IL 61443

Route 66 Garage Sale

June 12 and 13 marked the third anniversary of the Route 66 Garage Sale, and that Saturday we decided to check it out for the first time.

The towns involved included Atlanta, Lincoln, Broadwell and Elkhart, all in Illinois.

We didn't find much of interest at the garage sales themselves. Maybe all of the goodies were snatched up on Friday before we got there.

We spoke to a gentleman at Krotz & Sons in Lincoln who said that the first year these garage sales were held, people lined up their wares along Route 66. This time, the sales were found by following many hand made signs weaving back and forth into neighborhoods, which made it a bit difficult for people not familiar with the area.

We did take the opportunity to do a bit more exploring of the Route 66 area while we were out.

I found out that the Palms Grill Café in Atlanta had recently been reopened for breakfast and lunch, and seeing that they served chocolate malts, I decided this would be the perfect time to stop in and sample one.

The back of the menu read: Step back in time at the Palms Grill Café. The Grill, as folks in town called it, opened in August 1934 in "the center of Atlanta on Rt. 66", serving locals and travelers alike. The Grill provided home-cooked meals, plus Bingo games and weekly dances in the backroom. Atlanta's children took advantage of its weekday "School Children's Plate Lunch" — which included a "choice of three meats and two vegetables and drink" all for 45 cents! The Grill was the local Greyhound Bus Stop, so if you wanted to catch the bus, you just flipped the switch for the light on the bottom of the Grill's large neon sign. The original Grill closed in the late 1960s. The Atlanta Library and Museum, along with generous financial support from Atlanta citizens, the Illinois Bureau of Tourism, and the National Park Service's Rt. 66 Corridor Preservation Project, have recreated the Grill so it can once again serve Rt. 66 travelers and folks of this fair community.

Why the name "Palms Grill Café"? Atlanta local Robert Adams was inspired by the palm trees

he saw in California while on a trip there. When he returned to Atlanta to open a restaurant, he wanted to be reminded of the sunshine state, so he named the establishment The Palms Grill Café and ensured that a live palm three was included in its interior decor.

I loved the decor of the restaurant, from the marble countertop where we enjoyed our wonderful chocolaty malts to the white

tin stamped ceiling, to the tile on the bathroom floor. Almost everything looked clean and new, yet period appropriate.

There was even an old refrigerator behind the counter (you can see a glimpse of it behind our malts), which we assumed was just for display, but we got a kick out of seeing our server grab hold of the old curved metal handle to pull open the door, revealing a nice array of fresh pies inside.

Even the glasses and saucers we were served with seemed period appropriate. There were a lot of nice touches used.

Moving down the road to Lincoln, we stopped at an antique store downtown.

Stepping out of the car, we noticed a retro looking metal box hanging on a pole near the curb.

Thinking it might be a meter of some sort, I looked at the name plate on the front: Traf-O-Teria, which gave me a chuckle.

My husband walked into the antique store as I was snapping a photo, and the lady inside was laughing and asked if I had never seen a ticket payment box before.

Our next stop was Broadwell, where we got out at the Pig Hip museum and visited with the former owner and his wife. Very nice folks! I felt like we would have been at home stepping up into the kitchen and joining Ernie at the kitchen table while he ate his lunch.

The Pig Hip Restaurant operated from 1937-1991, then housed Route 66 memorabilia until fire destroyed the building in early 2007.

There are several photographs, newspaper stories and books on display at the site.

Our last stop on the route was Elkhart.

We checked out Horsefeathers wares, then headed out to Springfield for a late lunch.

I soon realized that we had forgotten to look for an attraction I had heard about in Elkhart, the 1915 John P. Gillett Memorial Bridge, so on our way back home we hunted it down.

This photo does not do the bridge justice. The arch is very tall, and the area is heavily wooded and beautiful, with trees creating a lovely shady canopy over the bridge.

The bridge was built by Emma Gillett Oglesby in memory of her brother, John Parke Gillett, and was on the "Ten Most Endangered" historic places list in Illinois in 2005. The bridge has since been stabilized.

On our way to the bridge along County Road 10, we saw a beautiful cemetery, supposedly haunted by the ghost of Emma Gillett Oglesby. From this website I learned her ghost: still visits the (Oglesby) tomb. However, as she kneels before the vault she is interrupted by a group of spectral Indians who chase her off across the bridge leading over the road by the cemetery. A number of photographs have captured weird phenomena as mist and apparitions, not seen by the eye, appear in pictures. A swirling vortex was photographed over one grave. At the back of the cemetery there is a fence separating the grave yard from the woods. Here, people have reported seeing dark colored apparitions and hearing the sounds of voices and footsteps.

The cemetery is also very beautiful, flanked by intricate iron gates. The gates are Gillett memorial gates erected November 1939. Again, it was difficult for me to capture how beautiful these were with my point and shoot.

In the cemetery we also saw a wonderful Gothic stone chapel, the John Dean Gillett Memorial Chapel, which is the only privately owned and operated church in Illinois.

The chapel was built by the wife of John Dean Gillett.

Palms Grill Café

110 SW Arch Street

Atlanta, IL 61723

Elkhart Cemetery, John Dean Gillett Memorial Chapel and railroad bridge

County Rd. 10 (700th Street)

Elkhart, IL 62634

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket

On April 25 of this year, we finally visited a place we've wanted to go for years: Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket in Willowbrook, IL.
So many times we've driven past the billboards and signs on our way to and from places, but were never hungry when we were in the neighborhood.
Well known for fried chicken for more than 60 years, Dell Rhea's has had its ups and downs due to Route 66 bypassing the restaurant in the 60s, but has stood the test of time.
The Chicken Basket was inducted in the Route 66 Hall of Fame in June of 1992 and The National Register of Historic Places in May of 2006.
We stopped by the bar side first because we weren't starving yet. Our Dining Companion and I tried a local beer, the Route 66 Roadhouse Red Ale. It was not my thing and I ended up replacing it with a Pabst, but she ended up finishing it. My husband had a Pabst and our brother-in-law enjoyed a soda.
We soon cut through the back of the bar, checking out some framed newspaper articles along the way, to the dining room and took a table.
The large, angled windows across the front of the restaurant reminded me of some of the neat old buildings at Indiana Beach or York Beach in Maine, with a vacationy/nautical feel.
A large stone wall with a fireplace graced the end of the dining room, and old wooden chairs graced the tables. Some of them had a schoolhouse look to them, which added to the charm.
I had to try the corn fritters, so we placed our appetizer order for those. When they arrived, they were warm, sweet and good, but I can't say they were the best I've ever had.
For our dinners, we all chose baskets of chicken, which came with fries, slaw and biscuits.
The stars here were the chicken (juicy and good, with a cornmeal-like coating) and the biscuits (tiny and delicious). Dining Companion and I decided that since they were so small, you didn't need to feel bad about eating tons of them.
Our waitress was very cheerful and joked about giving us piggy back rides back to our car, since our bellies were so full.
The dining room kept up a steady business the whole time we were there, and closer to 6:00 people were standing along the back of the room waiting for tables.
Several large groups were having what appeared to be traditional family dinner meetups in the dining room, and Dell Rhea's is certainly a great place for that.

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket
645 Joliet Road
I-55 & Route 83
Willowbrook, Illinois 60527

Pioneer Gothic Church

Once I found out that Dwight, Illinois is home to a rare wood framed Carpenter Gothic church, I was determined to track it down and have a look.
We visited the site on April 12, 2009.
This church was built by a Presbyterian congregation in the later 1850s in Carpenter Gothic style, a North American architectural designation for an application of Gothic Revival details applied to wooden structures built by house carpenters.
With wood being scarce, and the added threat of fire in prairie regions, this type of architecture was not common to Illinois.
The Pioneer Gothic Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

Pioneer Gothic Church
201 N Franklin Street
Dwight, IL 60420

Standard Oil Gas Station

Built in 1932, the Standard Oil Gas Station in Odell, Illinois was modeled after a 1916 Standard Oil of Ohio design, in the house and canopy style.
The work bays were added at a later date.
At least nine other stations besides this one lined this part of Route 66 through Odell.
In the late 1990s, the Village of Odell purchased the station for historic restoration. The Route 66 Association of Illinois took interest in the project and nominated the property for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, which was granted on November 9, 1997.
A bypass was constructed around Odell in 1946, and traffic was directed around the strip that held the gas stations so businesses started to disappear. This station persisted until 1967, largely because it offered services as well as gasoline.

We've driven by this nicely preserved station many times, and took this photo on April 12, 2009.
We also visited in October of 2006 and found a geocache hidden on the property.

Standard Oil Gasoline Station
400 S West Street
Odell, IL‎ 60460

Tinker Swiss Cottage

On our visit to Rockford, Illinois in March, we stopped to see the Tinker Swiss Cottage.
The architecture of the building was beautiful, and StfRon was interested in taking the tour, so we paid our $12 admission in the gift shop and waited for the tour to start.
On this rainy Saturday in March, we were the only two waiting for the 3:00 tour, so we got a private tour of sorts.
Built in 1865 by Robert Hall Tinker, the house is filled with stunning woodwork. We started in the sun porch area, and I don't think I would ever have grown tired of studying the room.
The gentleman who gave us our tour was engaging and full of interesting stories, and the house was very impressive with all of its beautiful wood and hand painted scenes on the walls and ceilings.
The property was left to the Rockford Park District by the family, and all of the belongings were intact when the park district took over. As a result, there is a lot of good information on the history, including some diaries kept by Tinker.
I had heard about the suspension bridge on the property and was looking forward to walking across it, but it was closed during our visit.
Due to the heavy rain that day, I forgot to get a photo of the exterior (photography is not allowed of the interior). I'll stop back on a sunny day and take a picture of the house, and hopefully get to test out the suspension bridge as well. Actually, we also need to go back to take another stab at finding the geocache located on the Tinker Swiss property. We looked for a bit, but the rain eventually sent us back to the car.

Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum
411 Kent Street
Rockford, IL 61102

Highland Park Diner

We originally visited the Highland Park Diner in mid July, 2007.

When I found out we would be coming through Rochester, NY, I made note of the address of the Highland Park Diner so we could stop by and visit this landmark.
When we drove up to the building, we were instantly charmed by it.
The diner is an original 1948 art-deco styled diner manufactured by the Orleans Diner Company, still occupying its original location.
It may be the only surviving one of this manufacturer, as only two or three were produced.
Most of the interior was removed in the 70s, but it was purchased by a new owner in the 80s and restored.
We tucked into a cozy booth in the back corner and admired the retro decor, from the quilted stainless backsplash to the neon lining the arched ceiling.
The Highland Park was cool and clean, the service friendly and the food was good.
We even tried the apple pie because apparently Conde Nast voted in best apple pie a few years back. It was good, but I won't say it was the best apple pie I've ever had. But if I ever find myself anywhere near Rochester again, I will definitely be back.

Highland Park Diner
960 Clinton Ave S
Rochester, NY 14620

Old Jail

We ran across this old brick jail while heading to an open house at a local winery.
This was the third village jail in Manito, Illinois, built in 1906. The previous jail was destroyed by fire, so this structure was designed to be as fireproof as possible.
In the late 1970s, the jail was rumored to be slated for demolition. The Manito Historical Society was then formed and worked to save the jail and move it to its present location.
Next door is an original old red village schoolhouse also nicely preserved.
Both are available for tours by appointment.

Old Jail
204 State St.
Manito, IL 61546

Peoria Mineral Springs

Ever since I saw the Peoria Mineral Springs featured on the Name This Peoria Landmark web site, I've been dying to visit the site in Peoria, Illinois' West Bluff. I hadn't even been aware of it's existence before then.
Saturday we got out our handheld GPS and went to check it out.

The first thing we came across was the stately brick home perched on the hillside with a plaque between two of the windows reading "Peoria Mineral Springs Soda and Ginger Ale".
The site was added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1982.
The house was built by Zealy Moss.

A bit past the historic house, we came to a short stone stairway leading up the side of the wooded hill. The stairs soon petered out, and with leaves covering the loose stones scattered along the hill, we had a little trouble making our way up.
Either someone maintains this area, or maybe the rumors of hauntings keep people from hanging out here, because I was surprised to find virtually no litter once we left the sidewalk.

Shortly we came to a brick archway capped by a wooden door that has been chained closed.
The little arched doorway in the woods reminded me of something from a fairy tale. Putting my ear to the gap in the door, I could hear the water flowing freely in the tunnel.

Nearby lies a marker topped with a plaque stating "Peoria Mineral Springs has been in existence some 14,500 years and is this area’s last link with prehistoric water sources. Located on Peoria’s historic West Bluff, the springs were the primary source for the first water supply for the City of Peoria. Governor Thomas Ford granted a charter February 20, 1843 for the establishment of this water supply. A reservoir was then built to contain the springs and pipers were laid to carry the water approximately two miles. At this time, Zealy Moss, Revolutionary War soldier, prominent citizen and owner of the property, built a home for himself on the property. The springs are still free flowing today.

This plaque placed by
Illinois State Organization
of the
National Society Daughters of the American Revolution
Mrs. Albert Triebel, Jr., State Regent
This Sixteenth day of March
Nineteen-Hundred Eighty-Three"

It's intriguing to me to realize that sites like this exist, seemingly almost forgotten in Peoria. Heck, I drive within a couple of blocks of this site about once a week, and didn't even know it was there.
Upon doing some research when I got home, I also found that the site is said to be haunted. According to ghostsofamerica.com I found "The spirit of an awfully scorched woman is repeatedly observed obliterating a bag at Peoria Mineral Springs at midnight".
I also found this report that "A large chilling ghost was made out beside Peoria Mineral Springs late at night downing blood from a beaker. This ghost is fantastically active in this area; there have been a few other sightings of this specific ghost. Anyhow, it's a scary ghost that you wouldn't want to bump into late at night".
I didn't pick up any haunted vibes while I was there, but certainly found it to be a neat peek into Peoria's past.

Peoria Mineral Springs
701 W. 7th Avenue
Peoria, IL 61605

Ha Ha Tonka State Park castle ruins

On our recent visit to the Lake of the Ozarks area in Missouri, we took the time to stop at Ha Ha Tonka State Park in Camdenton, Missouri to view the castle ruins.

Around 1900, Robert McClure Snyder, a prominent Kansas City businessman was so impressed with the beauty of the area that he began purchasing much of the surrounding land and eventually acquired over 5,000 acres.

Snyder dreamed of building a private retreat that would rival castles of Europe. He brought in stone masons from Scotland and a hired a European supervisor to ensure proper construction techniques.
Kansas City architect Adrian Van Brunt designed the three-and-a-half story masterpiece. The stone and timber used were taken from the vicinity of the construction site and were hauled by mule team. Construction began in 1905.

Also on the property were nine greenhouses, a stable and an 80 foot water tower, all built of the same stone and timber.
The water tower fell victim to vandals in the 70s, but still stands today.

Tragically, in 1906, Snyder was killed in an automobile accident. The interior of the castle remained unfinished until 1922 when Snyder's sons completed the upper floors of the building.

The Snyder family then faced years of adversity in trying to keep the property in the family. Eventually they leased the mansion to a Mrs. Ellis who operated it as a hotel.

In 1942, one of Ha Ha Tonka's fireplaces sparked a fire in the mansion. All that remains today are the walls on the edge of the cliff. The State of Missouri purchased the estate in 1978 and opened it to the public as a State Park.

Visiting the site and enjoying some of the 12 hiking trails, we were impressed by the beauty of the property. The views rival those that we saw when visiting the Rhine/Mosel valley in Koblenz, Germany.

Ha Ha Tonka State Park
1491 State Road D
Camdenton, MO 65020

Metro Milwaukee and homeward bound

This weekend we squeezed in a short trip to the Milwaukee area.
My mom found a German restaurant online she wanted to check out, which was located in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Weissgerber's Gasthaus turned out to be a lovely European styled building with beautiful decor.
The Gasthaus has been serving German favorites for more than 30 years.
My mom and I both started with the spinach salads with hot bacon dressing (a la carte for $4) and both chose the Sauerbraten ($21) as our entrée.
StfRon went with the pork shank ($25), over three pounds of roasted pork on the bone. My dad chose the Rouladen ($22).
From the pretzel rolls and ciabatta style bread to the spinach salads topped with savory dressing to the tangy Sauerbraten and red cabbage, everything was wonderful. I didn't finish it all, and didn't even get to sample the sauerkraut. If it was anything like the red cabbage, I surely missed out.
We've sampled a couple of German restaurants in the Milwaukee area over the years, and I would rate my meal at the Gasthaus the best meal I've had in Wisconsin thus far.

Unlike Saturday, Sunday dawned a picture perfect Milwaukee spring day. Because of the great weather, we enjoyed breakfast outdoors and ended up hanging around the city a bit longer, taking our time on the way home. We checked out a couple of antique shops, and started the trek south sometime after noon.
StfRon pulled off the Interstate in Delavan, WI, to see about some lunch options.
Interestingly enough, it turns out Delavan has some fun history. We noticed the statue of Romeo the elephant along the main brick street, and got out to see what the town's claim to fame was.
In 1847, the Mabie brothers, owners of the U.S. Olympic Circus, then the biggest traveling show in America, selected Delavan for their winter headquarters. This was a year before Wisconsin became a state and 24 years before the Ringling Brothers raised their first tents in Baraboo.
Delavan’s land and water was a great fit for the circus animals. The Mabie brothers' circus stayed on Delavan Lake, where their dynasty survived in Wisconsin for the next 100 years.
From 1847-1894, as the circuses grew in strength and numbers, hundreds of performers from over 26 circuses wintered in Delavan.
P.T. Barnum Circus was also founded in Delavan, in 1871.
Delavan's circus run came to an end in the mid 1980s when the E.G. Holland & Co. Railroad Circus shut down.
More than 250 members of these circuses are buried in cemeteries in Delavan.

Our next jaunt off the Interstate was Clinton, WI, because StfRon spotted an 1895 limestone water tower from the highway.
We decided to see if there were any geocaches in the area, and I found one that I wanted to check out.
The cache was placed near a historic bridge spanning 400 feet across the Turtle Creek Valley near the village of Tiffany.
The Tiffany bridge is a 5 arch stone bridge built with no steam or power in 1869, one of the most scenic railroad bridges in northern IL/ southern WI. It is still in active use on the Janesville branch of the Union Pacific Railroad.
On such a beautiful day, the site was quite peaceful. We saw several people canoing and had it been a tad warmer, I probably would have stretched out on the grass where I could hear the water bubbling along the creek and taken a nice rest. But we had to get home some time, so off we went.
I'm glad we found out about this site and were able to check it out.

Weissgerber's Gasthaus
2720 N Grandview Blvd
Waukesha, WI 53188

Delavan, WI 53115

Tiffany, WI 53511

Mickey's Diner

Mickey's Diner is a gem nestled in the shadows of towering downtown office buildings in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The diner was manufactured in New Jersey and made its way via rail to St. Paul where it has been in operation since the late 1930s.
Mickey's was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
I had to stop in, knowing it was so close to my destination.
Despite having a light breakfast at 7:30 a.m., I figured I could squeeze in an early lunch. I set out on foot, and arrived around 10 a.m.
I pulled open the original art deco styled door and stepped inside. I took my place at one of the dozen or so counter stools, facing a small glass tower of single serving desserts.
The diner retains its original character and charm, with stainless steel and decorative mahogany trim throughout.
I took note of the signs lining the wall near the ceiling which stated Mickey's is open 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
I was promptly greeted by the server who offered me a menu and some coffee. Since I'd already had a couple of stout cups, I went with some iced tea.
Perusing the menu, it didn't take me long to decide I would go for the Classic.
The staff of Mickey's seemed to enjoy their work and were friendly and cheerful, often singing along with the oldies music. Waiting for my food, I felt right at home.
My meal arrived around 10:15 and consisted of a cheeseburger on a sesame seed bun accompanied by three generous slices of dill pickles, a gut busting serving of thick shreds of hash browns good, greasy and browned to perfection and a cup of Mulligan stew. Everything was great. I finished almost all of the hearty stew, all of the burger and about half of the potatoes.
My waitress offered me some more tea when I got low, but I had plenty.
Sadly, I soon had to be on my way, so I went to the register to pay my bill. Mickey's does not accept checks, and you can't put your tip on a credit card.
Starting down the sidewalk, I passed a gent who had been sitting next to me and had stepped outside for a smoke. He bid me a nice day and I was on my way.
As I walked back to my destination, I reflected on the fact that the Minnesotans I encountered on my trip were very nice. I hadn't heard the term Minnesota nice until I was in the thick of it, and I certainly found it to be true on this visit.

Mickey's Diner
36 7th St. W
St. Paul, MN 55102

Die Cast Auto Sales

Last Sunday afternoon found us on the way to Springfield, Illinois for some dinner.
Along the way we stopped off in Williamsville along Route 66 to see if the antiques store was open, since we had a bit of time to kill.
We found that the antique shop had just closed, so we took a jaunt through town and came across the Die Cast Auto Sales building.
Once a gas station on Route 66 in the 1930s, the building is now an interesting collection of Route 66 and Coca-Cola memorabilia and, of course, die cast car models.

Die Cast Auto Sales
117 N. Elm Street
Williamsville, IL 62693