July 29th, 2021 … Summer of Fun continues! Day 2 Route 66 Caravan – Chicago, IL

Yankee RV chartered a bus and we headed into Chicago from our campsites at the Hollywood Casino RV Park in Joliet. 

Jackson Boulevard was the starting point for the original Route 66, which means you can drive into Chicago on the “Mother Road” from the Kennedy Expressway, Illinois Interstate 90/94. Exit Jackson east and look for Lou Mitchell’s on your right located near the intersection of Jackson and Jefferson.

That will be our first stop while we are in downtown Chicago is to eat at Lou Mitchell’s Restaurant. We are ready for their all-American comfort food. This classic diner opened in 1923, three whole years before Route 66 would be built there in 1926. By the time the Mother Road was finished, Lou Mitchell's had already become a local classic, and it became a national classic shortly after that!

Receiving millions of visitors annually, the Willis Tower (formerly known as Sears Tower) is one of Chicago’s most popular attractions. It is the second tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. On a clear day, visitors can see four states from the Skydeck: Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan. But at $30 a head to see the view, it is not worth it!

We drove the Loop. It is the heart of the city and it’s bursting with iconic Chicago attractions, including historic architecture, river cruises, Millennium Park, the Chicago Riverwalk, a vibrant theatre district, incredible dining, shopping along State Street, plus much, much more. The Loop is also home to the award-winning Chicago Riverwalk, a pedestrian-only pathway lined with great waterfront restaurants, the McCormick Bridge house & Chicago River Museum, and the mind-blowing digital art display Art on the MART. Get your culture fix at the historic Art Institute of Chicago, one of the top museums in the world according to TripAdvisor. It’s also one of the oldest and largest art museums in the country, home to one of the most impressive collections of Impressionist art in the world.

Flowing through downtown Chicago, the Chicago River has a fascinating history. Not only does this river run through various systems and canals, but it is also the only river in the world that flows backwards. A reversal technique was introduced for sanitation reasons to divert the sewage away from Lake Michigan’s water supply. The reversal of the river was recognized as being the largest public earth-moving project ever completed. It was also acknowledged as a great engineering achievement.

On the lakefront side of the Loop, you’ll also find the Millennium Park Campus — home to iconic Cloud Gate (aka “The Bean”), Crown Fountain, peaceful Lurie Garden, and the Jay Pritzker Pavilion that hosts legendary music festivals like the Chicago Blues Festival, Chicago Jazz Festival, and a free summer music series and film series. Right next door, you can rock climb, skate, and play at whimsical Maggie Daley Park.

Chicago’s Grant Park is the easternmost point of legendary US Route 66. We drove around historic Grant Park. Right now it is home to Lollapalooza, an annual four-day music festival, in Chicago. It started as a touring event in 1991. The music genres include but are not limited to alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock, hip hop, and electronic music. 

Ever seen 9 feet tall sets of legs? We did! This "art" is comprised of 106 nine-foot-tall headless torsos, Agora is one of the most debated sculptural installations in Chicago’s recent history. Chicagoans either live it or hate it, no in between. The artwork gets its name from the Greek word for meeting place. The cast iron figures are arranged in interesting groupings. Some are frozen in positions that suggest great movement, while others appear to be standing completely still. Most of them are in monumental crowds, although some appear to be pulling away from the larger group. Installed in 2006, it is the work of internationally-acclaimed sculptor Magdalena Abakanowicz. She first created sculptures inspired by the human form in the 1970s. Initially working in burlap and resin, she went on use bronze, steel, as well as iron—the material used for Agora. While Abakanowicz’s work can be seen in museums and public spaces throughout the world, Agora is her largest permanent installation.

The bus carried us back to our rigs and some of us loaded up in cars to tour a few more Route 66 icons in the greater Joliet area.

Our first stop was the Route 66 Park. This roadside park has a historic ice cream parlor, Rich and Creamy Ice Cream. It has neon lights and life size figures of Jake and Elwood Blues, aka The Blues Brothers dancing on its roof. The “Licks on 66” is the official starting point for Route 66 in Joliet. 

We did enjoy some ice cream. For some of us, it was just a baby cone.

There are also informational signs which showcase each Joliet Route 66 attraction, and a 12 foot Joliet Kicks sign. Plus the park has an eclectic collection of public art works that celebrate Joliet's rich and vibrant art culture. I found the Mother Nature Statue in the sculpture garden to be very fascinating.

From here there’s a path with a view of the Old Joliet Prison where scenes from The Blues Brothers were filmed. We missed the overlook for a birdseye view of the Collins Street Prison.  

Across the street from the park you can see Dicks on 66. Outside the towing service building with wacky old cars. What more can I say?!

We did a “drive by” for the Route 66 Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway, as both venues are closed for the 2021 race season, due to the uncertainty of the pandemic.

Our next stop was not hard to miss, on Route 66, as we pulled into Wilmington. The iconic fiberglass statue is 30 feet tall and was originally used for advertising. He’s a prime example of a Muffler Man, as these roadside figures dating from the 1960s are known. Many Muffler Men were variants of the first figure created, a giant Paul Bunyan character. The Gemini Giant has a silver helmet, green sleeveless spacesuit. He is holding a rocket inscribed with the words The Launching Pad.

The Launching Pad and Gemini Giant were inducted into the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame in 2000. Both long have been one of the biggest photo opportunities for Route 66 travelers. John and Betty Korelc opened a Dairy Delite at the site in Wilmington in 1960. It was renamed the Launching Pad after an expansion in 1965. The Gemini Giant landed there that year after John Korelc saw a Muffler Man during a restaurant convention. Most Muffler Men at the time were cowboys or lumberjacks. Korelc instead had his specially made so it looked like an astronaut. The restaurant’s current owners, Holly Barker and Tully Garrett are giving a new lease of life to this diner, Route 66 welcome center and gift shop.

Our final stop was the Polka Dot Drive-In located in Braidwood. The Polk-a-Dot Drive-In was founded over 50 years ago has become one of the most memorable attractions along Illinois Route 66. The story behind this colorful spot is something small businesses are made of. In 1956, Chester “Chet” Fife had the idea to serve fast food out of his school bus, dressed up in polka dots! It became a success which moved him onto bigger and better things, which is the building that now stands on this spot. 

 

  

They have an Elvis statue inside and out, Superman with his phone booth, Blue Brothers dancing, Betty Boop, James Dean and Marilyn Monroe on the other side. This great nostalgic 1950s-style roadside diner is known for burgers, malts & chili-cheese fries!

It was a great first full day of our Route 66 caravan with Yankee RV Tours!

July 23rd, 2021 … Summer of Fun continues!

Today, we moved from Van Buren State Park in Ohio to Eel River Bison Ranch in Whitley Indiana. We headed south toward Findlay. Findlay, Ohio is a town with a storied history. It started with Colonel James Findlay, who built a road and stockade in the area to transport and shelter his troops during the War of 1812. This stockade was later named Fort Findlay in his honor, with the town of the same name sprouting up after the war. Decades later, the town of Findlay was a stop for slaves traveling along the Underground Railroad. From the 1880s until the early 20th century, the area was a booming center of oil and gas production.

Findlay becoming designated Flag City, USA began in 1968 when John B. Cooke moved to Findlay. As a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, Cooke believed in the value of flying the American flag and went door-to-door in town asking residents and businesses alike to fly a flag on Flag Day, June 14, 1968. Cooke created a fund and purchased 14,000 small flags for the community. This project continued until 1974, when the Women’s Division of the Chamber of Commerce started a campaign to, once again, have flags fly and to have the city of Findlay become officially known as Flag City USA. The House of Representatives passed a resolution officially declaring Findlay Flag City, USA. Today, you may see a flag display in the Hancock Historical Museum, see the Flag City monument welcoming visitors to the town at I-75 and US 224, pass under the Flag City, USA distinction while driving on I-75 and pass by the mural on a Marathon Petroleum storage tank. Findlay is a place of great pride; both in its unique designation and patriotism.

We turned onto US 224 and headed west. US 224 eventually will cross US 30. These days, hundreds of cars a day drive past a solemn marker at the intersection of Ohio 637 and U.S. Route 224 in Van Wert County. A gentle summer breeze blows around the marker surrounded by an iron fence. The information on the marker details one of the worst murderous rampages in Ohio history. “One of Ohio’s greatest manhunts ended here on the morning of July 23, 1948,” states the sign. “Robert M. Daniels and John C. West, parolees from the state prison in Mansfield, had gone on a killing spree that had left six people dead. The victims were slain to their grave, including a family of three, before the killers were apprehended by Van Wert law enforcement.

We found a big steer along the road ... I hope he does not dart out into traffic!

We passed through Ottawa ... I thought we were in Ohio, not Canada! Residents named the town, which was founded in 1833, in honor of the Ottawa people, who once had a village at the site of modern-day Ottawa. 

We passed by a beautiful old armory and discovered it is home to a unique service that Ohio provides to all veterans! The Putnam County Veterans Service Commission is a county agency dedicated to providing assistance to Veterans, dependents and widows in time of need. We encourage all Veterans from every era to see what benefits they are entitled to. Some of the services that we provide are: financial assistance, burial benefits, widow benefits, Veterans ID cards, VA claims assistance, flag cases, and VA health care enrollment. Ohio is the only state that provides such comprehensive support and services to its veterans. Each of the 88 counties in Ohio has a board of five appointed commissioners who administer the program for their respective county​.

In Ottawa's downtown there was a set of murals that looked like store fronts, but they were all painted on!

Next town was Kalida, home to Pioneer Days. The festival is celebrating the 149th year in 2021, and still going strong! Pioneer Days is the oldest festival in Ohio. But, it’s more than just a festival that has been around awhile. It’s a time to visit with old friends and family in a relaxed and fun atmosphere. Not to mention, it’s a great opportunity to meet and make new friends, too! As summer draws to a close, with vacations over and school back in session, it’s the one last HOORAH at the end of summer.

Ottoville was the next small town we passed through. In 1837 the Miami-Erie Extension Canal between Loramie Summit and Junction was contracted out for completion and was divided into one mile sections. The Northern Division was numbered with Section One at Spencerville, Section Ten at Ten Mile Woods later Delphos and Section Sixteen, originally the town was called Sixteen, later named Otto and then Ottoville. 

The Miami-Erie Extension Canal was completed and the first boat traversed the entire length in June 1845. The Locks on the extension canal were numbered north from Loramie Summit and the Village of Ottoville grew between Locks 27 and 28. Lock 27 was just north of Fifth Street and Lock 28 was located just north of the present site of Odenweller’s Mill. Those two locks, as most locks on this section of the canal, were built of wood. The Canal Commission built a Lock Tenders’ house at Lock Number 28 and that structure still stands as a home and is the oldest structure in Ottoville. Lock Number 30 was a stone lock built further north near the Putnam/Paulding County Line. You can see a prime example of a stone lock at Delphos, Lock Number 24.

            

On our way to the intersection of 224 and US 30, we followed these slow moving military vehicles. They are actually military vehicles from days gone by. We remember some of these in our military units! Not the jeep, I am not old enough for that one! But Charlie remembers!

We got on US 30 and just before we came into Indiana, we found Uncle Sam watching over us!

  

I will tell you more about US 30, in the next blog as we are on it a lot longer tomorrow! But know that US 30 is also called the Lincoln Highway.

We arrived at the Eel River Bison Ranch! What a beautiful place! Let me tell you a bit about it. Our hosts were Eric and Tonya. This bison ranch is their retirement plan! They have really put their hearts and souls into it!

They have a herd of 12, with 5 calves born this year. A bison herd is led by a female, their female lead is Storm. She is the mother of the youngest calf.

Aside from the bisons, they have a barn that doubles as an events center. Where they host weddings, parties and other events. Their grounds are beautiful. Our “camping site” faced the pond that is lined with wild flowers. One of the bison fields was just above it.

The best part of the evening was the time we spent hanging out with Eric and Tonya. They shared their home, lives and dreams with us over craft beers and mixed drinks! It was almost 10pm before we even knew it! They enjoy hearing about all the travels of the campers that stay at their place as part of the Harvest Host program.

It was a great evening! Stay tuned as we move westward!

July 21st & 22nd, 2021 … Summer of Fun continues!

We spent 2 nights at Van Buren State Park in Ohio. It’s a two looped camping area, away from the main part of the park, but it does not lack on WOW!

Here is some history … The Van Buren State Park region was originally inhabited by the Shawnee tribe. Banished from their homeland in south-central Ohio, this was the last stronghold of the tribe before they eventually departed for lands west of the Mississippi River. Native American artifacts and relics can still be found on what used to be Indian Island, located in the northwest section of the lake.

The land comprising Van Buren State Park was originally set aside as a wildlife preserve. In 1939, a dam was constructed over Rocky Ford Creek to provide additional fish and wildlife resources. In 1950, the area was turned over to Ohio State Parks. It has been maintained as a state park ever since. The park was named for Martin Van Buren, the eighth President of the United States.

Van Buren State Park lies in the rich agricultural plains of northwest Ohio. The plains, referred to as till plains, are named for the glacial debris, or till, which covers pre-glacial hills and valleys. Most hills in these areas are mounds of boulders and soil left by the retreating Wisconsinan glacier. Beneath the almost continuous cover of glacial deposits lies sedimentary bedrock which, in this region, is mostly limestone with a little shale. Much of this limestone is the magnesium-bearing form called dolomite.

Before settlement, the area was mostly woodland. Today, much of the vegetation consists of agricultural crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat. Today, a small remnant of the original woodland remains. Beech and sugar maple occupy a large portion of the park’s wooded area. Mammals found in the area include red fox, red squirrel, white-tailed deer, raccoon, skunk and opossum. Other animals found include eastern garter snake, spring peeper, eastern bluebird, eastern meadowlark, cowbird, woodcock and short-eared owl. Wildflowers abound in the fields and woodlands of the area. Dutchman’s breeches, spring beauty, thimbleweed, daisy fleabane and chicory are commonly found throughout the park.

What we found unique is one loop was for tents, campers and RV’s and the second loop was for equestrians. These sites either had a line to halter the horses to or a paddock or stall area to secure them in. There are ample riding and walking trails in the park and area.

The town of Van Buren is small, but holds lots of history! Located just north of the town of Findlay which was founded in 1821. In 1833, the Wyandot and Ottawa Indians roamed at will through this section, which was then an unbroken forest.  To the north was the great Black Swamp.  The only road was a trail cut out by Hull’s army on its march to the Maumee during the War of 1812.  This road was called “Hull’s Trace” and went directly through Van Buren.  It was merely a trail made by the cutting down of trees and brush to allow the gun carriages to go through.  Colonel Cass was sent to cut the trail to Maumee and it is said the engineers of this day could not have done a more complete job.  This trail hit Allen Township just south of Van Buren and passed through what was the Lewis Lyon farms on the west side of the Portage river then into Wood county.

The Village of Van Buren was laid out December 28, 1833, by John Trout and George Ensminger on the boundary of Portage and Cass Townships.  It was comprised of 53 lots surrounding a public square, and was named in honor of Martin Van Buren, a prominent national figure and the 8th President of the US. The village was incorporated in 1866 and Daniel Frick was elected the first mayor.  It was incorporated in June 1866.  Cyrus Hart located here in 1836 and Abraham Kempher, John Beeson and Samuel Huntington in 1837, Samuel Spitler in 1840 and Hugh McMurray in 1840.  The Overholt family came here in 1853 and John Cramer in 1859.  The May family came to Van Buren in 1842 and the Frick family came in 1856.  The Mummert family came in 1860. The first school was built in 1836, a log cabin one mile west of Van Buren. By 1870, the village had a population of 157.  The Toledo, Columbus, and Southern Railroad was completed through Van Buren in 1883. 

The development of the town was quite slow until the discovery of natural gas in the 1880s. A German physician named Charles Osterlen became convinced that an enormous reservoir of natural gas lay beneath the town of Findlay. He told of his belief and was scoffed at and regarded as a vain dreamer. But his patience and perseverance prevailed as he succeeded in organizing a stock company to drill for gas. The well was successful and spawned the growth of a great industry in Findlay. At one time, Findlay claimed the largest gas well in the world, with an output of 20 million cubic feet daily.

The first Post Office in Van Buren was established in 1837 when the mail was carried weekly on horseback between Bellefontaine and Maumee over the old Hull Trace.  Christopher Ensparger was appointed as the first Postmaster.  The present Post Office building was erected in 1927 with money left to the town by the will of Glenna Trout-Day, great- granddaughter of the founder of Van Buren. 

Among the lodges that spread friendship and goodwill are the Knights of Pythias, organized March 5, 1891.  The Pythian Sisters organized in 1907. These two were the only ones that had active memberships.  The Odd Fellows was a strong organization here for a number of years.  They then became affiliated with the Findlay Lodge.  The Rebekahs joined with the North Baltimore Lodge.  The modern Woodmen, the Maccabes and Lady Maccabees flourished for many years but are now extinct.

        

We enjoyed breakfast one morning at the Dark Horse restaurant in Findlay. Established in 2006, Dark Horse Restaurant is a family-oriented bar & grill in Findlay. They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They know how to do breakfast right! It was delicious and was priced fairly. Coffee was only ninety-nine dents! They have an extensive lunch and dinner menu featuring pasta, steak, burgers, and salad. Desserts and a full bar are also available.

Near the restaurant is the town of Findlay’s water tower. In 2016, the City of Findlay took to honoring their servicemen and women in a big way! The flag city's newly painted North Water Tower features a patriotic painting and the message "Findlay salutes veterans."

Between Van Buren and Findlay there is a large Whirlpool factory and tons of windmills. For more than 50 years, Whirlpool's Findlay Operation has been producing dishwashers for a number of brands. The plant holds the honor of being the first one built by Whirlpool Corporation, as well as the first plant to utilize wind power. With more than 2,600 employees, it’s the top employer in Hancock County.

Stay tuned as we travel further west!