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I was thinking it would be nice to be able to search for other members based on their location, or their favorite highway. I am curious if anyone from my area is in the forum, and how many others share my passion for Highway US 40. Of course if you have a search by favorite highway, that preference would need to be added in the member information. Thanks.

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I was thinking it would be nice to be able to search for other members based on their location, or their favorite highway. I am curious if anyone from my area is in the forum, and how many others share my passion for Highway US 40. Of course if you have a search by favorite highway, that preference would need to be added in the member information. Thanks.

 

 

Steve,

 

I think that's a great idea!

 

In the meantime, as you have no doubt realized, you could just do a search on topics (eg Kansas, US 40, etc) and see waht came up. The folks that are active members with similar interests would be evident. Of course that doesn't help identify the hundreds who are members but seldon or never post.

 

How "broad" is your interest in US 40? Is it limited to Kansas? How far back does it go? For example, are you interested in the roads that made it up, before it was US 40? Do you have specific interests? Is roadside architecture or bridges, or service stations, etc an interest? Do you collect road related material, have unique resources, knowledge, or access to special sites?

 

My point is that it is almost certain that we have people interested in your interests, and if they know them, they will come out of their cages! :D:huh:

 

Great Grandfather "Keep" was in the 7th Kansas Cavalry (Jayhawkers) in the Civil War and when he wasn’t burning and pillaging in Missouri, or chasing Quantrill, he was writing in his diary…which I have. One might even follow some old roads he traveled!

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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I was thinking it would be nice to be able to search for other members based on their location, or their favorite highway.

 

 

I live in STL County, 2 blocks north of the 1926 alignment of U.S. 66. My favorite highways are U.S. 40, 50, and 66. Have driven 66 from Chi to LA, U.S. 50 across MO, IL, IN, part of OH, and a short distance in KS (including the road from Garden City to Holcolm after reading "In Cold Blood" a few times). Have driven the old National Road across MO, IL, IN, and part of OH.....Bliss

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How "broad" is your interest in US 40? Is it limited to Kansas? How far back does it go? For example, are you interested in the roads that made it up, before it was US 40? Do you have specific interests? Is roadside architecture or bridges, or service stations, etc an interest? Do you collect road related material, have unique resources, knowledge, or access to special sites?

 

 

Yeah, I see how there could be a multitude of interests.....How about an answer of preservation of history in a hands on fashion. I get a kick out of traveling the two-lane highways no matter where they are, and love seeing relics from the past just as you mention: architecture, bridges, service stations. Right now I am concentrating on Hwy 40 because of my location to it throughout my life (living near it or right next to it for 33 years). Since I am fairly new to the interest, my travels and knowledge are fairly limited. I don't get to travel as much as I would like to since I have a 2 1/2 and a 1 year old, plus a job gets in the way - something about needing money to pay bills, buy food, have electricty blah blah blah. Anyway, the travels will come, but in the meantime I am trying to find out as much as I can about my local treasure by taking photos and checking out the historical societies. And yes, I have tried to collect a few road related material - books, signs, postcards, maps, even a view master reel. I better cut myself off, I could go on for a while here. -Steve

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Yeah, I see how there could be a multitude of interests.....How about an answer of preservation of history in a hands on fashion. I get a kick out of traveling the two-lane highways no matter where they are, and love seeing relics from the past just as you mention: architecture, bridges, service stations. Right now I am concentrating on Hwy 40 because of my location to it throughout my life (living near it or right next to it for 33 years). Since I am fairly new to the interest, my travels and knowledge are fairly limited. I don't get to travel as much as I would like to since I have a 2 1/2 and a 1 year old, plus a job gets in the way - something about needing money to pay bills, buy food, have electricty blah blah blah. Anyway, the travels will come, but in the meantime I am trying to find out as much as I can about my local treasure by taking photos and checking out the historical societies. And yes, I have tried to collect a few road related material - books, signs, postcards, maps, even a view master reel. I better cut myself off, I could go on for a while here. -Steve

 

Steve,

 

First, and obviously, I am not expert on Kansas, nor on US40.

 

Being a member of the Yahoo US 40 group you are familiar with Stewart’s US40 book. He didn’t include any photos of Ellis, but he has two of Grainfield which you are probably familiar with. Does it look anything like it did in the early 1950’s when he took the photos?

 

The 1939 American Guide Series Kansas volume follows US40 across the state. You may have a copy. Apparently the 1940’s highlight of Ellis was the “lighted fountain with rainbow colored spray” in the yard of the municipal power plant. Is it still there?

 

The 1920 TIB Automobile Route Book has the “Golden Belt Highway” going through Ellis on the way to Denver and following the route later taken by US40. Its symbol was a yellow band on the telephone poles.

 

SteveKansasEllis.jpg

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

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Steve,

 

First, and obviously, I am not expert on Kansas, nor on US40.

 

Being a member of the Yahoo US 40 group you are familiar with Stewart’s US40 book. He didn’t include any photos of Ellis, but he has two of Grainfield which you are probably familiar with. Does it look anything like it did in the early 1950’s when he took the photos?

 

The 1939 American Guide Series Kansas volume follows US40 across the state. You may have a copy. Apparently the 1940’s highlight of Ellis was the “lighted fountain with rainbow colored spray” in the yard of the municipal power plant. Is it still there?

 

The 1920 TIB Automobile Route Book has the “Golden Belt Highway” going through Ellis on the way to Denver and following the route later taken by US40. Its symbol was a yellow band on the telephone poles.

 

SteveKansasEllis.jpg

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

The rail line that the road is following looks like "V.P.R.R." on the map. After spending a few minutes searching for a V.P.R.R. railroad I suddenly realized that that the "V" is actually a "U". According to Wikipedia "Ellis was founded in 1867 as a railroad stop along the Union Pacific Railroad."

 

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The rail line that the road is following looks like "V.P.R.R." on the map. After spending a few minutes searching for a V.P.R.R. railroad I suddenly realized that that the "V" is actually a "U". According to Wikipedia "Ellis was founded in 1867 as a railroad stop along the Union Pacific Railroad."

 

Rick,

 

It does look like a V. And until you noted it, I hadn't thought about the historical context.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on te Road!

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Grainfield is about 50 miles from where I live, and I have driven through once since taking an interest in the highway. I did take some pictures, and from looking at those, and recalling my poor memory, I would say it is very similar to the pics in Stewart's book. The only real difference I would say is a few newer buildings, and more trees now. Also, the counties in charge of road maintenance from Ellis, KS west until Oakley, KS have covered the pavement in gravel except through towns, which ends up being about 70 miles of old US 40. Apparently maintaining the pavement was too costly, so now the only paved road leading directly west from Ellis is I-70 :( In Trego County, the asphalt underneath the gravel has loosened and large chunks are along the side of the road - one of which is in my collection of road stuff. The chunks are circa 1950s dated by a Trego Co road worker who said it was last paved during the 50s. The most disappointing part of my journey came at Grinnell. My grandparents lived in Angelus, NW of Grinnell, and as a child I can remember passing a Derby filling station in Grinnell. Unfortunately the building is completely gone. No real shocker, but I was looking forward to seeing it. At the time, I did not take my Stewart book with me (regretting it now), but I feared spilling a drink on it, or some other disasterous occurrence.

 

You probably know the picture of Hays in Stewart's book, I would say that area has changed quite a bit. Less residential and a few more businesses, they have widened the street which has eliminated some of the shade trees. The houses are now mostly rentals for Fort Hays State University students.

 

I do not have a copy of the American Guide Series for Kansas, but have it on my wish list. I am afraid to say the fountain with rainbow colored spray is gone....not sure what happened to it, I'll have to do some checking around. The highlight now is the Chrysler boyhood home, where Walter P Chrysler grew up. It's a nice little museum and features a few autos in a garage in back.

 

Thanks for adding the scan from the Automobile Route Book - neat. The Agricultural Experiment Station is still just south of Hays along the old US 40 By-Pass. I don't know if I would call it a tourist destination, but it is a very nice little area with period buildings and they used to have lots of flowers growing about their grounds. I am just not sure how many flowers they have now, as I haven't driven through recently.

 

-Steve

 

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