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Celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear…And the joys of driving them today!

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Guest Jim Ross
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Guest Larry Kinsey

Just a quick line to say that Charlene and I have returned from our trip.

 

More info about the trip will follow in a few days along with pictures. We

 

had a great time despite the one bad experience.

 

 

 

It was great to stop at the Blue Swallow and see Jim Ross and Shellee

 

Graham there also.

 

 

 

Larry

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Guest Jennifer

--- In AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com, "Denny Gibson" <denny@d...>

 

wrote:

 

> Really cool!! Where is "Town of Summer Place"? Is it really in

 

someone's

 

> yard?

 

 

 

Hi Denny,

 

 

 

"Town of Summer Place" is located at the home of a gentleman named

 

Jim Richardson, in Sharpsville, Indiana. I believe he started out

 

building this as hobby, but now he uses it to help raise funds for a

 

an adoption charity he founded called "A Home for Every Child."

 

 

 

Jennifer

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--- In AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com, "Russell S. Rein" <Ypsi-

 

slim@j...> wrote:

 

 

 

> Interestingly, the highway south of Indianapolis almost seems diverted

 

> through the Bedford,

 

> IN area - it is said that the reason is that many of the wealthy

 

springs

 

> owners were friends of

 

> Carl Fisher.

 

 

 

That would make sense (or cents). The natural path from Indianapolis to

 

Louisville would've been the path of what is now US 31. Do you suppose

 

it was also a coincidence the DH-West alignment entered Indianapolis

 

from the west right in front of Fisher's then 6 year old Indianapolis

 

Motor Speedway? :-)

 

 

 

Pat B.

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Guest rudkip@sbcglobal.net>

You can follow the old road from Portageville to Hayti by taking CR T till

 

it ends then folloing the frontage road to CR K (also frontage road, past

 

Hayti. It is CR J till you run into Fronage Road again on to Steele. On the

 

other side of the interstate is another alignment that you have to cross

 

over 55 to get to. Once you get to Steele you are on US 61.

 

 

 

Tsingtao Kip

 

----- Original Message -----

 

From: "Alex Burr" <hester_nec@yahoo.com>

 

To: <AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com>

 

Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2005 8:40 AM

 

Subject: Re: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Re: US 67

 

 

 

 

 

> My daughter and I took 61 from the I-55 junction up

 

> to Steele, MO, on our trip to South Dakota in 2002 -

 

> or was it 2003. Whichever. It gets a bit vague in

 

> Steele as to just where it goes between Steele and

 

> Portageville. I think 55 pretty much buried the old

 

> 61 road in this area.

 

>

 

> We picked it up again outside Howardsville and

 

> stopped for a look-see in New Madrid - visited the

 

> museum and the, if I remember correctly, the

 

> Hunter-Dawson home.

 

>

 

> Happy Travels.

 

>

 

> Hudsonly,

 

> Alex B

 

>

 

> --- rudkip@sbcglobal.net wrote:

 

>

 

> > From West Memphis North you can take old 61 pretty

 

> > much uninhibited (from W.

 

> > Memphis to the 63 intersection it is SR 77; then it

 

> > is U.S. 61 from there

 

> > into Missouri...Frenchman's Bayou, Wilson (an old

 

> > plantation town); Osceola

 

> > (with an awesome Courthouse and Bank and Trust Co);

 

> > Blytheville; and, at the

 

> > MO/ARK state line, a pretty cool little Arch over

 

> > the highway to greet you

 

> > to Missouri....Tim Steil gives cudos to this area in

 

> > his book on Highway

 

> > 61...Tsingtao Kip

 

> > ----- Original Message -----

 

> > From: <egyptianzipper@aol.com>

 

> > To: <AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com>

 

> > Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2005 11:58 PM

 

> > Subject: Re: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Re: US 67

 

> >

 

> >

 

> > > In a message dated 7/13/05 9:20:24 AM Eastern

 

> > Daylight Time,

 

> > > brianwolters@cebridge.net writes:

 

> > > So many people want to take I-40 to Memphis and go

 

> > up I-55 and

 

> > > that is just a waste of time and visually boring.

 

> > ;)

 

> > >

 

> >

 

> ====================================================================

 

> > > You're not going to believe this. A few years ago,

 

> > the Washington (DC)

 

> > Post

 

> > > had an article on Niagara Falls in the Sunday

 

> > travel section. I couldn't

 

> > > believe the directions they gave: I-270 to 70 to

 

> > 76 (Pittsburgh!) to 79 to

 

> > 90

 

> > > (Erie!) to 190. Buffalo/Niagara Falls is a

 

> > straight shot up US 15 from DC.

 

> > >

 

> > > I despise interstate mentality.

 

> > >

 

> > > Tom Hoffman

 

> > > Pearisburg VA

 

> > >

 

> > >

 

> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been

 

> > removed]

 

> > >

 

> > >

 

> > >

 

> > > Visit our homepage at:

 

> > http://www.mockturtlepress.com

 

> > >

 

> > > To subscribe to AMERICAN ROAD magazine, PHONE

 

> > TOLL-FREE 1-877-285-5434

 

> > WITH YOUR ORDER TODAY!

 

> > > Or send payment to: Mock Turtle Press, PO Box

 

> > 3168, Lynnwood, WA

 

> > 98046-3168

 

> > > SUBSCRIPTION RATES:

 

> > > 1 year (4 issues) for $15.95

 

> > > (save $3.85 off the newsstand price!)

 

> > > 2 years (8 issues) for $27.95

 

> > > (save $11.65 off the newsstand price!)

 

> > >

 

> > >

 

> > > For questions about the list, contact:

 

> > AMERICAN_ROAD-owner@yahoogroups.com

 

> > >

 

> > > To SUBSCRIBE to this group, send an email to:

 

> > AMERICAN_ROAD-subscribe@yahoogroups.comTo POST a

 

> > message via e-mail, send it

 

> > to: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com

 

> > >

 

> > >

 

> > > Yahoo! Groups Links

 

> > >

 

> > >

 

> > >

 

> > >

 

> > >

 

> > >

 

> >

 

> >

 

>

 

>

 

> A positive attitude may not solve all your problems,

 

> but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

> __________________________________

 

> Do you Yahoo!?

 

> Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses.

 

> http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail

 

>

 

>

 

> Visit our homepage at: http://www.mockturtlepress.com

 

>

 

> To subscribe to AMERICAN ROAD magazine, PHONE TOLL-FREE 1-877-285-5434

 

WITH YOUR ORDER TODAY!

 

> Or send payment to: Mock Turtle Press, PO Box 3168, Lynnwood, WA

 

98046-3168

 

> SUBSCRIPTION RATES:

 

> 1 year (4 issues) for $15.95

 

> (save $3.85 off the newsstand price!)

 

> 2 years (8 issues) for $27.95

 

> (save $11.65 off the newsstand price!)

 

>

 

>

 

> For questions about the list, contact: AMERICAN_ROAD-owner@yahoogroups.com

 

>

 

> To SUBSCRIBE to this group, send an email to:

 

AMERICAN_ROAD-subscribe@yahoogroups.comTo POST a message via e-mail, send it

 

to: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com

 

>

 

>

 

> Yahoo! Groups Links

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

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Hi Russell,

 

 

 

Those diecut shields don't have a state name. But I could see if that

 

could be done. I'll also check to see if a 3 digit diecut shield is

 

available. If you'd send me a private email, I can send you a photo

 

attachment of what those signs look like.

 

 

 

Thanks. God Bless.

 

 

 

Ken

 

 

 

--- In AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com, "Ken" <thelandrunner@y...>

 

wrote:

 

> Greetings Fellow Roadies!

 

>

 

> Just to let everyone know that this is last call for those wishing

 

to

 

> take part in this group order for the DOT U.S. Route marker signs

 

and

 

> Interstate marker signs. There's one week left.

 

>

 

> The U.S. Route marker signs and Interstate marker signs are NEW and

 

> are made to authentic current size and specs for actual highway use

 

> by a company who is contracted by the individual state DOT's.

 

> Below are the signs available. ANY route numbers may be chosen to be

 

> made for you:

 

>

 

> 1 or 2 digit US Route number marker sign:

 

> Height: 24 inches x 24 inches

 

> Material: .080" 3105 Aluminum Alloy

 

> Sheeting: 3M Scotchlite Engineer Grade

 

> $60 plus shipping.

 

>

 

> 3 digit US Route number marker sign:

 

> Height: 24 inches x 30 inches

 

> Material: .080" 3105 Aluminum Alloy

 

> Sheeting: 3M Scotchlite Engineer Grade

 

> $70 plus shipping.

 

>

 

> WEST, EAST, NORTH or SOUTH route directional marker signs:

 

> Height: 12 inches x 24 inches

 

> Material: .080" 3105 Aluminum Alloy

 

> Sheeting: 3M Scotchlite Engineer Grade

 

> $35 plus shipping.

 

>

 

> Die-cut shield US Route marker sign (not die-cast embossed):

 

> Height: 24 inches x 24 inches

 

> Material: .080" 3105 Aluminum Alloy

 

> Sheeting: 3M Scotchlite Engineer Grade

 

> $125 plus shipping.

 

>

 

> Die-cut 1 or 2 digit Interstate shield route marker sign (with or

 

> without state name):

 

> Height: 24 inches x 24 inches

 

> Material: .080" 3105 Aluminum Alloy

 

> Sheeting: 3M Scotchlite Engineer Grade

 

> $70 plus shipping.

 

>

 

> Die-cut 3 digit Interstate shield route marker sign (with or without

 

> state name):

 

> Height: 24 inches x 30 inches

 

> Material: .080" 3105 Aluminum Alloy

 

> Sheeting: 3M Scotchlite Engineer Grade

 

> $80 plus shipping.

 

>

 

> This will be a "one time only" opportunity to order directly from

 

the

 

> DOT contractor.

 

> The group order completion date has been set for August 1, 2004.

 

> All orders will need to arrive to me on or before that date via

 

> check, money order or PayPal.

 

> Feel free to contact me by email or phone if you may have any

 

> questions or for a route marker sign photo.

 

>

 

> Thanks!

 

> God Bless.

 

>

 

> Ken

 

>

 

> Ken Turmel

 

> artist, historian, adventure traveler

 

> Postmarkart of America: <http://www.postmarkart.com>

 

> 405-737-3739

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WOW---I can never thank you enough!!! Those pictures

 

were the best thing I have seen in a long time. I saw

 

those pictures and actually felt the bridge shake once

 

again, just as I remember as a boy. Thank you, thank

 

you, thank you!!! john w. Also I must at a footnote:

 

Some of the group were talking of a trip thru Ohio.

 

Look at -- www.mrps.org --The old Mansfield

 

reformatory site. In traveling thru there a few years

 

back, I stopped there just to look--Air Force One

 

filmed there, Shawshank Redemption filmed there almost

 

entirely, amoung others, and They were having an

 

all-night "ghost Hunt" inside the prison!! What a

 

night!!! All night to roam thru the entire prison at

 

will, with only flashlights and little else. A night I

 

will never forget. They have day tours that are

 

great--but NOTHING can compare to the all-night "ghost

 

hunt". Check out the short article by inmate #21--Lots

 

of memories. It is worth the trip to just see the

 

outside--and only gets better as you 'dig

 

deeper'--what a fun outing--ipilot66@yahoo.com

 

 

 

--- J Lance <bugo@hotmail.com> wrote:

 

 

 

>

 

> > Any of you oldtimers remember the old bridge

 

> between

 

> > Memphis and West Memphis?? I remember crossing it

 

> MANY

 

> > times--old route 70. The auto part of the bridge

 

> was

 

> > an 'after-thought' hung on the outside of the

 

> train

 

> > bridge, one lane, wood planks, small rail on the

 

> > outside. The most beautiful bridge ever built was

 

> the

 

> > "new" bridge just for cars. I was just in Arkansas

 

> and

 

> > just had to go to see what was left of it. Believe

 

> it

 

> > or not--the 'outriggers' are still attached to the

 

> > train bridge, easily seen from the interstate 55

 

> > bridge, as it is now called. On the Ark. side you

 

> can

 

> > still see the approach. I parked and walked back

 

> > almost to the edge of the old train bridge. I can

 

> > still remember how it shook if you were half way

 

> > across, hanging on the outside of the main bridge,

 

> > nothing under you but muddy water, and a train

 

> > crossed with you. The whole thing shook!! Made the

 

> > "Vicksburg" bridge seem like a 'piece of cake'. Ah

 

> > yes, the 'good old days'!!!! john, ipilot66

 

>

 

> http://www.stevecox.com/harahan/

 

>

 

> A bunch of pictures of the old US 61-63-64-70-79

 

> bridge and approaches.

 

>

 

> > John you rekindled an old forgotten memory of

 

> mine, Forgotten until now

 

> > that is!

 

> >

 

> > I remember crossing a bridge that sounds almost

 

> like the one that you are

 

> > talking about.

 

> > It was in St.Louis Mo. Somewhere north of the

 

> Arch.

 

> > In the fall of 1986 I crossed over from the

 

> Illinois side to St. Louis in

 

> > a straight truck loaded

 

> > with furniture for delivery for area stores.

 

> > I tell ya what! I had one hand on the door lever &

 

> watched for places to

 

> > jump to if anything were

 

> > to give way.

 

> > I can't believe that I paid to cross that ole

 

> thing! I thought that I was

 

> > taking a short

 

> > cut..........Whew! Some short cut.

 

> > I can't remember what was shaking more, Me or the

 

> Bridge!

 

> > The farther out over the water I had gotten, The

 

> more she (the bridge)

 

> > shook! I look back now &

 

> > just can't help but laugh!

 

>

 

>

 

> This sounds like the McKinley bridge, which is

 

> currently being renovated. I

 

> crossed it shortly before it was closed, it was good

 

> scary fun.

 

>

 

> Another cool Mississippi River bridge is the

 

> Greenville bridge, carrying US

 

> 82-278. A narrow truss with several curves on the

 

> approaches. It is being

 

> replaced, so if you want to drive it don't wait too

 

> long.

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

> ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor

 

> --------------------~-->

 

> <font face=arial size=-1><a

 

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href="http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12h3l7cgu/M=36...641.1493532/D=g

 

roups/S=1707284507:TM/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1123988395/A=2894350/R=0/SIG=10tj5mr8v/*http:/

 

/www.globalgiving.com">Make

 

> a difference. Find and fund world-changing projects

 

> at GlobalGiving</a>.</font>

 

>

 

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>

 

>

 

> Visit our homepage at:

 

> http://www.mockturtlepress.com

 

>

 

> To subscribe to AMERICAN ROAD magazine, PHONE

 

> TOLL-FREE 1-877-285-5434 WITH YOUR ORDER TODAY!

 

> Or send payment to: Mock Turtle Press, PO Box 3168,

 

> Lynnwood, WA 98046-3168

 

> SUBSCRIPTION RATES:

 

> 1 year (4 issues) for $15.95

 

> (save $3.85 off the newsstand price!)

 

> 2 years (8 issues) for $27.95

 

> (save $11.65 off the newsstand price!)

 

>

 

>

 

> For questions about the list, contact:

 

> AMERICAN_ROAD-owner@yahoogroups.com

 

>

 

> To SUBSCRIBE to this group, send an email to:

 

> AMERICAN_ROAD-subscribe@yahoogroups.comTo POST a

 

> message via e-mail, send it to:

 

> AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com

 

>

 

>

 

> Yahoo! Groups Links

 

>

 

>

 

> AMERICAN_ROAD-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Stay connected, organized, and protected. Take the tour:

 

http://tour.mail.yahoo.com/mailtour.html

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Guest JanNitz

I had no idea that Shawshank Redemption was filmed here! I love that movie!

 

I've always wanted to do the "ghost hunt" at Mansfield but haven't done it

 

yet....

 

Jandara

 

 

 

Look at -- www.mrps.org --The old Mansfield

 

reformatory site. In traveling thru there a few years

 

back, I stopped there just to look--Air Force One

 

filmed there, Shawshank Redemption filmed there almost

 

entirely, amoung others, and They were having an

 

all-night "ghost Hunt" inside the prison!! What a

 

night!!! All night to roam thru the entire prison at

 

will, with only flashlights and little else. A night I

 

will never forget. They have day tours that are

 

great--but NOTHING can compare to the all-night "ghost

 

hunt". Check out the short article by inmate #21--Lots

 

of memories. It is worth the trip to just see the

 

outside--and only gets better as you 'dig

 

deeper'--what a fun outing--ipilot66@yahoo.com

 

 

 

--- J Lance <bugo@hotmail.com> wrote:

 

 

 

>

 

> > Any of you oldtimers remember the old bridge

 

> between

 

> > Memphis and West Memphis?? I remember crossing it

 

> MANY

 

> > times--old route 70. The auto part of the bridge

 

> was

 

> > an 'after-thought' hung on the outside of the

 

> train

 

> > bridge, one lane, wood planks, small rail on the

 

> > outside. The most beautiful bridge ever built was

 

> the

 

> > "new" bridge just for cars. I was just in Arkansas

 

> and

 

> > just had to go to see what was left of it. Believe

 

> it

 

> > or not--the 'outriggers' are still attached to the

 

> > train bridge, easily seen from the interstate 55

 

> > bridge, as it is now called. On the Ark. side you

 

> can

 

> > still see the approach. I parked and walked back

 

> > almost to the edge of the old train bridge. I can

 

> > still remember how it shook if you were half way

 

> > across, hanging on the outside of the main bridge,

 

> > nothing under you but muddy water, and a train

 

> > crossed with you. The whole thing shook!! Made the

 

> > "Vicksburg" bridge seem like a 'piece of cake'. Ah

 

> > yes, the 'good old days'!!!! john, ipilot66

 

>

 

> http://www.stevecox.com/harahan/

 

>

 

> A bunch of pictures of the old US 61-63-64-70-79

 

> bridge and approaches.

 

>

 

> > John you rekindled an old forgotten memory of

 

> mine, Forgotten until now

 

> > that is!

 

> >

 

> > I remember crossing a bridge that sounds almost

 

> like the one that you are

 

> > talking about.

 

> > It was in St.Louis Mo. Somewhere north of the

 

> Arch.

 

> > In the fall of 1986 I crossed over from the

 

> Illinois side to St. Louis in

 

> > a straight truck loaded

 

> > with furniture for delivery for area stores.

 

> > I tell ya what! I had one hand on the door lever &

 

> watched for places to

 

> > jump to if anything were

 

> > to give way.

 

> > I can't believe that I paid to cross that ole

 

> thing! I thought that I was

 

> > taking a short

 

> > cut..........Whew! Some short cut.

 

> > I can't remember what was shaking more, Me or the

 

> Bridge!

 

> > The farther out over the water I had gotten, The

 

> more she (the bridge)

 

> > shook! I look back now &

 

> > just can't help but laugh!

 

>

 

>

 

> This sounds like the McKinley bridge, which is

 

> currently being renovated. I

 

> crossed it shortly before it was closed, it was good

 

> scary fun.

 

>

 

> Another cool Mississippi River bridge is the

 

> Greenville bridge, carrying US

 

> 82-278. A narrow truss with several curves on the

 

> approaches. It is being

 

> replaced, so if you want to drive it don't wait too

 

> long.

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

> ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor

 

> --------------------~-->

 

> <font face=arial size=-1><a

 

>

 

 

 

href="http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12h3l7cgu/M=36...641.1493532/D=g

 

roups/S=1707284507:TM/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1123988395/A=2894350/R=0/SIG=10tj5mr8v/*http:/

 

/www.globalgiving.com">Make

 

> a difference. Find and fund world-changing projects

 

> at GlobalGiving</a>.</font>

 

>

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------~->

 

>

 

>

 

> Visit our homepage at:

 

> http://www.mockturtlepress.com

 

>

 

> To subscribe to AMERICAN ROAD magazine, PHONE

 

> TOLL-FREE 1-877-285-5434 WITH YOUR ORDER TODAY!

 

> Or send payment to: Mock Turtle Press, PO Box 3168,

 

> Lynnwood, WA 98046-3168

 

> SUBSCRIPTION RATES:

 

> 1 year (4 issues) for $15.95

 

> (save $3.85 off the newsstand price!)

 

> 2 years (8 issues) for $27.95

 

> (save $11.65 off the newsstand price!)

 

>

 

>

 

> For questions about the list, contact:

 

> AMERICAN_ROAD-owner@yahoogroups.com

 

>

 

> To SUBSCRIBE to this group, send an email to:

 

> AMERICAN_ROAD-subscribe@yahoogroups.comTo POST a

 

> message via e-mail, send it to:

 

> AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com

 

>

 

>

 

> Yahoo! Groups Links

 

>

 

>

 

> AMERICAN_ROAD-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

__________________________________

 

Yahoo! Mail

 

Stay connected, organized, and protected. Take the tour:

 

http://tour.mail.yahoo.com/mailtour.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visit our homepage at: http://www.mockturtlepress.com

 

 

 

To subscribe to AMERICAN ROAD magazine, PHONE TOLL-FREE 1-877-285-5434 WITH

 

YOUR ORDER TODAY!

 

Or send payment to: Mock Turtle Press, PO Box 3168, Lynnwood, WA 98046-3168

 

SUBSCRIPTION RATES:

 

1 year (4 issues) for $15.95

 

(save $3.85 off the newsstand price!)

 

2 years (8 issues) for $27.95

 

(save $11.65 off the newsstand price!)

 

 

 

 

 

For questions about the list, contact: AMERICAN_ROAD-owner@yahoogroups.com

 

 

 

To SUBSCRIBE to this group, send an email to:

 

AMERICAN_ROAD-subscribe@yahoogroups.comTo POST a message via e-mail, send it to:

 

AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Guest George Parry

You might try www.freetrips.com or the one I use is at www.goodsam.com but you

 

need to be a member for Good Sam, I don't know if you are or not. The ones I

 

get from GS have the Free Trips web address on them which is where I got it.

 

What I like is that on one side they list mileage and time you have traveled and

 

the other side has mileage and time remaining. The trip planners start you at a

 

Highway junction near your start point and end at a junction near your end

 

point. Along the way it gives you mileage/exit numbers and services available

 

that you can ask for including Mountain passes. You can ask for Major Highways

 

or the Scenic route and either go thru or bypass cities, bridges, or toll roads.

 

 

 

Have a good trip,

 

 

 

Skip in NEKS

 

 

 

----- Original Message -----

 

From: queenofthemaps

 

To: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com

 

Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2005 11:43 AM

 

Subject: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Kinda OT -- Mileage Calculator

 

 

 

 

 

I guess this is OT since I'll be taking major interstates as opposed

 

to old highways, but here goes:

 

 

 

I'm driving from CA to TX next weekend, and am trying to plot where I

 

will be stopping. Based on my calculations, I will need to stop

 

around every 200 miles for gas (driving a big moving truck w/car towed

 

behind it). Is there a website that can show me where I will be every

 

200 miles? I used "guessing" for the first leg: I guesstimated my

 

first stop will be in Kettleman City, and it just so happens it's

 

almost exactly 200 miles from Oakland. I want to "add" 200 miles to

 

Kettleman City and find out where I will be next, then 200 miles from

 

the next place, etc. That way, I can use my Next Exit book to plot

 

out the exits I need to take for the places w/cheapest gas and to plan

 

meals, etc. I've searched the net, but the only sites I've found

 

thusfar are mileage calculators where you type in the departing and

 

arriving cities.

 

Any thoughts?

 

 

 

No time for old highways and roadside lingering on this trip. :(

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

pascha in CA, soon to be pascha in TX

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visit our homepage at: http://www.mockturtlepress.com

 

 

 

To subscribe to AMERICAN ROAD magazine, PHONE TOLL-FREE 1-877-285-5434 WITH

 

YOUR ORDER TODAY!

 

Or send payment to: Mock Turtle Press, PO Box 3168, Lynnwood, WA 98046-3168

 

SUBSCRIPTION RATES:

 

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(save $3.85 off the newsstand price!)

 

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For questions about the list, contact: AMERICAN_ROAD-owner@yahoogroups.com

 

 

 

To SUBSCRIBE to this group, send an email to:

 

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YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS

 

 

 

a.. Visit your group "AMERICAN_ROAD" on the web.

 

 

 

b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:

 

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c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

 

 

 

 

 

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Guest Jennifer

Hello all!

 

 

 

We are very excited to announce that we have a brand new forum,

 

located at the all-new American Road website!

 

 

 

Location, Location, Location!

 

-American Road's new website is: http://americanroadmagazine.com/

 

There is a link to the forum on the home page, but you can access

 

the forum directly here: http://americanroadmagazine.com/forum

 

 

 

What do I need to do now?

 

-To access all of the new forum features and to post, you will need

 

to log in at the forum address above. For the convenience of our

 

loyal group members, we have set everyone here up with an account at

 

the new forum. Everyone's user name is *identical* to your Yahoo ID

 

and the e-mail address associated with your account is the same as

 

the one associated with your Yahoo Groups account.

 

 

 

Everyone will receive an e-mail (probably tomorrow) with your

 

temporary password, which you should change as soon as possible.

 

However, you don't have to wait...you can head over to the new forum

 

and reset your password right away! To do this, click on the "Log

 

in" link, then click the link for a lost password (in the pink

 

box). After that, simply follow the steps to reset your password

 

and you will receive a new one by e-mail, and you can then log in.

 

 

 

Once you log in, you can edit your profile, and include a personal

 

website link, interests, an avatar, signature, etc... (optional)

 

 

 

Some other forum features:

 

-Subforums for various topical discussion (specific U.S.

 

Highways/auto trails, motels, etc...)

 

-Photo area where you can create your own photo gallery

 

-Private messaging feature for members online (logged in)

 

-E-mail members through the forum

 

 

 

Some features of the American Road website:

 

-Podcasts

 

-Calendar of Events where you can post your road-related events and

 

functions

 

-Subscriber services

 

-Sweepstakes

 

-Hitching Post (online store)

 

 

 

What is happening to the Yahoo Group?

 

-This group is currently closed to new members, who are directed to

 

join the new forum.

 

-The next thing that will happen to the Yahoo Group is that it will

 

be shut down from further posts, probably within the next week. We

 

want to encourage everyone to migrate to the new forum and post

 

there! For reference, the message archives here at the Yahoo Group

 

will remain publicly accessible (no need to log in to view).

 

 

 

Regarding security and privacy at the new forum

 

-As with this group, posts by all new members are moderated for a

 

short time until a history of appropriate posts is established. We

 

have included this feature into our new forum, so that we can avoid

 

any problems with spam/inappropriate posts.

 

-New, moderated members also cannot use the feature of private

 

messaging or sending e-mails to other members until they become full

 

members; at that point, those features are available. Any member,

 

however, can set your profile so that you do not receive e-mails

 

from members, if preferred.

 

-Lastly, we have set the forum up so that guests (non-members) can

 

view our forums and topics (i.e., posts) but cannot view the member

 

list or any member profile information.

 

 

 

What if I need help?

 

-Please do not hestitate to contact us if you have any questions

 

about how to navigate the new forum or use features. We're still

 

getting oriented to the new functionality too, but we know it will

 

be much more fun and user friendly. As soon as I can, I will add

 

some special "Help" topics to the forum showing how to use the

 

features.

 

-Until the Yahoo Group is closed to posting, use the post feature to

 

send a note to the "owner" e-mail, which will get sent to both

 

myself and Pat. If you can get over to the new forum, you can post

 

a message to us there (a full member can e-mail or PM us, a new

 

member can post in the "Help" forum).

 

 

 

So pull up a table at our new virtual watering hole and join us for

 

some more great road stories!

 

 

 

Jennifer Bremer

 

American Road Forum Host

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Guest mockturtlepress

Greetings to All:

 

 

 

Thomas Repp here, Executive Editor of AMERICAN ROAD. The Autumn `05

 

issue has squealed out of our parking lot and headed for the printer. That

 

means it's time for me to post your issue preview.

 

 

 

Before I do that, I want to thank those of you who took the time to send the

 

magazine correspondence during this past quarter. The Summer 2005

 

"Walking Tall" theme seems to have struck a chord with readers, as many of

 

you walked to your mailbox or keyboard to drop us a letter or an e-mail. We

 

received much praise for Michael Wallis' article on the Art of Hitchhiking; Joe

 

Hurley's saga about walking the length of US 6; and my own pictorial tour of

 

Michigan's Thumb. We also received compliments on our photo essay that

 

featured the streets of Los Angeles as they appeared in the 1940s. We were

 

privileged to acquire those rare photos directly from the Blackstock family. I

 

promise you: We will keep uncovering such treasures, so that when you pick

 

up an issue of AMERICAN ROAD, you're guaranteed to see something

 

you've never before seen.

 

 

 

Now. Onward to your Autumn '05 preview. Bring your camera. This one's

 

really pretty.

 

 

 

For some time, we've been planning to build an entire issue around roads

 

designated as scenic byways. Now, we've done so. The theme of AMERICAN

 

ROAD's Autumn 2005 issue is "Scenically Speaking."

 

 

 

Our lead story is a definitive piece about Oregon's Columbia River Highway.

 

This road--completed in 1922--is widely regarded as America's first true

 

"scenic highway." David J. Sell authored our epic. He's a Forest Highway

 

Enhancement Program Manager for the Western Federal Lands Highway

 

Division of the Federal Highway Administration, and he's been involved in the

 

preservation and restoration of this spectacular road since 1992. Last year, I

 

was honored to accompany David on a personal tour of the Columbia River

 

Highway. I can honestly say this: If you call yourself a true old-road fan, and

 

you haven't slipped through the mists of the Columbia River Highway's

 

waterfall section, read the graffiti left by snowbound motorists inside the

 

Mosier Twin Tunnels, or wound your way around the Rowena Loops, you

 

haven't truly driven.

 

 

 

I know for a fact that we have fans of filmmaker Christopher Lewis on this

 

Yahoo Group. I'm happy to report that Chris has finally penned a feature

 

especially for AMERICAN ROAD. It's called "Ghosts of the Natchez Trace,"

 

and it examines the supernatural (and sometimes downright disturbing) roots

 

that creep and crawl along that venerable parkway. Personally, I had a great

 

time working with Chris on this piece and adding sidebars about Harpe's

 

Head, Hare's Phantom, those entombed bodies that spilled out of the wall at

 

old King's Tavern, etc. Get your pumpkins early, folks. It's time for Halloween.

 

 

 

Our photo essay this quarter showcases the Amish Country Byway in Ohio.

 

(Pictures by Ken Baldwin. Text by Tobias Abrams from material supplied by

 

Sharon Strouse.) Every autumn, people inevitably ask me what drive to take

 

to best see fall colors. I rattle off any number of roads in this nation that

 

are

 

known for their tree-turning splendor. Then I remind everyone that the farm

 

county, too, looks glorious in the autumn as the sun sets over the golden

 

fields. The Amish Country Byway is about as golden as it gets.

 

 

 

I like a little fire in the magazine, so Rebecca and I took a gallop down Utah's

 

Flaming Gorge in "Blazing Saddle." A bit of cool water is nice as well, so we

 

rounded out the Autumn 2005 issue with Ariele Huff's cruise along Missouri's

 

Great River Road. I think—in particular--these two features play well off each

 

other: On the one hand, you have Butch Cassidy, Dutch John, and a crimson

 

terrain that could be a dinosaur's backbone. On the other, you have Mark

 

Twain, sleepy Ste. Genevieve, and rows of white picket fences that might

 

have been painted by Tom Sawyer himself.

 

 

 

Green River's Sleepy Hollow Motel gets the nod in "Memory Motel" this

 

quarter; Port Huron's Power's Diner takes the cake in "Diner Days." El-fish

 

and King Kong top "Tunnel Vision." The regular departments (from "One to

 

101" all the way to "Thinkin' Lincoln") focus on the Olympic Peninsula's

 

Dragon Tears, Barstow's Round Beds, Spokane's National Parks Highway,

 

the Dakotas' Yellowstone Bridges, and Alice Ramsey's 1909 drive,

 

respectively.

 

 

 

There's more, but I leave the rest for you to discover. In the meantime, we'll

 

be

 

posting preview photos from the Autumn 2005 issue in this group's photo

 

area. Look for those photos to appear within the next few days. We're posting

 

these "page shots" because we picked up a number of new subscribers from

 

this group during the month of July. Many of you newcomers expressed

 

excitement to receive your first issue of AMERICAN ROAD. Well, there's only

 

so much we can do to push the USPS along. (I understand the use of cattle

 

prods for that purpose is a big "no-no.") You will need to wait a few more

 

weeks for your copy to arrive in your mailbox, but this will give you an idea of

 

what you're about to see.

 

 

 

Always remember to keep that feedback coming. And thanks to one and all for

 

your support. Your enthusiasm is the stuff that keeps us reaching for the stars.

 

When you hear someone compliment AMERICAN ROAD (and we've been

 

honored a lot, lately; the media has been featuring us over and again these

 

past few months) remember that you have a hand in that, and this is truly your

 

magazine.

 

 

 

Drive safely. And dream well.

 

 

 

Thomas Repp

 

Executive Editor

 

AMERICAN ROAD

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Guest J Lance

From: John W ipilot66@yahoo.com

 

 

 

>> http://www.stevecox.com/harahan/

 

>>

 

>> A bunch of pictures of the old US 61-63-64-70-79

 

>> bridge and approaches.

 

> WOW---I can never thank you enough!!! Those pictures

 

> were the best thing I have seen in a long time. I saw

 

> those pictures and actually felt the bridge shake once

 

> again, just as I remember as a boy. Thank you, thank

 

> you, thank you!!! john w. Also I must at a footnote:

 

> Some of the group were talking of a trip thru Ohio.

 

> Look at -- www.mrps.org --The old Mansfield

 

> reformatory site. In traveling thru there a few years

 

> back, I stopped there just to look--Air Force One

 

> filmed there, Shawshank Redemption filmed there almost

 

> entirely, amoung others, and They were having an

 

> all-night "ghost Hunt" inside the prison!! What a

 

> night!!! All night to roam thru the entire prison at

 

> will, with only flashlights and little else. A night I

 

> will never forget. They have day tours that are

 

> great--but NOTHING can compare to the all-night "ghost

 

> hunt". Check out the short article by inmate #21--Lots

 

> of memories. It is worth the trip to just see the

 

> outside--and only gets better as you 'dig

 

> deeper'--what a fun outing--ipilot66@yahoo.com

 

 

 

Anytime. I've enjoyed that site for a long time, and I'm glad to share it

 

with other bridge fans.

 

 

 

Here's another site with many Mississippi River bridges:

 

 

 

 

 

http://bridges.midwestplaces.com/

 

 

 

It even has most of the cool bridges in my home county (Polk Co, AR).

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Guest towelie

The talk of the old Harahan bridge between Memphis and West Memphis got

 

me to thinking about a bridge I have a picture of. I uploaded it to

 

the photos section under the title "mystery bridge". The picture was

 

found on an Arkansas state library website, and was part of a series of

 

pictures. All the other pictures were inside Arkansas, so I assume

 

this one is. The road decks are outside of the main superstructure

 

much like the Harahan, the old ASB bridge in Kansas City, and the

 

McKinley in St Louis. It is definitely not the Harahan, as this is a

 

lift bridge. Can somebody help?

 

 

 

Here's a link to the site. http://tinyurl.com/d975g

 

 

 

The search feature is sorta confusing, do a search and the next page

 

allows you to refine the search, select "ALL" for Library

 

and "Photographs" for type. Most of the good pictures were taken by a

 

gentleman by the name of Ernie Deane, so that is a good search term.

 

Lots of excellent B/W pics of the Natural State.

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Guest roamndav

Hi all,

 

As many of you know, since my move to Tucson, I've had t osart

 

exploring Hwy 80 to satisfy my roadie fix! Resultant from a recent

 

trip to Texas, I've recently added another page to my web covering

 

the historic alternate 80 alignment that ran from Metcalf Gap west of

 

Weatherford, TX, through Breckenridge/Albany before heading SW into

 

Abilen and the rejoining of the main trunk. This was terrific

 

country with rolling green pastures interspersed with wooded oak

 

groves and the occasional, rock cut. Evidence of the old road was

 

plentiful. Feel free to check outn this county atthis direct link...

 

 

 

http://bygonebyways.com/hist_alt_80.htm

 

 

 

The pics are large, but well worth the wait!

 

 

 

And lastly, kudos to where it is due. On this same trip, I found a

 

long two mile strecth of old 30's era 80 at the top of Ranger Hill

 

east of Ranger/Cisco, TX. Calling the owner for permision, I was

 

told that TXDOT was purchasing 50 acres and putting in a rest stop.

 

Calling the Brownsville district TXDOT office, I happily learned that

 

the district is well aware of the historical significance of this

 

stretch and is planning their facilities accordingly to incorporate

 

this stretch as a hiking/biking trail. I've posted a pic of this

 

great stretch of old roadway in the photos section identified as Hwy

 

80-Top of Ranger Hill. Hope you enjoy it!

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

Jeff in Tucson

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~Camping Trip~ [~Camping Trip~]

 

<http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog/slideshow.h...VifIUhcfExDWkpJ

 

_g-> [magnify]

 

<http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog/slideshow.h...VifIUhcfExDWkpJ

 

_g-> ~CamPing 2006~

 

<http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog/slideshow.html?p=33> Loft Mtn @

 

Shenandoah National Park, 16 - 20 Aug (maybe longer) 38 15 44 n

 

78 39 37 w Not ruffing it...just sum easy "car campin" this time

 

around. Stop by 4 at least a day or two... [image] ... Msg Me 4

 

More info...

 

 

 

http://www.nps.gov/shen/home.htm

 

<http://www.nps.gov/shen/home.htm>

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Guest egyptianzipper@aol.com

In a message dated 8/15/05 12:11:25 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

 

thewriterslife@yahoo.com writes:

 

I need help. I'm going to be going from Dover, Delaware to Washington DC day

 

after tomorrow. CAn anyone tell me which route would be the easiest

 

considering I'm terrified of superhighways? Plus, what I want to do is park

 

somewhere

 

near DC, maybe a half hour away or less and take the subway (is it called the

 

metro?) from there to DC, leaving the car behind. Can you leave cars at

 

subway stations? Thanks!

 

====================================================================

 

You could either go south and over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, or go north

 

around the top of the bay. The Bay Bridge and highway west of there is US 50,

 

but

 

it might as well be an interstate. If you go around the top of the bay, you

 

could drive down US 40 to Baltimore instead of I-95, and then take US-1. The

 

catch is that all of these roads are extremely congested: lots of traffic and

 

lots of lights and slow going.

 

 

 

With respect to your second question, I also refuse to drive in Washington

 

traffic, and I'm a native. However, I moved to the country several years ago,

 

and live in a county with four traffic lights. I take the same approach, of

 

driving to an outlying MARC commuter rail station, 50 miles out of town, getting

 

a

 

room nearby and using the commuter train. Saves me money on the room too.

 

 

 

Most Metro parking lots fill up early in the morning, for example New

 

Carrollton on the above-mentioned US 50. For some reason, there's generally

 

plenty of

 

parking at the Greenbelt station on the Green Line. This is in northern

 

Prince Georges County near the junction of I-95 and the Capital Beltway (495). I

 

think the station even has its own exit ramp for the Beltway. You'd have to look

 

at a map to see how to get there without using the interstate.

 

 

 

Hope this helps,

 

 

 

Tom Hoffman

 

Pearisburg VA

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Guest egyptianzipper@aol.com

In a message dated 8/15/05 1:55:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

 

thehinge@magpage.com writes:

 

Are there other roads out there that the National

 

Park Service allocates money to that are not within the

 

land they designate as parks?

 

===================================================================

 

The Natchez Trace Parkway in Tennessee and Mississippi is one. The NPS also

 

wound up with at least three commuter highways in the Washington DC area: half

 

of the Baltimore Washington Parkway, Suitland Parkway and the George

 

Washington Memorial Parkway.

 

 

 

Tom Hoffman

 

Pearisburg VA

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Guest Scott Piotrowski

Thanks to a good friend of mine and Julie's, my website

 

(www.66productions.com) is finally (almost) fully operational once

 

again. We've made some major site readjustments, including a means by

 

which I can update the necessary pages (news, appearances) myself,

 

which will be a huge benefit. (At this point, the only page not up

 

yet is the "photography" page, which we are still trying to set up.)

 

 

 

If anyone who ventures that way finds any errors / problems, please

 

email me OFF-LIST to let me know about them, so that I can look into a

 

fix for it.

 

 

 

Scott Piotrowski

 

Director, 66 Productions

 

Moderator, Historic Roads Preservation

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Guest Dorothy Thompson

I need help. I'm going to be going from Dover, Delaware to Washington DC day

 

after tomorrow. CAn anyone tell me which route would be the easiest considering

 

I'm terrified of superhighways? Plus, what I want to do is park somewhere near

 

DC, maybe a half hour away or less and take the subway (is it called the metro?)

 

from there to DC, leaving the car behind. Can you leave cars at subway

 

stations? Thanks!

 

 

 

Dorothy

 

 

 

 

 

Dorothy Thompson

 

ROMANCING THE SOUL

 

Do you believe in soul mates?

 

http://www.dorothythompson.net

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Guest Bob Reynolds

Okay, gang. I finally have a bit more free time and am going

 

to make an effort to catch up on posting my trips. Once again, the

 

photos refered to are in the photo section, under the BabyBoomerBob

 

directory.

 

 

 

 

 

THE BRIDGES OF HAMILTON COUNTY

 

 

 

Downtown Chattanooga has been through a major renovation in the

 

past few years, the kind that has made this native son very proud.

 

Susan and I set out one weekend last May to take some pictures of

 

some things that have changed, some that have not, and do a bit of a

 

road trip on the Tennessee Connector of the Dixie Highway.

 

 

 

Note: The following four paragraphs contains copious alignment

 

geekiness. Feel free to skip ahead if you wish:)

 

 

 

Chattanooga was the home town of the Dixie Highway. The

 

western trunk route passed through town, intersecting with a

 

connector going to the eastern trunk in Knoxville, and a loop route

 

heading south to Rome Ga., then passing east to reconnect with the

 

western trunk above Atlanta.

 

 

 

The western trunk's route is as follows: From the south it

 

followed Ringgold Road through the Bachman Tubes through Missionary

 

Ridge. Then north on Dodds Avevue and west on Main Street (All

 

these are presently US 41/76). Then north on Market Street across

 

the John Ross Bridge, then left on Cherokee Blvd. through the

 

Stringer's Ridge Tunnel (All formerly US 27. Now sporadically

 

signed as Bus. 27). Northwest on Signal Mountain Blvd. (US 127) and

 

out Suck Creek Road (TN 27) toward Jasper.

 

 

 

The Tennessee Connector began where the western trunk turned

 

onto Signal Mtn. Blvd., continuing north on what used to be US 27,

 

then heading east at Rockwood, following US 70 to Knoxville.

 

 

 

The loop route followed US 27 in the opposite direction,

 

starting at the intersection of Main and Rossville Blvd. heading

 

south to the town of Rossville Georgia, through Chickamauga

 

battlefield on its way to Rome.

 

 

 

Susan and I took the interstate on down to Chattanooga, exiting

 

northbound on Rossville Blvd., planning to follow the loop rouute to

 

Main Street. Originally, Rossville Blvd intersected Main at an

 

acute angle, so 27 was rerouted onto a block long stretch of Wilhoit

 

Ave., to create a right angle. Much easier for traffic turning east

 

on Main. Much to my surprise, I found that much of the north end of

 

Rossville Blvd. had been permanently closed. The roadway was now on

 

private property with semi trailers parked all over the place. We

 

were rerouted onto Central Ave. which did take us to Main Street.

 

 

 

We turned onto Market street heading north and soon found the

 

remains of what had been a neat old neon sign. There had once been

 

a restaurant right across from the Terminal Station (now the

 

Chattanooga Choo Choo hotel and restaurant) that featured frog's

 

legs. As a kid, I used to watch the green neon frog hopping across

 

the sign. It's only a ghost sign now:( <Frog's Legs.jpg>

 

 

 

I must say that since joining this newsgroup, I look at things

 

with a different eye. I look for things to share with y'all, and

 

it's amazing what I notice now that simply didn't register before.

 

A good example is the facade for the old Hardie and Caudle clothing

 

store on Market Street. <HardieCaudle01, 02.jpg> It's a vegan

 

restaurant now, but the art deco design is still there and quite

 

attractive. This part of Market street is so much nicer these

 

days. Plenty of trees and renovated buildings.

 

 

 

Market Street ends by crossing the John Ross Brige, often

 

referred to as the Market Street Bridge. Built in 1917, it was

 

nicknamed the "Million Dollar Bridge" for it's cost. Quite a bit in

 

those days. It's a bascule drawbridge with massive concrete

 

counterweights on either end of the truss. The counterweights used

 

to be used as billboards, advertising the local electric company.

 

The bridge no longer needs to be raised for river traffic, but

 

federal law requires semiannual opening. I'll have to get down

 

there and see it open some time. It must be a sight since the whole

 

truss opens. <John Ross Bridge, Drawbridge House, Pub Sign.jpg>

 

 

 

At the north end of the bridge, clearly visible as you drive

 

across, is what I now recognize as one of Chattanooga's great neon

 

treasures, the Town and Country Restaurant sign. <Town and

 

Country01, 02.jpg> I'll have to get down some late evening and get

 

pictures of it lit.

 

 

 

We left the main highway, turning right where 27 once went left,

 

so we could go to Coolidge Park. This is one of the new attractions

 

in town and replaces a blighted area of slums and abandoned

 

factories. There's a really neat wading fountain <Fountain.jpg>

 

and a renovated 1895 Dentzel carousel, unfortunately closed at the

 

time we were there.

 

 

 

The crown jewel of the park is the Walnut street Bridge. It was

 

built in the 1890s to replace a bridge built by the Union Army

 

during the Civil War that had washed away in a flood. It is the

 

nicest (and these days, one of the last) camel back truss bridges in

 

the state. It had a wooden roadbed and I remember as a child riding

 

across it with the planks making all sorts of bumpitybumpity

 

noises. It was high, narrow and downright scary! It was closed to

 

vehicular traffic in 1967 and was left to deteriorate. Finally some

 

folks with vision took steps to rescue the bridge and renovate it.

 

It was reopened to pedestrian traffic only in 1991. <Walnut Street

 

bridge01, 02,jpg>

 

 

 

I got a particularly warm feeling when I read somewhere that

 

the folks who are restoring the Chain of Rocks Bridge took

 

inspiration from the success of the Walnut Street project. And I

 

don't mind in the least that the COR bridge has supplanted the WS

 

Bridge as the longest pedestrians only bridge:)

 

 

 

I walked out onto the Walnut Street Bridge to get some photos.

 

Unfortunately, the weather began to turn nasty, so I wound up with

 

the camera under my t-shirt, bent over to protect it from the rain.

 

I did manage to get a strange looking shot of the Riverfront Trail.

 

This is a 20 mile trail, nearly finished now, from Ross' Landing

 

(the original site of Chattanooga) to Chickamauga Dam. The picture

 

shows numerous switchbacks as it climbs the river bluff. It looks a

 

bit like San Francisco's Lombard Street:) <Riverfront Trail.jpg>

 

 

 

We decided to head out and do a little rambling around, but

 

before we left the area, we drove up a hill at the north end of the

 

Walnut Street Bridge and got this rather gloomy, forshortened

 

picture of the grand old span <Walnut Bridge from north.jpg>

 

 

 

We headed out west to our favorite catfish restaurant for

 

lunch. On the way back, we took Cummings Highway around the toe of

 

Lookout Mountain. There we discovered an abandoned motel with what

 

must have been a great neon sign in it's day. <Motel sign.jpg>

 

 

 

Cummings Highway was (presumably) built after the Dixie Highway

 

was created and supplanted the more northerly route leading across

 

the John Ross Bridge and out Suck Creek Road. Whether it was ever

 

an official part of the Dixie Highway, I can't say. I'm guessing it

 

was.

 

 

 

Next we drove south across the state line to take advantage of

 

the lower gas prices in Georgia. On the way back, we got a shot of

 

this fairly recently painted Rock City barn. <Rock City barn.jpg>

 

 

 

Now for the road trip! We returned to the north end of the

 

Ross bridge and followed the former US 27 on up toward Rockwood,

 

following every piece of probable old alignment we could find

 

<Coulterville Rd., Old Dayton Pike.jpg> At Dayton, we demonstrated

 

something that makes us a bit different from the average road

 

warrior. There was a strawberry festival going on. We didn't

 

stop. Susan and I tend to be something of loners and we don't care

 

for crowds. We drove on through, not even getting a shot of the

 

famous courthouse where the Scopes "monkey trial" took place.

 

 

 

We stopped briefly at Spring City and got a picture of the old

 

depot <Spring City Depot.jpg>. Then on to the Piney River Bridge.

 

This is one of the last camel back bridges around. And like the

 

rest, it's days are numbered. US 27 will soon be four lane divided

 

from Chattanooga to Lexington. Oh well...

 

 

 

There is a short stretch of old road that is signed as Dixie

 

Highway. It is accessed from a short connector and dead ends at

 

both ends. Not much to see, but we got a picture anyway:) <Dixie

 

Highway.jpg>

 

 

 

One more stop. The old road bypasses the business district of

 

Rockwood. At one corner we found this old gas station. This seems

 

to be a common style of gas stations from that time. Does anyone

 

know if the style has a name? <Rockwood gas station.jpg>

 

 

 

The old alignment put us out on US 70 heading eastbound. It took

 

about another hour to reach Eaton's Crossroads where we left the

 

Dixie Highway and returned home. Quite a full day!

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Guest drivetheost

The 1926 Stuart Welcome Arch, spanning the Dixie Highway in Jensen

 

Beach, Florida was recently listed in the National Register of

 

Historic Places.

 

 

 

Constructed to celebrate Martin County?s founding, the arch also

 

welcomed tin can tourists traveling down the popular Dixie Highway.

 

The Stuart structure is thought to be the last welcome arch standing

 

in Florida.

 

 

 

Welcome arches, once commonly found across the United States, are

 

today exceedingly rare. Exceptions include a dozen or so welcome

 

arches found along US 99 in California?s Central Valley.

 

 

 

Interestingly, many communities are reintroducing the welcome arch

 

concept as part of the their Main Street redevelopment plans. Examples

 

of these new gateways include the shiny steel and neon arch over Route

 

66 in Albuquerque and the retro Streamline arch welcoming westbound

 

traffic along El Centro, California?s Main Street, the Old Spanish Trail.

 

 

 

Now I am curious to how many welcoming arches survive along old named

 

auto trails and US highways??

 

 

 

John W. Murphey

 

Drivetheost.com

 

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/swautotrails/

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Guest Alex Burr

While not exactly a welcoming arch, tho it could be

 

considered as one, is the arch over U S 61 on the

 

Arkansas/Missouri state line.

 

 

 

Hudsonly,

 

Alex B

 

--- drivetheost <drivetheost@yahoo.com> wrote:

 

 

 

>

 

> The 1926 Stuart Welcome Arch, spanning the Dixie

 

> Highway in Jensen

 

> Beach, Florida was recently listed in the National

 

> Register of

 

> Historic Places.

 

>

 

> Constructed to celebrate Martin County?s founding,

 

> the arch also

 

> welcomed tin can tourists traveling down the popular

 

> Dixie Highway.

 

> The Stuart structure is thought to be the last

 

> welcome arch standing

 

> in Florida.

 

>

 

> Welcome arches, once commonly found across the

 

> United States, are

 

> today exceedingly rare. Exceptions include a dozen

 

> or so welcome

 

> arches found along US 99 in California?s Central

 

> Valley.

 

>

 

> Interestingly, many communities are reintroducing

 

> the welcome arch

 

> concept as part of the their Main Street

 

> redevelopment plans. Examples

 

> of these new gateways include the shiny steel and

 

> neon arch over Route

 

> 66 in Albuquerque and the retro Streamline arch

 

> welcoming westbound

 

> traffic along El Centro, California?s Main Street,

 

> the Old Spanish Trail.

 

>

 

> Now I am curious to how many welcoming arches

 

> survive along old named

 

> auto trails and US highways??

 

>

 

> John W. Murphey

 

> Drivetheost.com

 

> http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/swautotrails/

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Guest Rudyard Welborn

The arch Alex mentions was built in 1924 by the Mississippi County, AR

 

highway commission...there used to be one on the other end of the county but

 

alas it is gone...there is a picture of it in Tim Steil's book "Highway 61

 

Revisited"...Is there not a "welcome" arch in Dixon, IL on the Lincoln

 

Highway? Tsingtao, Kip

 

----- Original Message -----

 

From: "Alex Burr" <hester_nec@yahoo.com>

 

To: <AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com>

 

Sent: Sunday, September 26, 2004 7:08 PM

 

Subject: Re: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Dixie Highway Landmark Listed in National

 

Register

 

 

 

 

 

> While not exactly a welcoming arch, tho it could be

 

> considered as one, is the arch over U S 61 on the

 

> Arkansas/Missouri state line.

 

>

 

> Hudsonly,

 

> Alex B

 

> --- drivetheost <drivetheost@yahoo.com> wrote:

 

>

 

> >

 

> > The 1926 Stuart Welcome Arch, spanning the Dixie

 

> > Highway in Jensen

 

> > Beach, Florida was recently listed in the National

 

> > Register of

 

> > Historic Places.

 

> >

 

> > Constructed to celebrate Martin County?s founding,

 

> > the arch also

 

> > welcomed tin can tourists traveling down the popular

 

> > Dixie Highway.

 

> > The Stuart structure is thought to be the last

 

> > welcome arch standing

 

> > in Florida.

 

> >

 

> > Welcome arches, once commonly found across the

 

> > United States, are

 

> > today exceedingly rare. Exceptions include a dozen

 

> > or so welcome

 

> > arches found along US 99 in California?s Central

 

> > Valley.

 

> >

 

> > Interestingly, many communities are reintroducing

 

> > the welcome arch

 

> > concept as part of the their Main Street

 

> > redevelopment plans. Examples

 

> > of these new gateways include the shiny steel and

 

> > neon arch over Route

 

> > 66 in Albuquerque and the retro Streamline arch

 

> > welcoming westbound

 

> > traffic along El Centro, California?s Main Street,

 

> > the Old Spanish Trail.

 

> >

 

> > Now I am curious to how many welcoming arches

 

> > survive along old named

 

> > auto trails and US highways??

 

> >

 

> > John W. Murphey

 

> > Drivetheost.com

 

> > http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/swautotrails/

 

> >

 

> >

 

> >

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

> _______________________________

 

> Do you Yahoo!?

 

> Declare Yourself - Register online to vote today!

 

> http://vote.yahoo.com

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

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>

 

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WITH YOUR ORDER TODAY!

 

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Guest Russell S. Rein

Yep,

 

 

 

Many Lincoln Highway towns had welcome arches - Chamberburg, PA - Fort

 

Wayne, IN - Dixon, IL -

 

Omaha, NE - Fremont, NE - North Platte, NE - Cozad, NE - Rock Springs, WY

 

- Reno, NV -

 

Lodi, CA come to mind.

 

 

 

ypsi-slim

 

 

 

On Sun, 26 Sep 2004 20:06:28 -0500 "Rudyard Welborn"

 

<r.Welborn@worldnet.ATT.net> writes:

 

The arch Alex mentions was built in 1924 by the Mississippi County, AR

 

highway commission...there used to be one on the other end of the county

 

but

 

alas it is gone...there is a picture of it in Tim Steil's book "Highway

 

61

 

Revisited"...Is there not a "welcome" arch in Dixon, IL on the Lincoln

 

Highway? Tsingtao, Kip

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