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Two Gallows, One Beatle: Good Times At The Old Jail

Friday, May 24th, 2013

“It was one of the top ten days of my life,” said Bob Rea, president of the Franklin County Historical Preservation Society in Benton, Illinois. He was referring to May 4, 2013, the day that he first laid eyes on the gallows that hanged Charlie Birger.

Is My Museum Lying To Me?

Saturday, January 26th, 2013

The Chicago Sun-Times has published a muckraking report suggesting that the Lincoln stovepipe hat currently displayed in the Lincoln Museum in Springfield, Illinois, may not be Abe’s at all.

Gemini Giant Can Be Yours For A Giant Price

Wednesday, October 17th, 2012

One of the spaciest of all Muffler Men is for sale — but it has a significant catch. The helmet-wearing, rocket-cradling Gemini Giant has stood beside Route 66 since the mid-1960s, an icon of Illinois and memorable Space Age mascot of the Launching Pad Drive-In.

Happy Birthday Cake, Mr. President

Wednesday, June 6th, 2012

For many years the most memorable piece of Presidential confectionery on public view has been a slab of Grover Cleveland’s wedding cake, a brick-like bit of eye candy for those who visited his birthplace

Rt. 66 Bus Arrives To Bewitch The Faithful

Saturday, May 7th, 2011

Route 66 is America’s most loved road. Bob Waldmire was its most loved driver. Does that make Bob’s bus America’s most loved vehicle? It’s a tricky question, since Bob had two buses. Probably one of them is America’s sweetheart, and both are now on display at the Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum in [...]

Reagan Statues Delayed, Near-Death Suit Revealed

Saturday, February 5th, 2011

The Birthplace of Ronald Reagan (Tampico, Illinois) and the Boyhood Home of Ronald Reagan (Dixon, Illinois) both wanted to erect statues of young Gipper as part of his 100th would’ve-been birthday

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