Looking Back to 1966: NIU Naming New Roads

From the September 28, 2016, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."

1966, 50 Years Ago.

"New street names as well as signs have been popping up on the burgeoning Northern Illinois University campus.  So new are some of the names heretofore nameless campus roads that some departments' records and maps are lagging behind the names.

"Among the new names are :University Circle, Stadium Drive and Kishwaukee Drive.

The students attending NIU grew by a huge amount in the 1960s.

Naming the NIU Roads.  --Cooter

JSS: The Pre-Pre-Pre-Pre Summer Driving Gouge Strikes-- BK's New Rib Sandwich-- Rough Driving Ahead

JSS-- Just Some Stuff. //// 1. THE PRE-PRE-PRE-PRE SUMMER DRIVING GOUGE STRIKES-- I see it hit us here in northeast Illinois big-time yesterday when gas jumped from $3.24 to $3.47. That's 23 cents in a minute. I suspect Big Oil needs a profits infusion as usual. //// 2. BK'S BEW RIB SANDWICH-- Now that McRibs are gone, we still have that just-as-good Burger King Rib sandwich for a buck. I like these every bit as much as McRibs. A real hit for BK. Makes up for the new fries and that uber-dry Johnsonville brat sandwich. I didn't think you possible could make a bad Johnsonville, but, not so. //// 3. ROUGH DRIVING AHEAD-- Ever since that "V" thing hit us a couple weeks ago, I notice a huge increase in potholes and pavement buckling which happens every time we get that cold. //// --RoadDog

On the Road Again

As Willie would say.

I'm leaving today for an American Road Magazine Forum Group trip through Indiana and Ohio. Road Maven and Denny Gibson will be with us and in general leading the procession as they have set it all up. These guys know their road stuff.

I high point for me will be a visit to the grave of Carl Fisher, the father of the Lincoln Highway, Dixie Highway, Indianapolis Speedway, and Miami Beach. Sunday, we will be going to the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati.

There will be all sorts of old places in between, including a drive along the old National Road/US-40 from Indianapolis to Richmond, Indiana.

I'm not taking the laptop so there will probably be not entries until next Tuesday.

Good Times, Good Folks, Lots of Miles. --RoadDog

Just Got Back

Yesterday, we got back from a mini trip downstate and to Indiana.

We left Dec. 30th and drove to Pontiac, Illinois. Along the way, we played at NTN sites in Plainfield (BW3 and Sports Den), a BW3 (Buffalo Wild Wings) in Shorewood, and Heroes West in Joliet.

The main objective was the Riviera in Gardner. This great place, which has operated since the 1920s and reputed stop off place for Al Capone and his brother, is closing Jan. 1st. Unfortunately, it was way too crowded, so we didn't get to eat or talk with the Krafts who have owned it since the early 1970s (see Dec. 31st http://roaddogsroadlog.blogspot.com blog.

Went to Pontiac and drove around that beautiful court house and got a room at the Super 8 out on I-55. Ate at the Baby Bull on Route 66. Two high school basketball teams were also dining there (one from up by us, Warren High School in Gurnee). A big tournament was going on. Listened to a close game between Peoria Manuel and Schaumburg.

Several teams were also staying at the Super 8.

More to Come. --RoadDog

Santa Been Good to Me

Mighty, mighty good. And I didn't think I was all that good.

ROAD-RELATED STUFF

GPS-- as in Tom Tom. Actually for Liz from Mom, but I'll sneak it out as well. It will be especially helpful when looking for NTN sites while on the road.

WILBER'S SIGN AND BUILDING-- Mom got me a watercolor original of my favorite 'cue place in Goldsboro, North Carolina. This is by well-known NC artist Brenda Behrs who happens to live next door to Mom. I had Wilber Shirley sign a business card which I will put on the front of it.

BLUE SWALLOW MOTEL, TUCUMCARI, NEW MEXICO, PICTURE-- Liz had this framed for me. This is one of the best-known motels along old Route 66. We were fortunate to get to spend a night back in the fifties. The new owners spent many hours and days out in front until they got just the right sunset. They certainly did. Between the motel's neon and the sky, this is awe-inspiring.

KEN TURMEL'S ROUTE 66 POSTMARKS PRINT-- Roadie Ken Turmel took a ride along the Mother Road after he was bitten by the bug and stopped at every town along the way that had a post office and had them postmark a map of the route. I won this one at the Munger-Moss anniversary celebration several years back, but had never had it framed. Thanks Liz.


OTHER STUFF

I had mentioned to Liz that I liked John T. McCutcheon's 1907 "Injun Summer" cartoon. She ordered a print from the Chicago Tribune and had it framed as well. Thinking of putting it up by Terry Redlin's "Aroma of Fall" print in the living room.

Four ten brick packs of cassette tapes (Yup, I still use 'em), a huge NIU floor mat, a Chicago Bears sweatshirt with "Roaddog " on the back, and a Topsail Beach sweatshirt.

Thanks Santee Clause. --RoadDog

Happy New Year!!!

First off, I'd like to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

This being my 300th post after starting this blog in May, 2007. This one was only started because I couldn't get to RoadDog's Roadlog blog and I was testing blogspot to see what I should do.

I currently have four blogs on blogspot and will add another one this month.

This one, is more about me and stuff I'm up to. The other three are about roads, history, and the Civil War. The new one will be about historic preservation. I tried one on Illinois preservation on Yahoo, but can't get it and like the choices we have on blogspot a lot better.

Other blogs:

http://roaddogsroadlog.blogspot.com about roads and my travels. Also preservation right now. Preservation is an important word for us roadologists.

http://sawtheelephant.blogspot.com about the Civil War.

http://cootershistorything.blogspot.com about, what else, but you-know-what. This is my newest one, only starting last month.

Too Much Bloggin', Not Enough Action. --RoadDog

Happy 81st Birthday Route 66 and US Highway System

Not only is today Veterans Day, but also, it was on this date back in 1926 that the whole US Highway System was established. That would include Route 66 and all numbered US highways from 1 to 100.

Roads with termini (ends)east and west received even numbers, and those north and south received odd numbers.

The east-west roads started in the north with US-2 and worked their way southward. The more important transcontinental roads ended with zero. The north-south roads started on the east coast with US-1 and worked their way to the Pacific. The key ones ended with one or five. These were usually the ones going from Canada all the way to the southern borders of the US.

This replaces a system of naming roads, like the Lincoln or Dixie highways, that were causing great confusion as the numbers of cars increased. It was a necessary thing to do.

Then, in 1955, the Interstate System replaced the US Highways as the primary mode of transportation. I'm sure glad they did. I couldn't even imagine how bad things would be if we still were using the US Highways as the main way to get around.

Liz and I are more than a little hooked on old roads, as you may well know.

Happy Birthday US Highways, and Especially Route 66. --RoadDog