After World War II, Americans were looking for ways to enjoy their prosperity after years of sacrifice and hardship. A good many of them took advantage of the greatest personal mobility in history to hit the road. Entrepreneurs looked for enterprising ways to feed, fuel and entertain a nation on the move. The result was the collection of cultural icons that soon dotted the roadsides of the soon-to-be famous routes crisscrossing the country. Many of these roadside oddities still exist, and are waiting for a whole new generation of travelers to find them.
There are many sites on the Internet devoted to these nostalgic roadside relics. The one we want to highlight this week is Roadside Peek. Although California is home base for the site, much of the content it covers is located elsewhere, and the Midwest is very well represented. As I have said so often before, these are not destinations in and of themselves. But they are the offbeat additions that enrich a road trip. While you may not travel hours to see one of them, you may find that snapping a few photos of yesteryear is worth a short side trip.
On its homepage, Roadside Peek promises to take you on a roadside adventure in time. Exotic neon marquees, diners, drive-in theaters, unusual architecture, theaters, coffee shops and eateries, notable old motels and other roadside treasures are all out there, waiting. What follows is a brief sampling of some of the Midwest entries. For more—or for attractions in other regions—visit their site. (Be sure to check out Lost Treasures and Where Are They Now?)
Mid-century signage still beckons visitors to bowling alleys, drive-in theaters and motels. You can see great neon tributes to bowling alleys across the Midwest. In fact, the former Sunset Lanes in Portage is pictured on Roadside Peek. Other notable mid-century icons can be found in Chicago, Celina (OH), Springfield (IL), Cleveland, Streator (IL), Ypsilanti (MI), St. Louis and Bellaire (OH).
Nothing says the 1950s like the drive-in theater. I recently posted about the surviving drive-ins in Michigan. You can find lots more throughout the Midwest (and the entire country for that matter) on Roadside Peek. Some of the other notables include the Bel-Air (near St. Louis), the Skyview (Belleville, IL), the Dixie (Vandalia, OH), the Linden (Columbus, OH) and the Hi-Road (Kenton, OH). Some of these are out of business, but the marquees still stand.
Old diners and other vintage eateries offer perhaps more fun than any of the other roadside relics. That’s because they offer the best chance to actually experience them by stopping for a quick milkshake, snack or meal. Lots of these are still operating, and you may recall a couple posts I did a few months ago on diners in the Midwest. If you’re in the mood to sample, you may want to put these on your list. Check out the Frostee Boy (Knightstown, IN), Long’s Bakery (Indianapolis), Polly’s Freeze (Lanesville, IL), Cardinal Inn Café (Pittsfield, IL), Mr. Weenie (Peru, IN), The Country School Restaurant (Rochelle, IL) and the Doo Drop Inn (Muskegon, MI).
Previous: Helpful tools for travel planning
Like what you are reading? Get our latest articles via e-mail every week!
No information will be given to outside parties. Unsubscribe
Article Comments
Leave a Reply