05/17/2026
At the Route 66 Centennial Traveling Exhibit in Springfield, we were honored to host a powerful conversation featuring Kaisa Barthuli, retired Program Director of the National Park Service’s Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program, alongside Irv Logan and Elizabeth Calvin, grandchildren of Alberta Ellis, who owned and operated Alberta’s Hotel in Springfield, Missouri, a Green Book property.
In this clip, Irv and Elizabeth reflect on their grandmother’s tenacious spirit, the legacy she built through Alberta’s Hotel, and their own experiences living through segregation and integration.
These personal stories remind us that Route 66 history is not only about the road itself, but also about the people who built community, resilience, and belonging along it.
Thank you to our panelists for sharing these memories and helping preserve this history for future generations.