Vanishing Postcards

01/07/2026

Ron Metzger defines a motorhead as “Anybody who loves anything with a gas pedal or a brake pedal.” Raised in a family of car fanatics he says, “I’ve been a motorhead pretty much since the day I was born.” For this, when the time came to fulfill his years long dream of opening a restaurant, it only seemed right to call the place Motorheads.

Housed in an old Stuckey’s just off I-55 on Route 66, the building had suffered from years of neglect. Yet he was captivated by its wooden, ship-like ceilings and recognized the property’s potential. “I’m a car guy,” he says. “If you find a ’67 Corvette, I don’t care how bad it is- you’ve got to restore it. You can’t just throw it away. And when I looked up, this building was just that deal.” Decorated with tins and neon from old local businesses like Shea’s Gas Station and the A. Lincoln Motel, Ron insists his interest in these objects extends beyond their visual appeal. “That’s what built America,” he says of small businesses, and emphatically proclaims- “Route 66 is here to stay!

Hear Ron share his story in this clip from Springfield’s Stewards of 66- an oral history project we’re honored to share in conjunction with .

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12/09/2025

“Beer is good for the soul,” says George Reisch. A successful fifth-generation brewmaster, his great-great-grandfather Franz learned the craft in Germany before bringing it to Springfield where he christened the Reisch Brewery in 1849. Open for 117 years, at its peak Reisch Beer sold more than 100,000 bottles annually until steep competition forced the company’s closure in 1966. Yet its memory persisted and is enjoying a miraculous rebirth thanks to hobbyists like Vince Salvo whose appreciation for Reisch artwork or “breweriana”
inspired them to revive the brand as a charity. Relaunched in 2019 with George’s blessing
and stewardship, its first batch sold out in under an hour. Now available at many local retailers and restaurants, George attributes this success to Reisch’s history. “The story brings people to their first beer,” he says. “We have a story that just knocks people’s socks off… I just hope that 117 years from now the charity’s still running and we’re doing some
really good things in this world. The world needs some more good things to be done.” Hear George and Vince share the story of Reisch Beer in this clip from Springfield’s Stewards of 66- an oral history project we’re honored to share with . 📸

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12/05/2025

For any who might be interested, I will be sharing a virtual talk on The Voices of Route 66 next Wednesday evening with the Society for Commercial Archeology. Attendance is free and open to all who register via this link!

Wednesday, December 10, 2025 @ 8:00 PM Eastern: In the fall of 2021, Evan Stern grabbed a microphone and took two months to drive Route 66 from Oklahoma to the Santa Monica Pier. Along the way, he spoke with over 100 people for his podcast Vanishing Postcards. In The Voices of Route 66, Evan combine...

11/11/2025

Few businesses along Route 66 can boast the longevity of Springfield’s Cozy Dog Drive In.
Opened in 1949 and now in its third generation of family ownership, it claims to be the birthplace of the first batter-fried hot dog on a stick. But while the uninitiated could be forgiven for calling this creation a “corn dog,” Buz Waldmire argues they’re not exactly one and the same. “A cozy dog is a corn dog,” he admits. “But not all corn dogs are cozy dogs.” Hear Buz share the story of his family’s iconic institution in this clip from Springfield’s Stewards of 66, an oral history project we’re honored to share in conjunction with .

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10/10/2025

10/10/2025

“I’m very proud of my age,” says Mary Alice Davis. Having been born in 1936 this attitude is
well deserved as she can claim to be ten years younger than Route 66 itself. More than this,
she had a front row seat to its early evolutions and mid-century Golden Age as she spent
many formative years at Springfield’s long shuttered A. Lincoln Motel.

Built by her father she recounts, “In 1945, he decided that with gas rationing going out and
building supplies becoming somewhat abundant again, he would start a lumber company and a motel because people were going to be building and they were going to be traveling.”

Demolished in 1996 well after her family had moved on, the motel is probably best remembered for its sign which featured a profile of Abraham Lincoln. Advertising air conditioners, TV and telephones, it was the first neon piece built and designed by the local Ace sign company. While little is known about what happened to the original, to Mary’s
surprise it experienced a resurrection a few years ago when it was rebuilt in advance of The
Route’s centennial for the Illinois State Fairgrounds’ Neon Village. Its design was also included on a float in 2024’s Rose Bowl Parade. Sponsored by Illinois tourism, seeing it on national television was an unexpected thrill. “It’s just amazing that something far back in my childhood, almost 80 years ago, is suddenly in the Rose Bowl Parade.”

Hear Mary Alice share her story in this clip from Springfield’s Stewards of 66- an oral history project we’re honored to share in conjunction with .

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09/23/2025

Dr. Stacy Grundy hails from a rural corner of Southern Illinois. “There wasn’t a lot to do
growing up, so I just read,” she says with a laugh. “I love reading and I love to learn!” Years later, she’s putting this passion to use as co-CEO of Route History.

The only physical museum dedicated to Route 66’s African-American experience, Route
History describes itself as a place where history and technology are integrated “through exhibits, storytelling and a virtual reality experience that highlights the significant roles of Black businesses, the Negro Motorist Green Book, the Great Migration and sundown towns along the Illinois leg of Route 66 during the Civil Rights and Jim Crow eras.”

Housed in a converted 1948 Texaco station, Dr. Grundy says the museum is the brainchild
of co-owner Dr. Gina Lathan who having researched the Green Book “wanted her grandson to see people that looked like him and to know that they made great contributions to the city of Springfield.”

Dr. Grundy confesses she hadn’t thought much of Route 66 until this project got moving, but that it’s come to resonate with her. The granddaughter of migrants from Mississippi, who grew up surrounded by historic sundown towns, she recognizes much of her family’s past in the Route’s overarching narrative. “What made me excited was being able to connect the stories of my history to the road,” she says. “We have a Route 66 story, but it just looks different. Our history is tied to everything. It is tied to our health. It is tied to our education. It is tied to economics. And so, if you don’t know your history, then you don’t know where you’re going.”

Hear Dr. Grundy share her story in this clip from Springfield’s Stewards of 66- an oral history project we’re honored to share in conjunction with .

09/17/2025

More from Springfield’s Stewards of 66- an oral history project we’re honored to share in conjunction with Visit Springfield…

08/20/2025

Check out this latest excerpt from “Springfield’s Stewards of 66”- An oral history project we’re honored to share in conjunction with Visit Springfield.