An Illinois Route 66 Icon Is Gone: The Windy City Road Warrior
Cover of David Clark’s popular book Route 66 in Chicago, published in 2007.
From RiverBender.com: Ilinois has lost a true giant of Route 66 — the Windy City Road Warrior, David Clark. Author, historian, tour guide, meticulous researcher, and presenter, he knew his subject, loved to share it, and was known to Route 66 fans around the world. A downtown Chicago resident, David lived in a condo in a former garment factory on Adams Street, across the street from the iconic “Begin Historic Route 66” sign.
The Mom-and-Popcalypse
No more chapters left for Joseph Fox Bookshop. Jake Blumgart
From Slate: To visit Philadelphia’s Joseph Fox Bookshop in the last two weeks of January was to attend a wake.
Tucked away on a narrow one-way street in the heart of Center City, the 71-year-old institution held a special magic. Its neatly curated selection of hip novels, architectural tomes, and children’s literature was framed by pleasantly tasteful interior decor and soothing lighting. Everyone behind the counter knew their stuff and would gladly recommend a gift, even if you were only half-sure about the recipient’s favorite novel.
So when rumors began to spread on Twitter that the beloved staple might soon close, a story soon confirmed by the Philadelphia Inquirer, the reaction was dramatic.
Parkway Diner returns to South Burlington under new ownership
From mynbc5.com: SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. —The Parkway Diner first came to South Burlington in 1950, when it was moved from Worcester, Massachusetts. Now, restauranteur Brian Lewis plans to bring the diner some new life.
Parkway Diner will be Lewis’s third restaurant to open in the past four years. He recently song his first restaurant, the Toast & Eggs in Waitsfield, and still owns the Filling Station in Middlesex. Lewis says that his lifelong dream has been to own and run a diner.
As the Parkway Diner is a piece of South Burlington’s history, Lewis says the interior will look similar to when it was last renovated two years ago. However, Lewis plans to update the diner with a new, 40-seat patio and a liquor license.
Relight the Night shines bright again in Historic Downtown Pocatello
From localnews8.com: POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Another neon sign can now be seen lit up in Historic Downtown Pocatello.
The Relight the Night committee held an unveiling on Wednesday night of their 21st sign that has been restored in downtown.
The latest is an Eagles Aerie 119 sign that now sits on the NeighborWorks Pocatello building.
Preservation Chicago’s ‘Most Endangered’ List Makes Case for Historic Value of Midcentury Modern
A Midcentury Modern office building on Peterson Avenue, one of several on a stretch that spans from West Ridge to North Park. (Preservation Chicago / Max Chavez)
From WTTW: Preservation Chicago has announced its annual list of the most endangered buildings and landscapes, each of which represents a piece of the city’s history threatened with imminent erasure.
Some of that history is relatively recent, with buildings that contribute an understanding of Chicago’s post-World War II growth beginning to disappear. Rather than lose these links to different points in the city’s past, be it the 1870s or the 1970s, Preservation Chicago argues the buildings are deserving of a second act.
“We have hope for our city that these places can be reused, repurposed and protected, making them a cornerstone to grow communities sensitively and holistically,” said Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago, in a statement.
The list was begun in 2003 to sound the alarm and rally support for buildings in danger of demolition. Here are 2022’s most endangered: