|
 Co-authors Joe Sonderman and Cheryl Eichar
Jett will be on hand for a slide show presentation and stories about
America’s Mother Road from its Chicago roots to the Mississippi
River. The free program will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 27, at the
Atlanta Public Library at 100 N. Race St. in Atlanta.
Sonderman and Jett are experienced authors
and historians who have 19 books to their credit, many on Route 66.
The past year was a labor of love as they explored the back roads of
Route 66 in Illinois. They collected thousands of photographs along
the way, selecting about 200 of their favorites for this new book.
Sonderman said finishing the book was
bittersweet because it marked the end of a year of memorable trips
to research and hunt for photos. “I didn’t think too much about
Illinois at first,” the life-long St. Louis resident said. “To me,
most of the route outside of Springfield seemed to be Interstate 55
frontage road surrounded by prairie. Boy, was I wrong! Cheryl and I
discovered some of the best-kept secrets of the road, including the
town of Atlanta, with the wonderful Palms Grill Café, “Tall Paul”
the roadside giant, and one of the coolest streetscapes on 66.”
Co-author Jett had similar feelings about
finishing the project. She has lived in several Illinois Route 66
cities including Springfield, Litchfield and now Edwardsville. “For
me the joy of rediscovering so much along the route with Joe merged
with my childhood memories of Route 66 trips,” Jett said. “As a
child I became addicted to following highway maps sitting in the
back seat on family trips.”
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Jett and Sonderman have similar views on
history, preservation and the excitement of re-discovery that made
their partnership work well. Both understand the lure of Route 66
today as it brings travelers from around the world looking for a
piece of Americana.
In the pages of “Route 66 in Illinois” the
reader will find stories and photographs from America’s Mother Road.
The public is invited to come meet the authors and hear even more
stories about the Illinois portion of Route 66. There is no charge
to attend the program and the public is invited. Light refreshments
will be served.
For more information, phone the Atlanta
Public Library at 217-648-2112.
[text received; BILL THOMAS]
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