November 15, 2024, Springfield, IL – Visit Springfield is proud to share the Springfield Stewards of Route 66 Oral History Project. Working in conjunction with Evan Stern, founder of Vanishing Postcards, Visit Springfield recognized the need to preserve this important history within our city. Evan is first and foremost a storyteller, with a sincere love and appreciation for history, travel and the art of raconteurship. With his dedicated service to this project, 17 area legendary and iconic businesses have been captured for future generations to enjoy and learn from.
Explore our blog for more information and links to the YouTube series of videos and link to the Illinois State Archive where the project will be stored.
Blog: https://www.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/
“Working on this project has been a sincere honor. For me, each interview is an exercise in empathy, and will always be humbled and grateful to those who trusted me enough to sit down, open up and share their stories on the record. Friends have been made, laughter and tears have been shed, and Springfield will always occupy a special place in my heart as a result. The experience has reaffirmed my belief in the power of audio, and reminded me that at the end of the day everyone wants to be seen and heard.” Evan Stern, Vanishing Postcards
“Route 66’s charm lies in the people you meet—business owners, roadies, and local legends. Documenting their stories preserves the memories and perspectives of those who’ve lived and worked along the historic route, offering insights into its cultural and social significance. This oral history preservation project has deepened our understanding of Springfield’s Route 66 history and its impact on American culture. By collecting these stories, we preserve historic sites and landmarks, maintain the spirit of the Mother Road, and ensure future generations appreciate the rich heritage of this iconic highway.” Darrin Thurman, Tourism Manager, Visit Springfield
Among many titles, Route 66 has been hailed as “The Main Street of America.” Immortalized in literature, song and Hollywood its name alone is mythic and calls to mind images of drive-ins, muffler men and tail fins. But while nostalgia is an important component of 66’s endurance, its much hyped mid-century “Golden Age” simply constitutes one chapter in its ongoing narrative. More than this, the Route remains very much alive and its heart and soul is found not in its neon or shield signs, but in the small business owners, diner waitresses, museum volunteers, innkeepers and fine people who continue to live and work along it today.
With each passing generation, however, the stories and memories of these custodians risk extinction. This represents an underreported loss as personal recollections often provide fuller and more intimate portraits of our past than what’s written in history books. They reflect the personal consequences of change and at times even have the power to contribute perspectives that illuminate or simply humanize details missing from official records.
This project represents an effort to conserve a few of these irreplaceable legacies that presently line the Route in Springfield, Illinois. Featuring interviews with subjects ranging in age from fourteen to ninety-five, all represent different professions and life experiences. Yet all share connections to this important stretch of 66, have witnessed its evolutions and continue to shape its future.
Through sharing this project, we invite listeners to explore Route 66 in Springfield through the voices of its citizens. More than a noble exercise in preservation, it is our hope that highlighting these stories may inspire others to travel the Route and create new memories of their own. While simple in nature, we are of firm mind that efforts like these are crucial for maintaining interest in and building a tomorrow for this road which remains a connective tissue for our nation as a whole.
About Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau –
The Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau (SCVB) is the official destination marketing organization for the City of Springfield, Illinois. As a department of the City of Springfield, the SCVB markets the capital city as a unique convention, meeting and leisure destination to Visit.Live.Work.
About Evan Stern Vanishing Postcards: https://www.
