2024 Route 66 East - Day 7

 Carthage MO

Jasper County Courthouse, Carthage MO

We rolled out of the motel in Miami at 0715 and had two diner options for breakfast. Both were small places that our group could have overrun. So half the group stopped at Butter Buns in Miami and the other half at Jerry’s Dinner in the next town of Commerce OK. We knew that we would have a great meal when we arrived because the lot was filled with work trucks and there was only one table available inside. Eight of us had a great meal.

During breakfast, Chris looked up the location of Mickey Mantels boyhood home. It was only a couple of blocks off the our route so we stopped to check it out. He was 3 when they moved in and at the age of 5 or 6 his father started teaching him how to hit. They used the tin barn to the right as a backstop. Mutt his father would pitch righty and Mickey’s grandfather would pitch lefty while teaching him the fine art of switch-hitting.

Our posse rolled out and rejoined the route near the offices of Neo Bail Bonds. I especially like this old police cruiser parked out front with the tag line, “Been Bad, Call Brad!”

Hey were in Kansas!

Sugar and supplies at the SAG trailer

Our fist sag stop was at the gravel pull out at the Rainbow Curve Bridge over Brush Creek. It was constructed in 1923 and is the only Marsh Arch Bridge remaining on Route 66. The main highway (2 lanes) goes around the one-lane bridge, but there is a one-way loop open to Route 66 tourists to drive or ride across!

This roadside map shows that Old Route 66 only jogged around the far southeast corner of Kansas, for only 13.9 miles. When Interstate 44 opened in 1961 it by passed Kansas and this segment was officially decommissioned in 1986. There are still plenty of Route 66 sights in Baxter Springs, Riverton, and Galena to see, plus who wants to ride on the Interstate! 

This 1964 Plymouth Barracuda was just off the byway parked near a driveway. Only the one rear window was broken out, but the vines have already decided it’s time to return to the elements!

Galena Cemetary

The oldest gravestones I could find were from the late 1800s. Some could have been older, but the limestone had eroded such that many of the engravings were gone!

Mining museum in Galena. We were looking forward to this one, but unfortunately it did not open until 1 pm so we continued on.

Restored Texaco Station with Cars character Doc Hudson, parked out front. Doc Hudson was the Radiator Springs Judge and Doctor. The Texaco Station was built in 1939 from native stone and operated under the ownership of Logan Thompson. It closed shortly after 2000 but it was restored and reopened as Gearhead Curios in 2019.

In 2001, Joe Ranft, Pixar’s “Head of Story’ visted Galena spotted the top boom tow truck in Galena and used it as inspiration for the character “Tow Mater” in the Cars movie (lower photo). Joe lost his life in a California auto accident in 2005, and the movie Cars was dedicated to his memory.

Just around the corner we found Luigi’s pit stop. It looks to me like they found an old building and created a business in the Cars theme.

And just like that, we’re not in Kansas anymore!

I stopped for a natural break in a secluded driveway off the main highway. It was overgrown, but had a huge iron and masonry gate with a thick padlock and chain and a keypad nearby. Inside was a manicured lawn but I would not see any buildings. I rejoined the road, and saw an enormous water feature then rode a few hundred meters further and used the digital Zoom to catch this huge mansion. 

This is a more typical home, a nicely restored craftsman bungalow!

The Superman Museum and Ice Cream Parlor in Cartersville was on the cue sheet and I decided to stop in to check it out. I noticed it had two names, The Superman Museum on the window, and Supertam Museum on the new sign on the building.

I went inside, still full from lunch to look around. Montana was behind the counter and she welcomed me in. After I explained that I had just eaten, and just wanted to look around she said sure. I did ask here why the museum had two names. She laughed and said that someone from Warner Brothers (owner of Superman) found about the name of the shop and threatened legal action. She said, “you can check it out, it’s displayed in the restroom!”

Well as least Warner Bros. was somewhat reasonable, if they agreed to change the name of the museum they would not seek further remedy. Since the owner’s name was Larry Tamminen, he came up with Supertam and changed the name of the business and updated the painted sign on the building, legal names, business cards, etc. Warner Bros. said the sign painted on the glass window and on the pole out front could remain, but when either had to be replaced for normal wear and tear they would have to change too!

Larry retired (he is in his 90’s) and sold the business to Montana’s family. I asked Montana if any of the PacTour riders had come through before me. She said yes, and that also she had seen a few yesterday in Miami. Her family also owns the ice cream shop next to the Coleman Theater and she served a few PacTour riders when she worked there yesterday!

Snack bar is closing in 10 minutes!

Great display of flags at the Carterville Cemetary

I arrived in Carthage around 2 pm. The checkin time at the trailer was 2:30 and the town square was only a few blocks off the route to I rode on to check it out. The Jasper County Courthouse sits in a traditional town square (photo at the top of this blog). It was completed in 1895 and features a Romanesque style. Google says it is the second most photographed building in Missouri, not really sure what is #1, maybe I’ll find out later, we will spent 5 nights in Missouri!

Just off the square is the Carthage Civil War Museum. I had time and stopped in.

Mural of the Battle of Carthage

This flag is the Missouri Confederate Battle flag. It was more commonly seen in this region than the controversial Rebel Battle Flag with the St. Andrews cross.

This painting depicts the Petticoat Flag. Among the few Union supporters in Carthage, the family of former sheriff Norris Hood lived with his family in a large log house on the west side of the square. The Hood daughters secretly made a US flag at a time when secession fever was burning and most of their neighbors expressed growing hate for the national emblem. Fearing its destruction, they hid the flag by placing it among Lucy Hood’s several petticoats. 

Lucy ‘wore’ that flag in that manner until the Union troops came to Carthage on July 4, 1861. Then she greeted the arriving soldiers by mounting the fence around the courthouse lawn and removed the flag from her petticoat and waving it triumphantly to the hearty cheers of the soldiers.

It was a free museum, but I put a few bucks in the donation jar and thanked Steve, the volunteer on duty, for his informative tour of the museum, and especially allowing me to bring my bike inside so I didn’t have to lock it up!

It was a rest day, only 51 miles and I set a blistering pace of just under 10 miles per hour! Back to the hotel to clean up and dinner at the Sirloin Stockade Buffet.

Welcome to Missouri! Tomorrow is a bit longer; 73 miles to Springfield, with a bit of rain in the forecast, better bring the rain gear!

Steve

Day 8