Springfield MO Hosts First Annual ‘Birthplace of Route 66’ Festival, Aug 13

Springfield, Mo. – The West Central Neighborhood Alliance is planning the first annual Birthplace of Route 66 Festival in Springfield, Mo.

The festival is set for noon-8 p.m. Aug. 13 on College Street west of Grant Avenue. Activities include live music, food, activities for kids, interpretive history, a classic car show and more.

On April 30, 1926, officials first proposed the name of Route 66, the new Chicago-to-Los Angeles highway that became one of the most famous roads in America. People from around the world seeking a unique look at American culture still travel the route even though it was officially removed from the U.S. highway system in 1985. Many portions of “The Mother Road” are still visible in Springfield, along with other sites and sights that were at their heyday when Route 66 was the main east-west route through the country.

“It is important that people realize the significance of Route 66 in the history of the city and the country, and that it was born here,” said David Eslick, a member of the Route 66 Association of Missouri and co-chair of the festival. “This festival will be a fun way to achieve that recognition.”

The Birthplace of Route 66 Festival is designed to celebrate and remember the role Springfield played in the Route 66 era. College Street, where the festival will take place, is on the original Route 66 byway.

Partnering with the festival will be Mother’s Brewing (Springfield’s newest craft brewery) and Bud’s Tire & Wheel (established in 1958 to distribute custom wheels to its Route 66 customers). More than 3,000 people visited Mother’s “Backyard” to celebrate its grand opening in May and raise money for Joplin tornado relief.

Tickets for the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival are $3 in advance at Machino’s, 1715 S. Campbell Ave., and Urban Districts Alliance, 304 W. McDaniel St. Cost at the gate is $5. Children 5 and younger are free.

For more information about the festival, call Urban Districts Alliance at 417-831-6200.

For more information about Springfield, visit www.SpringfieldAdventures.com or call the Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-678-8767.

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Reenactment of Battle of Wilson’s Creek in Springfield MO, Aug 12-14 Marks 150th Anniversary

To observe the 150^th anniversary of the Battle of Wilson’s Creek just outside Springfield, Mo., the Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Foundation is planning a commemoration Aug. 12-14, 2011. This event will include a full-scale Civil War battle reenactment, period civilian activities, crafts, educational activities, historical information booths, and much more. It will be on property north of the battlefield, and all proceeds will support the battlefield.

The conflict that threatened the future of the nation came home for the residents of southwest Missouri in August 1861, when two armies descended on the oak hills south of Springfield.  The Battle of Wilson’s Creek, the second major Civil War battle, decided the fate of Missouri and defined its role in the war. More than 2,500 Union and Confederate soldiers were killed, wounded or missing after the battle.

In 1961 on the 100^th anniversary of the battle, Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield was dedicated, becoming one of the best preserved and most pristine Civil War sites in the National Park System. Today, more than 150 years later, we are still remembering the events that took place there, the role Wilson’s Creek played in the struggle to save Missouri for the Union, and the larger effort to win freedom for an entire race of Americans. Visitors to the park can walk along the Wire Road like the young soldiers who fought and died, relive the battle from the perspective of the Ray family and understand the impact of the war through educational exhibits and artifacts in the Civil War Museum and Visitors Center.

Visit the nation’s historical sites over the next four years – the Sesquicentennial Anniversary of the Civil War – to keep the meaning of these special places alive for future generations.

For more information about the Battle of Wilson’s Creek commemoration and reenactment, visit www.wilsonscreek.com. To learn more about the Springfield area, visit www.SpringfieldAdventures.com or call the Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-678-8767.

For more Civil War travel features, visit:

 www.travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin