Sunday, July 20 (Moon Day—1969)
I arrived at the First Presbyterian Church of Mendota, Illinois about 15 minutes before worship. Walking in the door, I was greeted by the Pastor. His expression told me we had met before, and I too had this feeling we had met before. I introduced myself, and mentioned that I was taking a long way back to TN from General Assembly. Then he remembered: not only were we both Commissioners to General Assembly, we served on the same General Assembly Committee, #14 Review of Permanent General Assembly Committees. Now folks, things like this “just don’t happen.”
The First Presbyterian Church in Mendota had been organized in the 1860's. The present building was built in 1898. Its interior woodwork is oak. Of course, I am always “into” the stained glass windows. I was given a copy of a small booklet that had been produced about their stained glass windows. The church was celebrating its new addition complete with elevator and handicapped bathrooms. Two ladies were present in worship this morning that had not been able to attend for along time. The elevator has allowed them to come back. The pastor made the point that this was the real reason they were celebrating---that folks will be able to attend who have not been able to in the past. Amen.
Having seen a postcard picture the day before of the Red Bridge, I went off to Princeton—a 26 mile detour from U.S. 52. When coming into town, I had pulled over to take a picture of the town sign and thought that I had run over something that might have damaged my tire. Putting the van’s flashers on, a policeman driving by stopped to ask if everything was o.k. Looking at the van, I explained to him why I stopped, but the tire looked o.k. I asked him for directions to the bridge. He told me the town now has two bridges, including one built in 2006. He gave me very good directions to both. Arriving at the Red Bridge, I found it in good shape with a little park beside it. But, no sign to announce how old it was, and the date was not painted above its opening. Backtracking to the new one, I found the Captain Swift Bridge. Beside it was a nice paved parking area. Two ladies on bicycles told me that believed it had been named after an older gentleman who had lived on adjoining land for a long time. I mentioned that it is unusual to see new covered bridges. They shared that a bridge needed to be replaced; apparently the county decided it was as cheap to build a covered bridge as it would be build a concrete bridge. Ummm. The bridge has stone abutments and bricked approaches to the bridge on the roadway. The bridge had been constructed using the Burr Arch design. It was a find. The citizens of Princeton and the county should be very proud of their new bridge.
Coming back into Mendota, I found that the old Carnegie Library was open. The building now houses a historical collection. I found some old documents about the Presbyterian Church as well as some others. There was a large, well archived photograph collection of the area that one could spend a whole day perusing. This Carnegie building, built in 1904 had both a fireplace and a front lawn equaling one-half of a city block. Mendota is the home of the National Sweet Corn Festival. The ladies inside shared with me that the lawn is the site of the flee market under big tents. Umm, shades of Rockville, Indiana and their Covered Bridge Festival.
Leaving Mendota, traveling due south, and then east on U.S. 52, I came to Chubby’s Corner, a restaurant/bar that looked lonely because there wasn’t any NASCAR race for folks to watch on their big screen TV this afternoon. However, what made me stop was their sign out front announcing “The World’s Largest Ham Sandwich.” Well, it was large—like the ones at Shapiro’s Deli in Indy, but made with very thin sliced ham. Served with potato chips and pickles, it was certainly good and cheaper than those at Shapiro’s. The sandwich with good, brewed ice tea was $5.50.
Coming to Joliet, I missed a turn and found myself on U.S. 30 and U.S. 6. Having to retrace my route to U.S. 52 and then going the correct way, I found myself at a drawbridge at the Des Planes River, at the time it was raising for a boat to cross under it. What a mechanical movement to draw the road pavement straight up. Continuing on, it looked on my map that I would go past the Chicagoland Speedway. I was hoping to get there before dark, but I had to turn back to Illinois 53 to approach it and it was getting dark. I never did find a sign on the highway that said “Chicagoland.” What I found was “Route 66 Raceway.” Pulling in going toward the grandstands, it was obvious by the trash that an event had taken place that day. Some souvenir trailer staff was still packing away their souvenirs. They explained that the Raceway was the dragstrip and a ¼ clay track, but the Chicagoland Speedway was part of the complex also. I could see the large grandstands, but could not get to them, passing them the first time. Going back, I did find the approach road and then, finally, a sign that said “Chicagoland Speedway.” I also found a security guard. I was explaining to her why I was driving around. We talked racing for awhile. So, from covered bridges to racetracks, my trip from Mendota was a good one.
I am at a McDonalds this a.m. (Monday) waiting for storms to pass. There was a gully washer last night. I should be “Back Home Again in Indiana” sometime later this afternoon, getting to the state line, then joining up with U.S. 41 for a short distance, and also crossing U.S. 24.
I arrived at the First Presbyterian Church of Mendota, Illinois about 15 minutes before worship. Walking in the door, I was greeted by the Pastor. His expression told me we had met before, and I too had this feeling we had met before. I introduced myself, and mentioned that I was taking a long way back to TN from General Assembly. Then he remembered: not only were we both Commissioners to General Assembly, we served on the same General Assembly Committee, #14 Review of Permanent General Assembly Committees. Now folks, things like this “just don’t happen.”
The First Presbyterian Church in Mendota had been organized in the 1860's. The present building was built in 1898. Its interior woodwork is oak. Of course, I am always “into” the stained glass windows. I was given a copy of a small booklet that had been produced about their stained glass windows. The church was celebrating its new addition complete with elevator and handicapped bathrooms. Two ladies were present in worship this morning that had not been able to attend for along time. The elevator has allowed them to come back. The pastor made the point that this was the real reason they were celebrating---that folks will be able to attend who have not been able to in the past. Amen.
Having seen a postcard picture the day before of the Red Bridge, I went off to Princeton—a 26 mile detour from U.S. 52. When coming into town, I had pulled over to take a picture of the town sign and thought that I had run over something that might have damaged my tire. Putting the van’s flashers on, a policeman driving by stopped to ask if everything was o.k. Looking at the van, I explained to him why I stopped, but the tire looked o.k. I asked him for directions to the bridge. He told me the town now has two bridges, including one built in 2006. He gave me very good directions to both. Arriving at the Red Bridge, I found it in good shape with a little park beside it. But, no sign to announce how old it was, and the date was not painted above its opening. Backtracking to the new one, I found the Captain Swift Bridge. Beside it was a nice paved parking area. Two ladies on bicycles told me that believed it had been named after an older gentleman who had lived on adjoining land for a long time. I mentioned that it is unusual to see new covered bridges. They shared that a bridge needed to be replaced; apparently the county decided it was as cheap to build a covered bridge as it would be build a concrete bridge. Ummm. The bridge has stone abutments and bricked approaches to the bridge on the roadway. The bridge had been constructed using the Burr Arch design. It was a find. The citizens of Princeton and the county should be very proud of their new bridge.
Coming back into Mendota, I found that the old Carnegie Library was open. The building now houses a historical collection. I found some old documents about the Presbyterian Church as well as some others. There was a large, well archived photograph collection of the area that one could spend a whole day perusing. This Carnegie building, built in 1904 had both a fireplace and a front lawn equaling one-half of a city block. Mendota is the home of the National Sweet Corn Festival. The ladies inside shared with me that the lawn is the site of the flee market under big tents. Umm, shades of Rockville, Indiana and their Covered Bridge Festival.
Leaving Mendota, traveling due south, and then east on U.S. 52, I came to Chubby’s Corner, a restaurant/bar that looked lonely because there wasn’t any NASCAR race for folks to watch on their big screen TV this afternoon. However, what made me stop was their sign out front announcing “The World’s Largest Ham Sandwich.” Well, it was large—like the ones at Shapiro’s Deli in Indy, but made with very thin sliced ham. Served with potato chips and pickles, it was certainly good and cheaper than those at Shapiro’s. The sandwich with good, brewed ice tea was $5.50.
Coming to Joliet, I missed a turn and found myself on U.S. 30 and U.S. 6. Having to retrace my route to U.S. 52 and then going the correct way, I found myself at a drawbridge at the Des Planes River, at the time it was raising for a boat to cross under it. What a mechanical movement to draw the road pavement straight up. Continuing on, it looked on my map that I would go past the Chicagoland Speedway. I was hoping to get there before dark, but I had to turn back to Illinois 53 to approach it and it was getting dark. I never did find a sign on the highway that said “Chicagoland.” What I found was “Route 66 Raceway.” Pulling in going toward the grandstands, it was obvious by the trash that an event had taken place that day. Some souvenir trailer staff was still packing away their souvenirs. They explained that the Raceway was the dragstrip and a ¼ clay track, but the Chicagoland Speedway was part of the complex also. I could see the large grandstands, but could not get to them, passing them the first time. Going back, I did find the approach road and then, finally, a sign that said “Chicagoland Speedway.” I also found a security guard. I was explaining to her why I was driving around. We talked racing for awhile. So, from covered bridges to racetracks, my trip from Mendota was a good one.
I am at a McDonalds this a.m. (Monday) waiting for storms to pass. There was a gully washer last night. I should be “Back Home Again in Indiana” sometime later this afternoon, getting to the state line, then joining up with U.S. 41 for a short distance, and also crossing U.S. 24.
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