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Car show captures
spirit of bygone era
The Greatest Show on Earth: That sums up the annual car show on Ogden Avenue, aka historic Route 66 — and it’s free!
After a 10-year absence living out of state in retirement, I returned to my birthplace after the passing of my wife, Carla. On Sept. 10, I attended the 21st Historical Route 66 Auto Show. Hundreds of vintage and restored automobiles lined the curbs and were admired by thousands of happy local residents and visitors.
It was heartening to see the popularity of the Route 66 Car Show that I co-founded more than two decades ago with Tony Vais, owner of Michael Anthony’s Restaurant. I recognized early on the interest that would be created by a car show on Ogden Avenue, a roadway west that had been raised up out of the swamps through the digging of the Illinois Michigan Canal and a project inspired by William B. Ogden, the first mayor of Chicago.
That road provided a way west for my adventuresome youth, twice hitchhiking from the corner of Ogden and East avenues all the way to California. Those trips, taken before I enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1952, still provide my happiest memories of Route 66 and also the sad realization that in today’s world I would not advise anyone to hitchhike.
Later, while serving as Berwyn’s alderman of the 1st Ward, the Illinois Department of Transportation notified our city that the designation of Route 66 was being removed from Ogden Avenue. It was very disappointing. We had lost something significant.
However, the great number of vintage cars displayed in this year’s Route 66 Car Show made me realize we had succeeded in recapturing the spirit and adventure of those years gone by. I saw that in turning over the show to the Ogden Avenue business community only two years after the event’s founding, we made the right decision.
Business owners Bob Anderson Jr., Steve Antelak, Beno Ceyer, John Fey, Carol Nesladek and James Reilly provided the leadership along with other businessmen and women that enabled the Berwyn preservation of Historic Route 66 Association to flourish. I obtained the association’s charter and remained actively involved while pursuing new duties as Berwyn city clerk.
On Sept. 10, I had the double pleasure of not only witnessing the car show’s continued success, but of winning the 50-50 cash split with the car show organization. It was a happy welcome home.
Donald Pechous, Stickney
Car show captures
spirit of bygone era
The Greatest Show on Earth: That sums up the annual car show on Ogden Avenue, aka historic Route 66 — and it’s free!
After a 10-year absence living out of state in retirement, I returned to my birthplace after the passing of my wife, Carla. On Sept. 10, I attended the 21st Historical Route 66 Auto Show. Hundreds of vintage and restored automobiles lined the curbs and were admired by thousands of happy local residents and visitors.
It was heartening to see the popularity of the Route 66 Car Show that I co-founded more than two decades ago with Tony Vais, owner of Michael Anthony’s Restaurant. I recognized early on the interest that would be created by a car show on Ogden Avenue, a roadway west that had been raised up out of the swamps through the digging of the Illinois Michigan Canal and a project inspired by William B. Ogden, the first mayor of Chicago.
That road provided a way west for my adventuresome youth, twice hitchhiking from the corner of Ogden and East avenues all the way to California. Those trips, taken before I enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1952, still provide my happiest memories of Route 66 and also the sad realization that in today’s world I would not advise anyone to hitchhike.
Later, while serving as Berwyn’s alderman of the 1st Ward, the Illinois Department of Transportation notified our city that the designation of Route 66 was being removed from Ogden Avenue. It was very disappointing. We had lost something significant.
However, the great number of vintage cars displayed in this year’s Route 66 Car Show made me realize we had succeeded in recapturing the spirit and adventure of those years gone by. I saw that in turning over the show to the Ogden Avenue business community only two years after the event’s founding, we made the right decision.
Business owners Bob Anderson Jr., Steve Antelak, Beno Ceyer, John Fey, Carol Nesladek and James Reilly provided the leadership along with other businessmen and women that enabled the Berwyn preservation of Historic Route 66 Association to flourish. I obtained the association’s charter and remained actively involved while pursuing new duties as Berwyn city clerk.
On Sept. 10, I had the double pleasure of not only witnessing the car show’s continued success, but of winning the 50-50 cash split with the car show organization. It was a happy welcome home.
Donald Pechous, Stickney
