Historian Leslie Goddard presented an engaging program about Route 66 for the final Clara Cummings Book Club luncheon of the year. She showed photos and told stories about how the highway changed small towns from Illinois to California (gas stations, restaurants, tourist courts). It became the popular overland route because most of it was fairly flat (south of the higher Rockies). However, it was a two-lane road that went right through the centers of towns, and in the 1950s and 1960s it was superseded by the Interstate Highway System. Rather than get stuck in backwater obscurity many of the towns capitalized on nostalgia and now thousands of tourists from the U.S. and around the world travel along "the mother road."
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In the studio: the bow ties are finished! I made several groups of 3" to add a little variety. Next step is to distribute the colors.
If I use all the blocks it will be 60 x 72 before borders.
Linking up with Finished or Not Friday Peacock Party Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?
P.S. Holiday weekend plans: take S for pedicure, present Rotary 8th grade graduation awards at Our Lady of Humility School, go to Mary Lou's house to cut rhubarb, then process said rhubarb for the freezer; buy and plant tomatoes -- and work on a new project. (Come back on Monday to see it.)
I guess our equivalent is the Great North Road, it's the reason that some back of beyond places have large pubs/hotels - they were previously coaching inns. History - it's all around us.
ReplyDeleteRoute 66 is on my Bucket List for "doing" the first year hubster is retired! I retired early so I'm (not so) patiently waiting.
ReplyDeleteLove the Bow Ties!!!!
We traveled a little stretch of Route 66 on our trip to Tucson last winter. But we didn't stop to "do" the tourist kinds of things due to nasty weather. Those bowtie blocks are going to make an awesome quilt.
ReplyDeleteThat looks like a fun presentation for your luncheon! I love the bowtie blocks - especially the way you combined different sizes. Looking forward to seeing what you do with them!
ReplyDeleteOne of the SSOBB members owned a motel on Route 66 with her husband - they fully restored it during the early burst of nostalgia travel. Your bow ties will make up into a very fun quilt top. QDJulie
ReplyDeleteThe baby bows really add life and movement to the top!
ReplyDeleteBird 'Pie
Your bow ties are delightful! love how you are combining different sizes, very eye catching.
ReplyDeleteRoute 66 is certainly famous and kudos to whoever they were that came up with the concept of capitalizing on the nostalgia of it.
ReplyDeleteYour bow ties are going to make a great quilt - I love the scrappy look.
That sounds so interesting! Years ago they had a route 66 quilt display.. lots of images from the different towns.
ReplyDeleteYour bow ties are looking fabulous! I hope you enjoyed a wonderful holiday weekend with your family. I just saw rhubarb at the grocery store a few days ago and I'm trying to overcome the urge to bake a pie...
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