Help Us Save Red’s!

Did you ever get your kicks on Route 66? Do you remember eating at Red’s Giant Hamburg or stopping at a filling station on College Street? The City of Springfield is designating the soon-to-be redeveloped College Street Corridor (along College and Olive Streets, between Grant Avenue and Kansas Expressway) as a historical area, and we are inviting Springfieldians to be involved. With a little help from the City of Springfield, a group of citizens, business owners and developers have created a plan to revitalize the Mother Road – Route 66, and pay homage in an eclectic and unique development in the city’s west side.

The City has ponied up resources to provide plans for creating distinct infrastructure in the area, which includes a Roadside Park celebrating the city’s history of being the birthplace of Route 66. We are hoping to include as a feature of that park – a replica of the Red’s Giant Hamburg sign. Red’s, owned and operated by Sheldon “Red” Chaney and his wife Julia, was a roadside café located on West Chestnut Expressway recognized for opening the world’s first drive-through window.

Visit www.crowdit.com/route66sgf to help us save Red’s!