The
exhibit depicts child star Shirley
Temple sitting at a table with a
waitress passing by carrying a food
order that appears to be a hamburger
and french fries. The silhouette
statue done in heavy steel, gives
remembrance to the day that little
Miss Temple stopped in Elkhart for
lunch after attending a movie
premier in Springfield.
The premiere was for Temple’s latest
movie “Little Miss Broadway” and the
year was 1938. According to the
marker placed beside the silhouette,
Temple and her entourage stopped at
the House by the Side of the Road
Café’ and enjoyed a meal. On that
day, the young star was very well
received by the café owner and
graciously agreed to autograph a
menu from the café.
After she had left, the owner placed
a cardboard likeness of the little
girl at the table along with the
signed menu and roped it off so it
would not be disturbed.
On Friday, Elkhart Village board
member and local events liaison
Peggy Lee said that the silhouette
statue was a very exciting addition
to the community. Lee said that in
developing the statue she and others
from Elkhart worked with a team
contracted by the Illinois Route 66
for the statue. She said it was a
great experience. She noted that
there had been very few problems
with the construction, except that
when it was first drafted, Temples's
hair looked more like Little Orphan
Annie than Little Miss Broadway. But
that was quickly corrected to make
the silhouette as historically
accurate as possible.
Before cutting the ribbon, Lee spoke
to those in attendance and expressed
gratitude to everyone who had been
involved in the creation of the
exhibit. Those people included the
Village of Elkhart for their work in
doing the sidewalk in front of the
exhibit. Lee said that in order for
them to be in compliance with the
exhibit, the village needed to
create a sidewalk that was
handicapped accessible. She also
thanked Whitmore’s for the concrete
work, US Granite and Marble for the
landscaping rock.
In addition, she acknowledged the
Federal Highway Administration, the
Illinois office of Tourism, and the
Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byways for
their contributions to the exhibit,
and Paul Lee for design work.
Lee said there would be three free
showings of the Shirley Temple movie
Little Miss Broadway in the main
room of City Hall, after the ribbon
cut. She expressed gratitude to Jean
Phillips and the Elkhart Christian
Youth Group, who helped with the
cost of the movie and provided the
concession stand. The Elkhart
Library also provided funding for
the movie and a Shirley Temple
display set up inside City Hall; she
expressed gratitude to the library
for their contribution.
More thanks went out to Gwen
Rosenfeld who provided the history
for the exhibit and to Ann Olson who
lent out her projector so the movie
could be shown.
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Finally, she said there were
several people and organizations
that offered financial and other
support. She offered thanks to the
Elkhart Historical Society, Jo
Gehlbach, Dorothy Gleason, Elkhart
Needs and Goals, George Yard on
behalf of Glen E. Yard, and John P.
Williams on behalf of the Williams
family trust, and an anonymous
donor. She also thanked Lincoln
Kroger and Lincoln Wal-Mart.
After Lee had finished speaking,
Bill Kelly of Illinois Route 66
Scenic Byway spoke briefly. He noted
that the project to place similar
silhouettes throughout the state of
Illinois began in 2011. Kelly said
that altogether there would be nine
such wayside exhibits depicting
different stories tied to Route 66.
He said these are of great value to
motorists touring Route 66 because
the exhibits tell the stories of the
Mother Road. He said the draw of the
iconic highway is that there are so
many stories to tell, and that is
what tourists what to learn about.
He also noted that Elkhart is the
only one of the nine that features a
movie star.
Bob Albert was on hand representing
the Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of
Commerce. He spoke briefly
congratulating the town on its new
tourist attraction. He then
presented the scissors to Elkhart
Mayor Lyle Fout who snipped the
ribbon.
When the ceremony was finished,
everyone was invited inside to view
the movie.
Beside the statue is a Route 66
byways display that features
information about Temple, the movie,
the café where she ate, as well as
Ward’s Gas Station, and the Tierney
Shell Station and roof top garden.
For those who may be unfamiliar with
Elkhart, City Hall is located at the
far end of the business district,
just two blocks or so from Elkhart
Hill.
[Nila
Smith]
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