Follow the Yellow Brick Road The story behind the making of The Wizard of Oz

by Corbin Crable | Aug 25, 2026 | Cover Story, Features

The shimmering Emerald City toward which Dorothy and her new friends skipped was a painted scene using pastels on a board. (Image courtesy of The Library of Congress)

Sept 2026

Cover Story

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

The story behind the making of The Wizard of Oz

by Corbin Crable

In 1898, in a small office in Chicago, L. Frank Baum sat in front of a group of children, enraptured by Baum’s story about a little girl who was swept away from her tiny home in the Midwest and transported to a magical world where animals could talk and the key to getting home lay in the hands of a great, mysterious wizard.

“What was the place called?” piped up one child, eyes wide.

I haven’t thought of a name! the man thought to himself. Baum looked around his office hurriedly, his eyes eventually landing on two filing cabinets in the corner. One was marked with the letters A-N. The other was O-Z.

Baum, a failed businessman who, by this time, had gained experience as a children’s author, began to put pen to paper, eager to breathe life into the story that would become a beloved classic. “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” was published in May 1900. It was an instant hit, and it would inspire several stage plays and silent films until for the next two generations.

Then Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer entered the picture.

The Wizrd of Oz at the Sphere.

An audience enjoying the larger the life experience of The Wizrd of Oz at the Sphere. (Image courtesy of lasvegaswonders.com)

MGM takes a gamble on fantasy

In 1937, Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the studio’s first full-length feature film, opened to critical acclaim. The film’s success showed other studios that, contrary to the belief of the men who ran them, films marketed to children could be successful and profitable. MGM purchased the rights to Baum’s film in early 1938, and early work on crafting the film began soonafter.

“Hollywood was a very bleak place in 1938 when they were working on Oz. Filmmaking was, and still is, an extremely new artistic medium. This was less than ten years after the first ever Academy Awards, and studios were intent on trying to ensure that their films would be honored at the new ceremony,” according to a 2024 blog post on the website of The American Heritage Center. “In the mid- to late 1930s, most films were musicals so as to utilize the invention of ‘talkies,’ or films with synchronized sound. Between the brewing tension of World War II and the Great Depres-sion a decade earlier, films either directly reflected the anxieties of the time or tried to distract from them, but no studios were producing fantasy films.”

MGM enlisted one script writer after another to bring that fantasy to the silver screen – nearly a dozen, in fact, with three being credited with the finalized screenplay. A total of five directors, meanwhile, worked on the film, with only Victor Fleming credited, as he worked on the project for the longest duration of time (four months). Fleming departed before the film was completed to direct another classic – Gone With the Wind. Harold Arlen composed the film’s legendary music, and the lyrics to its songs were written by E.Y. “Yip” Harburg.

We’re off to see the Wizard!

We’re off to see the Wizard! The beloved film The Wizard of Oz celebrated its 87th anniversary last month.
(Image courtesy of The Library of Congress)

Glorious Technicolor brings the characters to life

As usually happens, many actors were considered for each of the roles. For the role of Dorothy Gale, Shirley Temple, the red-haired, rosy cheeked little girl who helped Americans smile through the Great Depression, was examined, but the part ultimately went to 16-year-old Judy Garland, the most experienced actress of those considered. Also considered for roles in the film were W.C. Fields as the Wizard (the part went to Frank Morgan), Buddy Ebsen as the Scarecrow/farmhand Hunk (he withdrew from the role after suffering a near-deadly reaction to the aluminum powder makeup he was required to wear. Ray Bolger, who originally was considered for the part of Jack Haley’s Tin Man/Hickory was ultimately cast), and Gale Sondergaard as the Wicked Witch of the West (the part, of course, eventually was magnificently played by Margaret Hamilton). Other actors included Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion/Zeke and Vaudeville’s Billie Burke as Glinda the Good Witch of the North.

One hundred little people were cast as the Munchkins following a long talent search; some children were used as well. Each Munchkin actor was paid $125 per week. And who could forget Dorothy’s furry little friend Toto? A Hollywood animal trainer supplied the Cairn Terrier named Terry (whose name was later changed to that of his film character). Believe it or not, like the Munchkins, Terry received a handsome $125 weekly salary.

Shooting began in October 1938. The Kansas scenes filmed in black and white and colored in sepia tone. The Technicolor process was used in the remainder of the film. The lighting used for the Technicolor process would bring the production’s electrical use to more than $225,000.

Glinda

Before Arianna Grande’s performance in “Wicked,” Billie Burke’s performance as Glinda became iconic. (Image courtesy of Facebook)

100 actors were cast as Munchkins

In all, 100 actors were cast as Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz. The last credited actor who appeared onscreen in the film was Jerry Maren (center), who died in 2018. (Image courtesy of the IMDB)

Toto reveals the man behind the curtain

Toto reveals the man behind the curtain. Frank Morgan was cast as the film’s title character after the studio had considered W.C. Fields for the role. (Image courtesy of Facebook)

unofficial sequel to The Wizard of Oz, Disney’s Return to Oz

The unofficial sequel to The Wizard of Oz, Disney’s Return to Oz, made its debut in 1985. Although the film is dark in theme and contains frightening imagery, it’s been described as being much more faithful to L. Frank Baum’s original books than the 1939 film. (Image courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter)

Wicked Witch of the West

The Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) and Dorothy (Judy Garland) in a promotional photo. Hamilton donned her witch hat once again in a 1975 episode of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood to teach children how pretend works and to show that the Wicked Witch is only a fictional character. (Image courtesy of Pinterest)

Dark secrets on the set

Like Ebsen, Hamilton, too, suffered serious injury. In the Munchkin Land scene, when the Wicked Witch appears in a flash of fire and smoke, Hamilton was raised from below stage level on a small platform. On one take of her entrance scene, the fire ignited too soon, setting fire to her green makeup and burning her hands and face. Hamilton would recover from her burns for three months before returning to set.

The tales of Judy Garland’s abuse throughout filming are numerous. To make her look younger, it was mandated that her chest had to be bound; to keep her thin and petite, she was given amphetamines in order to keep her awake throughout her 16-
hour work days and to keep her weight down; at night, she took barbiturates to sleep. Garland also endured a dangerously restrictive diet of chicken soup, black coffee, and cigarettes.

More physical and sexual abuse committed against Garland cast a pall over the film’s production. Fleming slapped her when the actress entered into a giggling fit (a side effect of the drugs she ingested daily); it also was widely reported that multiple Munchkin actors pinched Garland, and that studio head Louis B. Mayer himself groped her.

“(The studio system sort of created your persona, turned you into a star,” Renee Zell-weger, who played a middle-aged version of Garland in the film Judy, said in 2019 to Yahoo News. “I think everything that went with it, which we have a better understanding of now, which would be to a young person’s detriment, they understand better today. Certain things about the pressures and the self-imposed pressures and all of that, are probably similar to some degree. Unfortunately, I didn’t think there was ever an understanding about how dangerous some of the things that were introduced to her [were].”

Wizard of Oz was re-released in theaters in 1949

The Wizard of Oz was re-released in theaters in 1949, a decade after its premiere. It eventually made its way to television in the mid-1950s. (Image courtesy of Remind Magazine)

Spanish movie poster for The Wizard of Oz.

A Spanish movie poster for The Wizard of Oz. (Image courtesy of The Oz Museum)

The pair of original ruby slippers

The pair of original ruby slippers housed at The Smithsonian Institute is one of four surviving pairs from the film. Another belongs to The Judy Garland Museum in Minnesota; they were stolen from the museum in 2005 but recovered in 2018. (Image courtesy of The Everett Collection)

Wizard of Oz Museum in Wamego, KS

The Wizard of Oz Museum in Wamego, KS, welcomes visitors from around the world, both big and Munchkin-sized. (Image courtesy of Once Upon a Wheat)

A shaky opening…

Shooting ended in March 1939; Dorothy’s scene singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” was one of the final scenes to be shot. The song would go on to receive the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1940.
The Wizard of Oz was released nationwide on Aug. 25, 1939. All told, it was MGM’s most expensive movie to date and cost $2.8 million to make. It only earned $3 million throughout its initial release.

“With the average national ticket prices at 25 cents (more than half of its audiences were juvenile patrons who paid a dime or 15 cents), it was not expected to recoup its $3 million in production and promotion costs,” William Stillman, co-author of a book about the making of the film, told The Los Angeles Times in 2013.
Critics gave the film mostly positive reviews, but a few contended that The Wizard of Oz was a trespasser on Disney’s proven field of success in feature-length fantasy movies for children. When it was re-released a decade later (and again in 1955), Judy Garland had become a household name, and the film finally turned a profit.

“The film’s all-American theme of solidarity, preservation of home and vanquishing of evil forces resonated with audiences in patriotic postwar 1949,” Stillman wrote.

When CBS first aired the film in November 1956, it catapulted The Wizard of Oz into the American collective identity. It wasn’t aired again until 1959, after which time screenings of The Wizard of Oz on television became an annual event.

…Before becoming a beloved icon

In the years since, the critical acclaim for The Wizard of Oz has only grown exponentially, giving rise to multiple spinoffs, a merchandising empire, awards, and accolades. According to The Library of Congress, it’s the most-viewed movie of all time, and it was one of the first films placed on the National Film Registry’s inaugural list in 1989.

It appears on countless lists of the top 10 films of all time by critics, and Variety named The Wizard of Oz the best film of all time in 2022, while the website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a 98% rating. Meanwhile, the small town of Liberal, Kansas, calls itself Dorothy’s official home; in 1981, the town renovated a 1907 farmhouse to resemble a replica of the Gale farmhouse from the original film. The farmhouse is a small museum that welcomes visitors from around the globe each year

(www.dorothyshouse.com). And in another small Kansas town, Wamego, one can find The Oz Museum, which contains relics from all things Oz, from the books to the 1939 film to more contemporary adaptations (www.ozmuseum.com).

Oz historian John Fricke, in an interview for the film’s 80th anniversary in 2019, recalled seeing Ray Bolger on TV years after the film dazzled audiences in movie theaters.
“(Bolger) spoke of growing up with the Oz books, and the great philosophy that they expressed,” Fricke said. “His mother had pointed out to him the message of The Wizard of Oz: ‘Everybody has a brain, everybody has a heart, and everybody has courage. These are the gifts that God gives people on earth, and if you use them properly, they lead you home. And home isn’t a place. It’s the people you love and the people who love you. That’s a home.’”

The Wiz

Ease on down the road: The Wiz, an adaptation geared toward African-American audiences, was released in 1978. The film starred Diana Ross as Dorothy and a young Michael Jackson as The Scarecrow. (Image courtesy of IMDB)

vintage lobby card advertising The Wizard of Oz

A vintage lobby card advertising The Wizard of Oz. (Image courtesy of Pinterest)

The Wizard of Oz, The Sphere

Touted as the ultimate experience for viewing The Wizard of Oz, The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada will continue showing the film until the end of this year. (Image coutesy of casino.org)

From the weird to the wonderful Find a slice of Americana roadside on Route 66

by Corbin Crable | Jul 27, 2026 | Cover Story, Features

The history of visitors to the Cadillac Ranch in Texas is spray-painted across the bodies of the cars buried at the popular tourist stop on Route 66. (Image courtesy of the City of Amarillo, TX)

Aug 2026

Cover Story

From the weird to the wonderful

Find a slice of Americana roadside on Route 66

by Corbin Crable

From the quirky to the downright bizarre, there’s plenty of roadside fun to be had on a drive along Route 66 this summer.

Burgers and the aliens who love them

One out-of-this-world experience is the Inter-national UFO Museum, located right outside of the town of Winslow, New Mexico. There you’ll find government conspiracy theories and alien autopsy exhibits, among other features. If you’re out hunting for the infamous 1947 Roswell crash site, brace yourself for a bit of frustration – no one really knows where the exact site is anymore, and the area in general is located on private property.

You’ll find a couple of spooky stops when driving through Missouri (be sure to stop by Red’s Giant Hamburg for a bite – it’s the world’s very first drive-through restaurant). The Pythian Castle in Springfield originally served as an orphanage and was later used to house German and Italian POWs during World War II. Go for an afternoon tour or show up in the evenings for mystery-themed dinners and nighttime haunted experiences in which you can hunt for ghosts. And then there’s the Lemp Mansion in St. Louis, a beautiful home with a dark history.

Route 66’s International UFO Museum

Otherworldly fun is in store at Route 66’s International UFO Museum near Winslow, TX. (Image courtesy of team_ninja)

“This Victorian-era home was built by the Lemp family, German immigrants who started America’s first Lager beer brewery,” writes Shannon Lowery on visitusaparks.com. “Their business success was unfortunately also met with tragedy, as four members of the Lemp family spanning three generations died by suicide in the home.”

If you make it through the night at the Lemp Mansion and find yourself in Cuba, MO, the following day, swing by the World’s Second Largest Rocker; at 42 feet tall, the site sells souvenirs and even candies made locally (and just so you know, the World’s Largest Rocker – 56 feet tall -- can be found in Casey, IL).

Greeting you in Wilmington, IL, will be the Gemini Giant, a spaceman statue measuring 30 feet tall and weighing 483 pounds. He was constructed in 1964 and renovated in 2019 and 2024. The fiberglass Gemini Giant guards the entrance to the city’s South Island Park.

Gemini Giant

The Gemini Giant stands tall in Wilmington, IL. He is a 30-foot-tall fiberglass “Muffler Man” statue that was installed in the 1960s to capitalize on America’s fascination with the Space Race. (Image courtesy of Route 66 Information Station)

Fill ‘er up!

Who doesn’t love vintage filling stations that harken back to those days of full service? There are two notable ones along the Kansas stretch of Route 66. The Kan-O-Tex Station in Galena boasts its very own quasi-celebrity on site – a 1951 International boom truck that served as the inspiration for the character Tow Mater in the Pixar animated film Cars. On the outside, you’ll still see a retro façade and vintage gasoline pumps; the interior of the station, however, is now a souvenir shop and café.

Kansas also has the Baxter Springs Independent Oil and Gas Service Station, built in 1930 and designed in the Tudor Revival style to resemble a small cottage. Now the Kansas Route 66 Visitors Center, the station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

Route Service Station

The Cars on the Route Service Station, was restored in 2007 by four women from Galena, KS, and hosts life-size
replicas of the vehicles featured in the animated film, Cars. (Image courtesy of Facebook)

Route 66 Begin Sign

The historic Route 66 Begin Sign, on Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL. (Image courtesy fotospot.com)

Mel’s Drive-In

Mel’s Drive-In, featured in the film “American Graffiti,” marks the end of Route 66 in Santa Monica, CA. (Image courtesy of Route 66 Information Station)

Street corner in Winslow, AZ

This street corner in Winslow, AZ, made famous in the Eagles song “Take it Easy” is a popular stop along Route 66. (Image courtesy campinlondon.com

Blueberry fudge

The blueberry fudge is one of the more popular flavors at Missouri’s Uranus Fudge Factory. (Image courtesy of Facebook)

Around the corner, fudge is made

Want to give your tastebuds a tickle and your inner 10-year-old a giggle? Head to the Uranus Fudge Factory and General Store (yes, that’s the store’s actual name) in the town of St. Robert, MO. Inside the store, you can find not just fudge staples like chocolate peanut butter, but also more adventurous flavors like blueberry cheesecake and orange cream. The store offers ample photo opportunities both inside and out, where you’ll be greeted by a bright green alien statue flashing a peace sign, as well as vintage cars and neon signs. The visit will be a feast both for your sweet tooth and your eyes.
Drive Route 66 through Amarillo, Texas, and you’ll see a colorful landmark beckoning to you to pull over and take a look. The Cadillac Ranch is best thought of as a kind of automotive Stonehenge (even though a similarly named attraction, Carhenge, draws visitors to Nebraska each year). There, vintage Cadillacs are buried in the ground nose-first. The spray-painted colors that adorn them document all who have come to pay tribute, from artists to roadtrippin’ families and everyone in between. Only last year, Amarillo’s tourism board voted Cadillac Ranch as one of the top five underrated Texas escapes for adventure-seekers. The number-one recommendation? Why, the Mother Road itself, of course.

“The Mother Road called and wants you to get your kicks on Route 66! Explore history, culture, shopping, restaurants and more on your cruise through the inspiration for countless books, movies, TV shows, and songs,” the organization’s website exclaims. “Amarillo is the largest city on the Oklahoma-Texas-New Mexico stretch of Route 66 and is central to honoring the history of the first road helping connect Americans.”

Route 66’s Blue Whale of Catoosa

Route 66’s Blue Whale of Catoosa, located in Catoosa, OK. (Image courtesy of For the Love of Wanderlust)

Amarillo’s Route 66 Historic District

Unique surprises appear everywhere you look in Amarillo’s Route 66 Historic District, which is chock full of antique stores, retro eateries, and classic cars. (Image courtesy of the City of Amarillo, TX)

The Pink Elephant Antique Mall

Move over, Dumbo. There’s a fabulous pink pachyderm on site at The Pink Elephant Antique Mall in Livingston, IL. (Image courtesy
of The Pink Elephant)

A whale for your wife

For a whale of a good time, point your navigation system to Catoosa, OK, where you’ll feast your eyes on the Blue Whale of Catoosa, an 80-foot-long blue whale built in the 1970s by artist Hugh Davis as a surprise anniversary gift for his wife. But don’t just stroll into the mouth of the whale; you can make an entire day of it by bringing a picnic lunch and fishing in the pond, feeding the turtles, enjoying the retro-style visitors center, and playing in the nearby park. Restoration efforts by the city of Catoosa in recent years have breathed new life into this quirky roadside attraction.

“The Blue Whale is a gem! Love this quirky Route 66 attraction! Must see if you are traveling through Oklahoma. The whale will just make you smile and great photo opportunity. Cute little gift shop with some cute gift items. The story behind the whale is sweet, and I’m so glad the town of Catoosa saved this wonderful landmark!” one reviewer gushes on Trip Advisor.

Speaking of larger-than-life attractions featuring animals, say ‘hi’ to the pink pachyderm at the Pink Elephant Antique Mall in Livingston, IL, where you’ll find not just antiques aplenty but also an ice cream parlor and a giant pink elephant statue greeting customers in search of that ideal Route 66 souvenir. The antique mall opened in 2005 and is housed in Livingston’s old high school building, which was built in 1929.

“The Pink Elephant is a favorite stop for those traveling Old Route 66. The mall has welcomed guests from all over the world, and a map in the diner allows guests to place a pin for their place of origin,” according to owners Tonia and Wayne Pickerill.

Finished with your shopping but craving a sweet or savory treat? The antique mall has you covered.

“The mall also has two retro shops -- The Mother Road Fudge Factory and Candy Shop and The Twistee Treats Diner. The Mother Road Fudge Factory and Candy Shop is a 1950s-themed candy store that sells homemade fudge that is made on site in a variety of flavors, caramelized roasted nuts made on site, vintage candies, bulk candy, bulk salt water taffy, chocolates, and Route 66 souvenirs,” according to the Pickerills. “The Twistee Treats Diner is a kitschy 1950s-themed diner. The diner is in an original Twistee Treats ice cream cone shaped building with the dining area decked out in a hot pink tile floor. The Blues Brothers overlook the dining area and the jukebox.”

You never know whom you’ll run into

You never know whom you’ll run into at The Pink Elephant Antique Mall. (Image courtesy of The Pink Elephant)

Two vintage Volkswagen vans

Two vintage Volkswagen vans sit outside the Uranus Fudge Factory in St. Robert, MO. (Image courtesy of Facebook)

With so many options for quirky and kitschy roadside Americana adventures, Route 66 proves that even as it reaches a milestone anniversary, the siren song of the road remains powerful.

A quick online search will provide several websites and Facebook groups to guide you on your journey along Route 66 if you want to be part of the centennial celebration. Here’s one to start with: www.facebook.com/66InfoStation.

Have you taken a journey down the Mother Road? Send us your pics to editor@discoverypub.com and tell us about it!

Map of the entire Route 66

Map of the entire Route 66 journey. (Image courtesy route66roadtrip.com)

A most collectible year Bicentennial memorabilia ranges from cups to coins and more

by Corbin Crable | Jun 26, 2026 | Cover Story, Features

Honor America's 250-year journey with this exclusive commemorative coin. Featuring iconic American symbols like the majestic eagle and historic dates 1776-2026, it's a premier item of America 250 merchandise for patriots and history enthusiasts. (Image courtesy of Amazon)

July 2026

Cover Story

A most collectible year

Bicentennial memorabilia ranges from cups to coins and more

by Corbin Crable

In 1976, the United States of America was more than ready for a party.
The last decade alone had included some of the most tumultuous events in the country’s history. The Vietnam War had just officially ended the year prior. Political assassinations had made men into martyrs. Richard Nixon left the White House in disgrace, and the Watergate scandal still loomed large in the public’s collective memory.
But surely, so many thought, the country’s Bicen-tennial Celebration would rally Americans together in patriotism despite their backgrounds and politics.

It absolutely did – and that patriotism was everywhere you looked, from TV specials to neighborhood cookouts in front of suburban houses decked out in red, white, and blue. For the country’s official celebration, planning for which had begun a decade earlier, the Ford administration hired the co-designer of NASA’s modern logo. The artist, Bruce Blackburn, developed a white, five-point star appearing in a star of red, white, and blue.

The Bicentennial’s official logo

This pillow bearing the Bicentennial’s official logo was made by a crafter in Michigan. (Image courtesy of The Henry Ford Museum)

Elaborate fireworks displays erupted in the skies of major U.S. cities. Parades, military ceremonies, and re-enactments (including the crossing of the Delaware River) took place throughout the year, and the Smithsonian Institute even opened a long-term exhibit that replicated much of the country’s official 1876 Centennial Celebration.

Of course, every effort to commercialize the year was made by both corporations and small crafters. Those items remain easily found in both antique stores and online vendors. One of the most widely recognizable collectibles was coins minted by the government in special recognition of the anniversary. According to the U.S. Mint, three circulating coins were designed – Bicentennial quarters, Bicentennial half-dollars, and Bicentennial dollars.

“The Bicentennial Coin Program represented the first time circulating coinage had been re-designed to honor an anniversary of American Independence. The Mint hoped that wide distribution of the three coins would call appropriate attention to our bicentennial and serve as reminders of the nation’s rich heritage and dedication to freedom,” according to the Mint’s website.

Green Lantern Motel and Restaurant on U.S. 50

Bicentennial coins

A set of Bicentennial coins released by the U.S. Mint. These coins are quite common and can usually be found for between $20 and $80, depending on how much silver they contain. (Image courtesy of eBay)

Americans themselves entered a contest to design each of the coins. On the reverse of the quarter, Illinois resident Jack Ahrs designed the colonial drummer that appears. Minnesota’s Seth Huntington had the successful idea to put Liberty Hall on the back of the half-dollar. And Dennis Williams, an art student from Ohio, decided to place the liberty bell and the moon on the back of the dollar. Each winner was awarded $5,000 from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. In addition to these coins, the Mint also produced a National Medal commemorating the year 1776. The medal depicts the Statue of Liberty encircled by 50 stars representing the 50 states. Many versions were created, ranging in original price from $100 to $4,000. Silver and bronze versions were marketed and sold as well.

$2 bill set

This special commemorative $2 bill set is just one of many demoninations of currency available to purchase for your 2026 collection. (Image courtesy of Amazon)

Spirit of ’76 train set

A Spirit of ’76 train set with 15 pieces. This set retails for $495. (Image courtesy of eBay)

Toys

Though Bicentennial coins are among the most common of memorabilia from 1976, one could find items catering to just about any interest. For children, toys designed for the country’s anniversary included yo-yos, muscle cars and Hot Wheels, dolls of patriotic figures like Uncle Sam, George Washington, Paul Revere, and Betsy Ross (those last two were released by Campbell’s Soup). Toy trains were made as well, likely a nod to the April 1, 1975, launch of the American Freedom Train, designed to tour all 48 contiguous U.S. states for the Bicentennial.

Even a yo-yo

Anything, even a yo-yo, can become collectible with a date stamp and logo. (Image courtesy of the Museum of Yo-Yo History)

Southwestern Bell Telephone

Southwestern Bell released a series of patriotic-themed telephones to commemorate the Bicentennial. Pictured is one of their best sellers, a candlestick-style reproduction phone. Today, they’re worth between $60 and $100. (Image courtesy of eBay)

Animated short I’m Just a Bill

The animated short I’m Just a Bill taught children about the legislative process. It aired between other cartoons on Saturday mornings in the summer of 1976. (Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Commemorative America 250 flag

This commemorative America 250 flag, recently seen
flying at Hunterland Antique Mall in St. Joseph, MO, is sure to be a popular collectible item. (Image courtesy of the publisher)

Dishes and glassware

Dinner plates, serving platters, drinking glasses, depression and carnival glass, and even ashtrays were on the menu during the Bicentennial. Some merchants even gave them away to loyal customers, according to Country Living.

“If you spent a certain amount of money at Grand Union shortly after the 1976 bicentennial, you’d be rewarded with one or more additions to your blossoming collection of Liberty Blue—a beautiful dinnerware pattern developed by the Royal China Company for promotional use in the supermarket chain,” Elizabeth Finkelstein wrote for the publication in 2017.

Clothing

It was common in the months leading up to the official bicentennial to see your fellow Americans in shirts, hats, jackets, and vests festooned with the bald eagle or a “Spirit of ‘76” slogan, according to a blog article from patriotic clothier 250 USA Celebration.
“Consumers did not adopt a single uniform style. Regional variations heavily dictated what Americans wore to their local parades. In the South and West, consumers favored heavy embroidered denim, featuring intricate flag patches sewn onto jean jackets and flared pants,” the article states. “In contrast, the Northeastern states embraced a preppy, nautical-inspired aesthetic. Retailers in New England sold millions of crisp polo shirts, canvas boat shoes, and tailored shorts featuring subtle red, white, and blue piping.”

If you’re on the lookout for genuine Bicentennial clothing, the company has some advice as you embark on your hunt for vintage threads.

“If you are collecting vintage patriotic gear, look at the tags,” according to the blog article. “Authentic 1976 Bicentennial shirts almost always feature thick, unblended cotton and stiff iron-on transfer graphics that crack heavily over time.”

In the media

In addition to collectibles, programming and films referencing the Bicentennial could be seen on just about every screen in America. Ed McMahon hosted an entire 12-hour TV entertainment program on the eve of the anniversary, while NBC aired a two-hour documentary about great American inventions of the past 200 years and the ways in which they changed the world. The Bicentennial was even referenced in several films that year, most notably Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky.
There was plenty for kids to watch, too, especially during their regular Saturday morning cartoons. The creators of the animated and educational Schoolhouse Rock! developed a spinoff series about America’s history; it aired between programs and gave us one of the most memorable shorts, I’m Just a Bill, which explained the process by which a bill becomes a law.

Children’s books

Children’s book’s such as this are a great idea to help make it fun for youngsters learn more about our nation’s history. (Image courtesy of the Amazon)

Millions of t-shirts

There’s no doubt millions of t-shirts such as this will be worn to celebraate the country’s big birthday. (Image courtesy of the Amazon)

Collecting America’s Semiquincentennial

A variety of collectibles have been rolled out for the country’s big day this year. Besides commemorative coins being released by the Mint, multiple historical sites and organizations related to America’s history have gotten in on the fun. Colonial Williamsburg has spent months advertising everything from 250th anniversary tote bags to flasks, from tea towels to Christmas ornaments, from figurines to jewelry. The U.S. Postal Service has, of course, released series of stamps to commemorate the occasion. And the homepage pf the Semiquincentennial Commission’s official website offers shoppers a peek at items in its Nations Series, which includes t-shirts and other items designed specifically for each state in the union.
Knowing how common Bicentennnial collectibles are, how will this year’s souvenirs fare in, say, a hundred years? No one can quite say just yet. But no matter what you buy to celebrate such a momentous occasion, hang onto it and pass it down to future patriots in your own family. They might be glad you did.
Keep your eye out this summer for collectibles touting America’s birthday, and hang onto them. After all, you never know what they’ll be worth in another 250 years.

Pull over and stay awhile Midcentury roadside motels offer personality, vintage charm

by Corbin Crable | May 25, 2026 | Cover Story, Features

Artist Norman Rockwell’s illustration “Marble Champ” beautifully depicts the intense competition of marble play. (Image courtesy of Etsy)

June 2026

Cover Story

Pull over and stay awhile

Midcentury roadside motels offer personality, vintage charm

by Corbin Crable

While you’re preparing for your annual summer road trip, it’s best to remember that sometimes, the best parts of the journey are those little surprises along the way.

Enter the vintage roadside motel (a combination of the words ‘motor’ and ‘hotel’; the descriptors ‘motel’ and ‘motor lodge’ are usually used interchangeably). Once a staple for American motorists, they began to fall out of favor with the rise of larger hotel and motel chains. However, according to travel experts, they’ve been enjoying a sort of renaissance these past few years, offering cost-effective convenience and delightful surprises that one can only find in these midcentury marvels.

The best part of the trip is getting there

“Surely I’m not the only traveler who, when driving around the USA, spends most of the time staring out the car window on the lookout for cool, old motels – bonus points for an impressive sign,” says travel writer Ellie Seymour, whose 2025 photography book “Vintage Motels” chronicles her journeys across the country in search for the retro treasures.

Roadrunner Lodge on Route 66

A stay at the Roadrunner Lodge on Route 66 in Tucumcari, NM, is “a step back to the 1960s,” according to the motel’s website. “This refurbished Route 66 motel is a classic piece of Americana.” (Image courtesy of the Roadrunner Lodge)

Indeed, Forbes’ John Oseid writes in his review of Seymour’s book, in a decade that’s seen fascination with vintage motels only increase thanks to media like the TV show “Schitt’s Creek,” these colorful architectural delights stand out in a landscape dotted with dull, lifeless hotels designed for the modern business traveler.

“Anyone of a certain age remembers—fondly, no doubt—those interminable hot summer drives across America to the grandparents. You know, when you were just dying to finally spot a ‘Vacancy’ sign ahead ... and, please ... the added promise of TV and Air Con flashing in bright neon, too. Soon, it would be time to escape your sizzling station wagon prison to dive bomb into the motel pool,” Oseid writes. “Back then you didn’t realize that the universal motel aesthetics of the age were the highest forms of kitsch, nor that someday that would be exactly the charm that attracts a new generation tired of generic business-y chain hotels that have sprouted off every interstate and surround our airports and suburban office parks.”

Green Lantern Motel and Restaurant on U.S. 50

The now-demolished Green Lantern Motel and Restaurant on U.S. 50 near Capon Bridge, W.VA. (Image courtesy of Tumblr)

From cabin to court

Before the motel, weary travelers would lay their head in tourist homes, which offered a cheaper, more laid-back alternative to expensive, stuffy hotels. These tourist homes were a bit out of the way for motorists, located often closer to the middle of a city. In the early years of the Great Depression, these homes became eclipsed by cabin camps – individual cabins at which a traveler could rent a mattress for a dollar and blankets and pillows for a quarter apiece. As the 1930s continued, these camps were replaced by cottage courts, individual bungalows situated on a well-manicured public lawn. These cottages were a much-needed upgrade from their cabin precursors. They began to spring up throughout the country, boasting such features as “rooms built to resemble a country cottage and adorned with plastic flowers; snapping photos of a neon cactus glowing through half-drawn window shades; sleeping in a concrete tepee appropriated from Native American culture,” Andrew Wood wrote for The Smith-sonian Magazine in 2017.

Boots Court Motel in Carthage, MO,

Built in 1939, the Boots Court Motel in Carthage, MO, is one of the oldest motels still operating on Route 66. (Image courtesy of Midwest Living)

The Starlite Motel in Cocoa Beach, FL,

This postcard shows not just The Starlite Motel in Cocoa Beach, FL, but also that you could enjoy a bit of live entertainment with your dinner. (Image courtesy of Tumblr)

Sleeping under the neon

Finally, the new roadside motels and motor lodges, now multiple rooms under a single roof, replaced those quaint cottages of the ‘30s and ‘40s. Their roadside neon signs hummed and beckoned travelers with promises of amenities such as television and air conditioning. Modern conveniences, on-site eateries, a swimming pool, coupled with affordable rates – the motel had arrived.

“While motel rooms were plain and functional, the facades took advantage of regional styles (and, occasionally, stereotypes). Owners employed stucco, adobe, stone, brick – whatever was handy – to attract guests,” Wood writes. “With families swarming to and from the rest stops that multiplied along the highways of postwar America, many of the owners settled in for a life’s work.”

These motels quickly became the standard in comfort for American families out on their road trip adventure, enjoying decades of dominance in the booming hospitality industry. But as chain motels were being constructed with speed, these smaller, family-owned motels struggled to keep Americans’ favor – and their dollars.

Wood writes that as recently as a decade ago, classic roads such as Route 66 and the Las Vegas Strip suffered from a shockingly steep decline in these smaller mom-and-pop businesses, each of them unique and too many replaced with staid, soulless multi-level buildings that are the same regardless of the city in which you find yourself. In fact, as of 2012, only 16,000 of these small motels remained open and in business, a dramatic drop from the roadside motel’s peak of 61,000 in 1964.

Shangri-La Motel in Dodge City, KS

The long-abandoned Shangri-La Motel in Dodge City, KS, its parking lot slowly being reclaimed by nature, is a testament to the beauty and simplicity of mid-century design. “The building’s facade, though weathered, still showcases elements of its original design. Bold angles and large windows reflect a time when motels were more than mere stopovers,” according to the blog My Family Travels. “Despite its abandonment, the architectural integrity remains largely intact. For enthusiasts of mid-century design, it offers a glimpse into a period when motels were designed to be both functional and aesthetically pleasing, embodying the optimism of post-war America.” (Image courtesy of My Family Travels)

Their place in history (and our memories)

Still, efforts remain to preserve some of the structures that remain, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

“For someone who was a kid in the 1950s, ‘60s, or ‘70s, motels capture the way Americans traveled. Many motels have that Howard Johnson feel to them, and Midcentury Modern is becoming so popular again it is easy to reimagine these structures as swanky motels with farm-to-table restaurants and nice rooms,” architect Ashley Wilson told the organization in 2015.

Wilson said that although the motels themselves aren’t architecturally significant, their significance is cultural – many of them catered to African-American clientele during Segregation and were the only place such individuals could stay overnight, at least in the American South.

Besides their link to the Civil Rights movement, the motels will always hold distinct nostalgic appeal for the Baby Boomer generation.

“They represent the family vacation of the mid-20th century,” Wilson said. “All of us remember getting to the motel and then the kids all race to fill up the ice bucket. We remember the pool and ice cream in the restaurant. They trigger memories of parenting, being a child, and road trips in the un-air-conditioned station wagon.”

For others still, according to travel writer Hannah Henderson, these motels of decades past mean so much more.

“There is an inextricable connection between roadside motels and that sense of hope and opportunity that we chase on a cross-country road trip,” Henderson writes. “Some of our favourite memories involve sitting out on mismatched chairs on shared motel porches or stoops, watching traffic and people roll on by. Where are they heading? What are their stories? And do they have the same dreams as us?”

Lorraine Motel

The Lorraine Motel, built in 1925 and located in Memphis, TN, was the site of the April 4, 1968, assassination of civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In 1991, the motel was converted into the National Civil Rights Museum. (Image courtesy of The National Park Service)

In the 1950s

In the 1950s, if you were lucky, your hotel room came with both a poolside view and salmon-colored everything. (Image courtesy of Click Americana)

Ohio’s Lincoln Motel

Have $15? Then you could spend a night in Ohio’s Lincoln Motel. (Image courtesy of X)

Knuckle Down Marbles remain the small wonder of the toy world

by Mary White | Apr 26, 2026 | Cover Story, Features

Artist Norman Rockwell’s illustration “Marble Champ” beautifully depicts the intense competition of marble play. (Image courtesy of Etsy)

May 2026

Cover Story

Knuckle Down

Marbles remain the small wonder of the toy world

by Corbin Crable

There’s plenty of debate surrounding exactly where the marble originated, but one thing is certain – whether you’re 8 or 80, these tiny toys still seem to amaze us.

Game of the pharaohs

Though games of marbles have been played for at least 3,000 years (Egypt’s boy pharaoh King Tutankhamen was even buried with his), we at least know that the name “marble” came from Nurem-berg, Germany, in the early 16th century. In those days, marbles were made primarily of stone like agate or limestone (and, wonder of wonders, even marble itself). Ceramic marbles began to be mass produced in the late 19th century.
Around that time, glass, too, was being handcrafted into marbles, and we can also credit the Germans with the invention of marble scissors (“The orb began at the end of a rod of semi-molten glass, and after a blob was formed, those special scissors sliced it off,” according to The Art of Toys website). The first glass marbles made by machine rolled off the line in 1903.

Antique clay marbles

A set of antique clay marbles. (Image courtesy of Samson Historical)

“Glass marbles quickly dominated the market, particularly after industrial mach-ines made them more efficiently, lowering the price,” according to the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, NY. “Valued as much for their beauty as the games played with them, marbles inspired one 19th-century enthusiast to describe the ‘twisted spiral of colored filament’ in glass marbles as ‘thin music translated into colored glass.’”

Marbles made by machine

Handmade marbles began to be produced in smaller quantities as machine-made marbles began to dominate the market.

“American companies like Akro, Agate, Peltier Glass and Master Made Marbles began to really churn them out. They were made out of all sorts of materials: baked clay, glass, steel, plastic, onyx, and agate,” according to The Art of Toys. “The machines also meant better shooting marbles, because there were no nicks or misshapes like there were with the handmades. Their names were based on a marble’s particular use (a Shooter, for instance), the material it was made of (Steelies from steel, Allys from alabaster), or its appearance (Flints, Cloudies, Corkscrews, Peerless Patches, etc.).”

Marbles at Moon Marbe Co

A selection of loose marbles at Moon Marbe Co. (Image courtesy of Facebook)

The Cat’s (Eye) meow

One of the most popular types of marbles, the Cat’s Eye, were first made in Japan in the years immediately following World War II and soared in popularity throughout the 1950s and ‘60s (In the 1970s, during the arts and crafts movement, handmade marbles became popular once more). Cat’s Eyes are marbles that contain eye-shaped colored cores that have been injected into the inside of the marble.

“Cat’s Eyes have been so much a predominant marble in more recent decades that many people not versed in marble jargon refer to most any marble generically as a Cat’s Eye,” David Chamber-lain of West Virginia’s American Museum of Glass writes in a post on the museum’s blog. “I’ve heard this over and over again, hundreds of times out there in non-marble venues shops, antique and collectible shows, and flea markets. I like to refer to it as being in the marble trenches! And 80 percent of those people when mentioning Cat’s Eyes do so with great affection.”

Though many glass marble companies hit the market beginning in the early 1900s, only one exists today in the U.S. – Marble King, based in West Virginia.

A well-loved pastime

Though marble collecting remains a well-loved pastime, retired Geography professor Malcom Comeaux says the last time he saw kids play marbles was in the early 1960s. He marvels that “something with such a deep historical footprint should experience such a quick demise.” (Image courtesy of Facebook)

Marble-making demonstration

An employee of Moon Marble Co. leads a marble-making demonstration. Demonstrations take place at the store every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday.
(Image courtesy of Moon Marble Co.)

“An absolute step back into childhood”

Closer to home, those living in the Kansas City metro area are familiar with the Moon Marble Co. in Bonner Springs, KS. The shop, which sells handmade marbles, bulk marbles, game marbles, art glass marbles, and a collection of other games, celebrates its 30th anniversary next year.

Moon Marble Co.’s owner, artisan Bruce Breslow, does regular demonstrations of marble making, taking the time to explain the process of glass working and marble history throughout his presentations.

“An absolute step back into childhood. A great reminder to stop and enjoy the little things. Pure nostalgia around every corner,” one commenter wrote in a review on the company’s Facebook page.

If you played marbles throughout your own childhood, you’ll recognize the terminology used during a game of marbles, everything from “knuckle down” (starting play with your knuckle against the ground) to “taw” (a larger marble with which to shoot smaller marbles, referred to as “ducks”) to “keepsies” (the player gets to keep all of the marbles he or she wins). Types of marbles, meanwhile, include the Onionskin (antique marbles with swirls and closely packed surface streaks), Turtle (a marble with wavy streaks containing green and yellow), and Clambroth (a marble with equally spaced opaque lines on a milk-white opaque base; rare versions may have blue or black base glass)

Marbles aren’t just toys

Marbles aren’t just toys – in many cases, they make fabulous decorations.
(Image courtesy of Facebook)

Discerning the old from the new

Like most all other vintage toys, marbles have a loyal following of collectors (In cyberspace, one of the largest marble collectors groups boasts 27,000 members, while another, Marble Show Mania, features listings for marble shows across the world. One of the most recent took place late last month in Decatur, IL.

These collectors, of course, take into consideration a multitude of factors when adding to their collection. Type, size, and condition are the most highly considered factors when appraising a marble. Surface damage such as chipped areas significantly lower the piece’s value. Websites such as marblebuyer.com appraises marbles and offers advice on identifying modern versus vintage pieces as well.

Eye-catching marbles

Although marbles are made with an array of colors, sometimes the simplest ones are just as eye-catching. (Image courtesy of marblebuyer.com)

Early machine-made marbles include faint seams where the molten glass joined together. Other identifiers of older machine-mades are color layering (color blends made by feeding separate glass streams into the mach-ines), surface quality (early machine-made marbles are smooth and glossy), and pattern signatures (swirls and twists may help identify the company or maker).

Common modern or toy marbles are made of uniform glass without layers, the colors are bright and even, they are smooth and perfect and will lack the bubbles you would find in handmade pieces. Handmade marbles, meanwhile, have pontil marks (small rough spots made when the the marble was formed at the end of a glass rod and detached while molten), contain subtle imperfections, and contain tiny air bubbles, faint ripples, or layered glass.
For more information about the history of marbles or the process for making handmade marbles, call the Moon Marble Co. at 913-441-1432 or visit www.moonmarble.com.

If you lose your marbles

If you lose your marbles, you’ll find plenty of options for replacements at Moon Marble Co. in Bonner Springs, KS. (Image courtesy of Facebook)

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