Lynyrd Skynyrd Monument ~ 7364 Easley Road, Magnolia, Mississippi

On our way home to Michigan from Texas in April of 2024, we spotted a highway sign that led us down this small road in southern Mississippi. It's a remote spot, a few hundred yards from where the plane carrying members of the Lynyrd Skynyrd band crashed on October 20 in 1977. Six people died: Ronnie Van Sant (lead vocalist and founding member), Steve Gaines (guitarist/vocalist), Cassie Gaines (backing vocalist), Dean Kilpatrick (assistant road manager), and the Captain, Walter McCreary, and First Officer, William John Gary. The other 20 people on the plane survived.

There are no gravesites here, just a lovely memorial.

"If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me?"

The Blues Brothers

The movie was released on June 20 in 1980 and it became a cult classic. Seeing that some of it was filmed in Joliet, Illinois, there are many commemorations to the movie there.

The opening scene takes place at the old Joliet Prison, 1125 Collins Street.

Some nearby murals depict scenes from the movie.

About 30 minutes south of Joliet, you will find the Polk-A-Dot Drive-Inn (222 N. Front Street, Braidwood, Illinois) with their fun statues both in and outside the restaurant.

Back in Joliet, at 920 N. Broadway Street, the dancing brothers are on the roof of an ice cream shop.

A replica of the Bluesmobile is up on a pole at 2410 S. Chicago Street, Joliet.

The Joliet Area Historical Museum at 204 N. Ottawa is also an official Route 66 Visitor Center. Naturally, the boys are represented 😊

We know there are a lot of "Blues Brothers" and movie sites out there and we'll add them as we find them.

"It's a 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark...and we're wearing sunglasses."

"Hit it."

Hamtramck, Michigan: Disneyland, 12087 Klinger Street and the Polish Village Cafe, 2990 Yemans Street ~ 2021

Hamtramck was established in 1798, became a village in 1901, and is surrounded by the City of Detroit on most sides. We were passing through and visited what Hamtramck calls its Disneyland. 

That is what it is called but it's really an artist created environment on two adjacent properties in a residential neighborhood. Dymtro Szylak immigrated from Ukraine, worked at GM, and after retirement he started his art project. Some of the items were made and others were purchased.  He was constantly modifying his project from the 1980s (or 90s) until his death in 2015. 

In 2016, a local organization, Hatch Art, purchased the property for $100,000.00 and have since maintained it. The two houses contain 3 rented apartments and one apartment for an artist-in-residence.

Here are some photos we took from the alley.

If you want to see the yards and take an actual tour, you'll have to arrange that ahead of time. But the alley is always available.

It reminded us more of The Heidelberg Project in Detroit than Disneyland but that is an entire neighborhood full of found objects/art and this is two back yards/garages. If you're nearby, take a drive by and be entertained.

On our way out of town, we stopped at the historic Polish Village Cafe. The building was first established as a hotel and the restaurant was opened in 1979 by Ted Wietrzykowski. It still serves up authentic Polish food in its basement bar setting.

White bread in individual plastic bags 😊

Great food, service, and old school ambience 😊