Category: Americana

Long Live the Soda Fountain

“Take your medicine, Eric.” My mother’s command from years ago rings in my ears as Jill Smith, co-owner of Colorado’s Salida Pharmacy and Fountain, explains why flavored sodas were invented in the 19th century—and why most soda fountains were found in pharmacies. An egg cream, an iconic New York drink, from Brooklyn Farmacy and Soda…


A Lincoln Highway Icon Dies

Commentary BEDFORD, Pennsylvania—Two weeks ago, Jack Dunkle was sitting with his best friend, Bob Barnes, at his auto parts store along U.S. 30. Barnes was telling a story to his friend of over 40 years. Dunkle looked pale, but he waved Barnes off when asked if he needed anything. “A little bit later, as Jack…


Ohio Community’s Avenue of Flags Program Inspires American Spirit

American flags line the streets of Centerville, Ohio, on Independence Day as a parade highlights the largest single-day festival in Ohio. In this city 15 miles south of Dayton and 45 miles north of Cincinnati, the Americana Festival represents a patriotic tradition reflective of a Norman Rockwell painting illustrating a simpler time, yet the annual…