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The two-page spread with all of the small ads is fun to look at. Sadly, many of the businesses have ridden off into the sunset in the last 50 years.
Griff’s Burger Bar is still around, sort of.
Sometime in the 1970s, Griff’s Burger Bar was replaced by Burger Inn, which was a chain. Although the chain seems to have disappeared, Burger Inn keeps on grilling at Griff’s location at the northwest corner of West Pershing and Snyder Avenue.
On the other hand, Taco John’s has become quite a success story.
From those two original locations in the ad, a Cheyenne-based chain of more than 400 restaurants in 27 states has grown. You can read more about the company here.
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The Little America travel center ad was a source of fascination to me as a kid, because of the penguin advertising mascot.
We also had a Little America travel brochure about the various locations. I remember that we drove by one of the two Wyoming resorts, and saw the sign from the highway. Staying at a Little America resort is still on my bucket list.
Here’s a vintage postcard of the Cheyenne resort sign.
Unfortunately, the penguin is no longer used on the signage. Here’s how the Cheyenne sign looks today.
But the penguin hasn’t been put on ice yet. He’s still appears on some social media sites.
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The Night Arena Show notes the appearance of comedian Don Rice III. I did find a photo of him online circa 1970 with a Chicago Daily News clipping about him taped to the back of it.
Don Rice was married to Carmen Rice. At the time of her passing in August 2010, her obituary noted that she had been preceded in death by her husband, Don Rice III. She was a professional dancer and had appeared in many nightclubs and theaters across the country.
According to her obituary, “Carmen and Don met in the entertainment business in Chicago and were married over 40 years. Don Rice III was a comedian and they performed in shows together.”
It’s a shame this year’s event has been cancelled. First time, I think, since WWII. Little America, in Cheyenne, is very nice along with the second location down I80 about 260 miles, west of Rock Springs. That location is a little oasis out in the middle of absolute nowhere in terrain that very much resembles the moon! Cool post, Dan.
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