Visiting Normal...Day Two

There is only one way that my first full day in Normal could have gone any better...

It would've taken a phone call from my manager in Hollywood telling me that JJ Abrams was interested in buying the show.

Well, maybe that was a bit drastic, but honestly--my visit to the geographical setting of my book series was profitable, inspiring, and very satisfying. I had pulled into the University town with a list of objectives, and had pulled away with nearly all of them neatly checked off.

Saturday began not too early (considering a 4.5 hour drive the night before) with a fantastic breakfast at the Fort Jesse Cafe on the east side of town. Service was friendly and the food arrived almost as quick as our drink order. With bellies full and expectations high, my wife and I headed back across the tracks to the very heart of this active yet not hectic community. As we turned down Pine Street we spotted the soon-to-be-renovated remains of Sprague's Super Service Station, a quintessential gas/store combination that was a must-stop for those traveling along Route 66.

We went uptown and walked among the shops of North Street, trying to get a feel for the area and visiting with the locals. At The Garlic Press (an interesting blend of market and merchandise) the staff was extremely receptive as I shared about the Back to Normal book series. They took down my information and offered to contact any locals they knew that grew up in the town during the mid-1950s.

I had high hopes of contacting the management personally at the famous Normal Theater (built in 1937 as a "talkie" movie house). Unfortunately, they only open after 6:30pm, but I put in a voice mail with the manager for a nice phone call early next week. I peered through the glass into a foyer that was short on size but long on character. With its eye-catching sign filled with running lights, and at least four large outdoor movie posters mounted along the busy sidewalk, I feel that this building (listed in the national registry of historical landmarks) would be ideal for launching my book series. Just to step inside the vintage doors is a trip back in time, just like the first few pages of my book.

I snapped an album-full of photos, and we moseyed around the ecological-friendly round-a-bout known as the Uptown Circle, and perused the stores and diners along East Beaufort Street. The city planners have done a wonderful job of preserving a yesteryear-feel to this progressive town. There was truly something for everyone going on--from a well-attended bike race, to a family-day celebration at the University, and off in the distance we could clearly hear the sounds of an outdoor music festival of sorts.

We hopped back in the car and took the scenic tour, visiting the site of the first Steak-n-Shake at the corner of Main and (West) Virginia.

A pizza place now sits on that hallowed ground, but I could still almost picture my group of time-jumpers gathered there for their irregular celebrations.

We then traversed to see the famous neighborhoods of historic homes in the Old North District of Normal. There are entire streets full of houses that reflect a wide variety of vintage home styles from the late 19th to the mid 20th century.

If the Back to Normal Television series is ever produced, I found the perfect, turn-key set and backdrop.

A few turns and a few streets later, we ran across the Normal Public Library, and the courteous staff there quickly helped me find the local history section.

 I discovered the book, The Legacy: A survey of the historical architecture of the Town of Normal, published by the city of Normal in 1990. I need to find a copy of it on Amazon as soon as I get back FROM Normal.

We went from library TO library, as we then walked the floors of Milner Library on the campus of Illinois State University (formerly Illinois State Normal University). The town of Normal actually received its name from the college many decades ago. (A "normal school" is a college that trains teachers to teach.) We spent about 45 minutes looking over old maps and plats of the area, and I accumulated several good digital images for later reference.

It was now well into the afternoon, and I wanted to visit the famous McLean County Historical Museum located in downtown Bloomington...only minutes away. A 100-year old courthouse at the center of town has been converted into a first-class trip down memory lane. We jogged up to the second floor--and that's where the trip went from picture-perfect to unforgettable in several seconds.

We walked into an archive room that smelled of history and housed one man and two ladies. I introduced myself, and shared a little about my book and my need for research. From that moment on--the show was ON. They treated me to a wide range of amazing historical pieces, from maps, to vintage Normal High School yearbooks, and even 16mm and 8mm color films from back in the day.

But the highlight of their help was my visit with Mrs. Wills. This delightful history enthusiast actually grew up in the Bloomington-Normal area in the mid-1950s and was a treasure-trove of information about life, culture, and events in the area.

I took a page full of notes as I hung on her every descriptive word. She easily recalled her teenage years in the early days of the Cold War, and we talked politics, race, business, and night life for nearly two hours. I wish we could have stayed for at least two more, but the museum was closing soon, and we needed to get on the road for any chance of getting home before midnight brought us a new day.

We were a bit famished after our whirlwind tour, and one of the locals recommended Lucca's Italian Bar and Grill just a few blocks over. We entered the narrow and festive joint and plopped down at the bar, since the tables had been reserved for the steady stream of larger, Saturday night patrons. I never order pizza, but upon the recommendations of the staff, I (with much trepidation) asked for a 10-inch supreme, thin crust. Minutes later an amazing delight was slid in front of me, and I devoured it (along with two glasses of RC Cola). My wife thoroughly enjoyed her bacon-burger, and we spent our dining minutes visiting with some of the locals and shared about the book.

For the second time that day, we took off down the road with bellies full. A breakfast in Normal, and dinner in Bloomington, and an incredible day stuffed in-between. As my wife drove the first leg of the return journey home, I grabbed my laptop and began feverishly typing notes about my recollections and other musings. I sat back and thought about all of the changes, both subtle and not-so-subtle that I would need to make to the book series. Even though Back to Normal is historical fiction, I have set out to keep my history as authentic as I can.

True history is the rich tapestry upon which I seek to weave my tales of time-travel, espionage, betrayal, and friendship. As we drove away, I couldn't help but wonder how soon I will be able to get Back to Normal.