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  		Welcome to
"The Historic and world famous"
RED CEDAR INN
RESTAURANT

Proudly Serving Route 66 Travelers Since 1934

OPEN
Monday - Saturday:
4pm to 10pm
Sunday: 1pm to 9pm
Closed on Tuesdays


On Historic Route 66
1047 E. Osage
Pacific, Missouri 63069
(636) 257-9790

"Let Our Family Serve Your Family"
     Red Cedar Inn was established in 1934 by James Smith I and his brother Bill at the time when "new" Route 66 was being built. The bar room was added in 1935.
     The Red Cedar logs were cut from the family farm in Villa Ridge on St. Louis Rock Road. The logs were hauled on a Ford Model "AA" one ton truck operated by Casper (father) and Lawrence (son) Haberberger. The head carpenter was Dutch Wehrle of Eureka along with other carpenters Vic Mottert and Harry Bush. The red cedar logs were hewed (or huened) with an ax by Dan Hafley and Earl Morgan. Ed Kreinkamp and brothers Ben and Eugene (Jigs) Nauman dug the foundation using a mule pulling a slip. The chinking between the logs (a mixture of wood and nails covered over with concrete) was done by George and Otto Manetzke. The logs and chinking are orignal. The bricks are made of silica sand, made at the Pacific Brick Company.
     As manager of operations in 1935, James Smith II hired Katherine Brinkman as a watiress. In 1940 the couple were married. In 1944 they bought the business from his father. Together along with their daughter Ginger and son James III they ran the business until James II retired in 1972.
     In October of 1987, Ginger and James III reopened Red Cedar along with Mom's help (Katherine). In November of 1987, James III enlisted the help of Wes Karna as a business consultant. Wes agreed to help for 6 months. The Red Cedar magic caught up with him as he is still here as a managing partner and a fat jolly cook.
     In 1991 James III decided to pursue outside interests, and most recently has turned his focus to real estate and is an agent with Lamar International Realtors.
     Red Cedar Inn truly is an extension of the famous "Mother Road." We hope you will experience that "homey" feeling that many of our regular customers and travelers have said they experience while visiting us. One of our favorite examples of this is a story from the 1940's regarding Mr. Bob Klinger, former professional baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburg Pirates and Boston Red Sox. Bob became a good friend of James II, and frequently would bring guests like Dizzy Dean, Ted Williams, Mort and Walter Cooper and Red Schoendist, just to name a few. He liked Red Cedar so much that during one off season he and his wife ate every meal at Red Cedar. Now that's a loyal customer! James Smith II charged him 25¢ a plate. Prices have gone up since, but so have baseball salaries.
     Perhaps one of our favorite compliments comes from the film crew for ABC's "Good Morning America," who were doing a feature on Route 66. Host Charlie Gibson asked the film crew, "Now that you have driven all of Route 66 and have made many stops, do you have a favorite?" Mindy Moore, reporter, responded; "Yes, we do, it's unanimous, by far our most favorite stop was a little place outside of St. Louis called The Red Cedar Inn."
     We hope we will be your favorite stop.


Our Route 66 Heritage
     Red Cedar Inn was built because of Route 66. Route 66 was commissioned by the U.S. Government in 1926. Coinstruction in Missouri took place during the 1930's. Red Cedar was built in 1934. Route 66 begins in Chicago and winds to L.A. (more than 2000 miles, all the way, as Bobby Troup's famous song says). "Get Your Kicks On Route 66" was first made a hit by Nat King Cole in 1946. Since then it has been recorded by almost every artist from the Andrew Sisters, to Nelson Riddle, who also recorded the theme song for the T.V. show, to the Rolling Stones, to Merle Haggard, Asleep at the Wheel and Michael Martin Murphey. Check our Juke Box for your favorite version.
     John Steinbeck called it the "Mother Road" as it was made famous by the Joad family in the movie The Graps of Wrath, starring Henry Fonda. Because it goes through so many towns, it has also been called America's Main Street.
     People often ask, "what makes Route 66 so special?" Is it the songs, the books, the movies or the T.V. show?
     Perhaps Michael Wallis, in his book Route 66, The Mother Road, captures the spirit the best.
     "Route 66. Just the name is magic. Route 66, it conjures up all kinds of images. Route 66, an artery linking much of the nation. Route 66 an inspiration in literature, music, drama, art, and a nation of dreamers. Route 66, a highway fashioned from vision and ingenuity. Route 66, a broken chain of concrete and aspalt. Route 66, it has forever meant 'going somewhere.'"
     Almost everyone in the United States, at one time or another, has traveled at least a stretch of its length. One of the most famous highways in the world, parts of it have also been known as Pontiac Trail, Osage Indian Trail, Wire Road, Postal Highway, Ozark Trail, Grand Canyon Route, National Old Trails Highway, Mormon Trail, and The Will Rogers Highway.
John Steinbeck called it 'the Glory Road.' Because it went through so many towns, it became the 'Mainstreet of America.'
     Route 66 is Steinbeck - Will Rodgers - Woody Guthrie - Merle Haggard - Dorothea Lang - Mickey Mantle - Jack Kerovac. It's thousands of waitresses, service station attendants, fry cooks, truckers, grease monkeys, hustlers, state cops, wrecker drivers and motel clerks. Route 66 is a soldier thumbing home for Christmas, an Okie family still looking for a better life. It's a station wagon filled with kids wanting to know how far it is to Disney Land, a wailing ambulance fleeing a wreck on a lonely curve. It's yesterday, today and tomorrow. Turly a road of phantoms and dreams. 66 is the romance of traveling the open highway. It's the free road." (1)
     The last part of Route 66 was officially by-passed on October 13, 1984 in Williams, Arizona. Yet you can pick up a map, almost any road map and look for U.S. Route 66 and you probably will not find it (Unless you have a very old map or a special new Route 66 map reconstruction the old highway). Route 66 was the most famous highway in America. The best part of this story is it still is the most famous highway in America even though it no longer technically exists! Many state and national organizations are dedicated to seeing that Route 66 survives.
     Michael Wallis says "Route 66 has evolved into a venerable vetran, it is a timeless monument to the people who work the edges of the highway and the legions of motorists who travel its length." (2)
     We at the Red Cedar Inn are very proud to be a part of this magical history.

(1)Route 66, The Mother Road, Michael Wallis. (2)Route 66 Traveler's Guide and Roadside Companion, Tom Snyder, Introduction by Michael Wallis.

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