The Tale of The Big Chief

In 1929, the Pierce Pennant Oil Company built a way station along Route 66 in Wildwood, Missouri.  The Big Chief Hotel consisted of a restaurant, gas station and 62 cabins surrounding a magnificent park and courtyard. 

The world was bigger then, distances more daunting.  Flying was a dangerous luxury of the rich.  Traveling a few hundred miles a day in a car was rough going given the state of automobiles and roadways.   at Places such as Big Chief are where travelers stop gather across the country.  Babe Ruth sits just a few tables away when in town with the Yankees.  The notorious bootlegging gang Egan's Rats convene to divide their ill-gotten gains.

Si Hensien, the first manager of Big Chief, checks up on all his guests, making sure everyone gets "a square deal, very well fed and what they want to drink."  Si would carry on and live to the ripe old age of 105.

Times changed, Prohibition came and went.  The world went to war.  The cabins served as housing for munitions workers during the 40's, four people could share two beds since they worked 12-hour rotating shifts.

Song and television enamored Route 66 in the minds of American's during the late 50's and early 60's in what appeared then to be The Big Chief's last hurrah.  The building fell into disrepair, the cabins slowly disappeared and the main building housed a variety of odd and different businesses, including a mantle company and a guy who was going to make a fortune selling worms.

But the Big Chief was brought back from the grave when a local businessman bought and restored the building to its original Spanish-mission style.  It was decorated with authentic western and Native American artifacts including many from ranches in the Dakotas.  After restoration, the building was designated an historic landmark. 

Once again The Big Chief has been reincarnated, this time as
B. Donovan's Steakhouse Grill 

 We follow in the footsteps of old Si with our promise of
 " a warm smile, a good meal and what you want to drink".

Historic Route 66

Route 66 also known as The Main Street of America, The Mother Road
and Will Rogers Highway was established on November 11 th, 1926. It was one
of the original federal routes. It ran from Chicago, Illinois through the
middle of Missouri, the same route The Big Chief sat on, Kansas, Oklahoma,
Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and ended in Santa Monica, California.
A total of 2,448  miles (3,939 km) from beginning to end.

For three decades prior to and after World War II Route 66
earned the  title "Main Street of America" because it wound through
small towns and main streets throughout the Midwest and Southwest
lined by hundreds of motels, cafes, gas stations and tourist attractions.

During the Great Depression, hundreds of thousands of farm families,
displaced from the Midwest and the Dust Bowl, made their way
West to California. They followed what John Steinbeck called
"The Mother Road" in The Grapes Wrath.

Following World War II many more families left their industrial jobs
in the East heading for better jobs in the idyllic suburbs of
Southern California - once again traveling Route  66,  which came
to be identified with the shift from the Rust Belt to the Sun Belt.

US. Route 66 was officially decommissioned from the United States,
Highway System on June 27, 1985. Almost sixty years after it had initially
entered the Highway System. The route that had become a part of America's
culture is still remembered today, portions of the road have been designated a
National Scenic Byway of the name "Historic Route 66". It is being returned to maps
 in this form. Route 66 Associations are in all 8 original states
and a number of foreign countries.