#154: Skyview Drive In

After reaching a milestone 150 cakes, I took a week off. On Thursday, July 3rd, I was back in action. I was going to Fair St. Louis that night, but I wanted to kill two birds with one stone by getting some faraway cakes. So I decided to get more Illinois ones. There was 3 Belleville ones that I missed from May, plus the Catsup Bottle in Collinsville.

Several of my friends have been to this iconic place in Belleville, but yours truly, on the other hand, has not! The Skyview Drive-In is the only remaining drive-in movie theater in the St. Louis area. (This does not count the one in Litchfield, IL)  It usually shows double features on select summer nights, and they are first-run movies. From what I hear, people just get in line (by car), park, get their grub on (or drink on), and when the sun has officially set....the show starts. You hear the movie through a radio station that is only accessed in your car. 

The Skyview Drive-In is open from April to October (obviously when warm weather occurs), and it is considered a great family outing. With their double-features they try to put the same genre together. The drive-in opened in 1949, and a second screen was added in 1982. In the 65 years it has been in operation, it has suffered a couple times with hazardous weather damage (tornado and wind storm).

The cake, decorated by Ray Harvey, seems to focus into 1950's pop culture, and rightfully so. In this case, we're talking about classic cars. I'm no car enthusiast (hey, a car is a car...), but nostalgia lovers will definitely get a kick out of the designs on this. I'm wondering if the top is supposed to resemble a Nascar checkered flag. Who knows.

And yes, I do plan to go here sometime in the future....

Right side of the screen

Back side of the cake

Left side of the cake

Behind one of the screens

Skyview Drive In on FB
Official website

5700 North Belt West, BELLEVILLE, IL, 62223
Cake artist: Ray Harvey

The cake is now on private property. 

#153: Emma Kunz House

Hey wait....Emma who? Here is the other of two historic houses in downtown Belleville. I've questioned a lot about this place. Like I've always said during this cakehunt: 'I didn't know this place ever existed!'. In this case, I'm wondering who Emma Kunz was. I'll get to that later. And what is so significant about her house? Do people come from all over the country to visit this place? Maybe, maybe not. I will say this: the house has been refurbished many times and today, visitors get to experience 19th century lifestyles and what was considered technology back then. The way we look at it today is similar to Amish people.

Warning: When searching for these cakes, you will need a great GPS or if you're old-school like me, a zoomed-in print-out version of the cake map. If you don't often go to Belleville, you're probably unfamiliar with the one-way streets and constant four-way stops in the downtown part.

The factoids:

• House was built in 1851 by Conrad Borman, a local brick contractor. (Note: some other sources say 1830)
• It is noted to be the earliest dated Greek Revival house in Belleville and possibly in Illinois.
• The house was originally located on Washington Street in Belleville but in 1972 it was moved to its current location. It did not have a front yard, which was typical European-style at that time.
• Because of its historical significance, it was saved from demolition by the St. Clair Historical Society.
• Emma Kunz' family lived in it for 80 years. Emma lived there for 77 years and was the last resident.
• Tours are usually done by appointment.

602 Fulton St., BELLEVILLE, IL, 62220
Cake artist: David Ottinger

Official website (from the St. Clair Historical Society)

UPDATE (8/24/2016): The cake is still there.

#152: Victorian Home Museum

Belleville, Illinois is the largest Southern Illinois city, surpassing what you'd think would BE the largest: East St. Louis, Effingham and Carbondale. But looking at it from another perspective, I happen to look at Belleville as just another Metro-East city that happens to be near St. Louis. I'm sure many of the locals will argue with me plenty on that one. 'Bellevegas' as it is usually dubbed, is home to the main campus of Southwestern Illinois College, and branches of Lindenwood University and SLU. Famous people include Jeff Tweedy (of the rock band Wilco), numerous athletes and politicians, oh...and this guy named Buddy Ebsen. He played a country-guy named Jed Clampett on TV's Beverly Hillbillies. Yes, the legend about him (the Wizard of Oz one) is true.

Belleville, which translates to 'beautiful city', is also the county seat of the well-populated St. Clair County. So it makes perfect sense for the St. Clair Historical Society to make its home here. The organization bought the Victorian home in 1963, and since 1968 has operated it as a museum. It is mostly decorated with 19th-century artifacts and furnishings. Among one of the things you'll see is a balcony where Abraham Lincoln stood in 1856. This year (2014) is the city's bi-centennial. Plenty of things are going to be celebrated here, and they have been already.

The cake, decorated by Paul LeFlam, I believe is supposed to focus on quilts.

Right side of the cake

St. Clair Historical Society's Official website

701 E. Washington St., BELLEVILLE, IL, 62220
Cake artist: Paul LaFlam

UPDATE (8/24/2016): The cake is still there.

#84: Eckert's

One of the most popular family attractions is one of the city of Belleville's most iconic places. Eckert's dates back to more than a century ago. Today it is run by 6th and 7th generation Eckert family members. As one would assume, Eckert's started out as a simple roadside fruit stand. Since its inception in 1910 it has evolved into a very successful retail, restaurant and of course, produce stand.

• Eckert's is the largest family-run pick-your-own orchard in the United States.
• It has branched out 3 more locations (Millstadt, St. Louis and Grafton)
• Live local bands play here on weekends during the summer.
• Recipes are featured on their website (the ingredients you will likely find at their place!)
• The orchard is operated on what was called 'Turkey Hill', where fruit trees were first planted in 1890. 
• Open all-year round, even during the winter-time. Many festivals take place, such as the Strawberry Festival.

The Eckerts' sign, taken on Thanksgiving Day 2014

Frontal view of their store, with the cake in front

The parking lot and behind it, the orchards

The cake, which mostly focuses on pumpkins:

NOW: The cake is still sitting there as of 7/16/2015.

Eckert's on FB
Official website

951 South Greenmount, BELLEVILLE, IL, 62220
Cake artist: Mary Hessler  (also did the Ted Drewes cake)

#83: Our Lady of the Snows National Shrine

• It is a Catholic shrine to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
• The Shrine name refers to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome. Legend has it that snow fell in the summertime of 1562 A.D..
• It is one of the largest outdoor shrines in America.
• The shrine consists of a restaurant, gift shop, hotel, a grotto, playground, and much more spiritual and recreational activity places.
• In the wintertime, usually from late November to early January, there is a popular holiday lights show that is very popular.

One of the shrine's special holiday traditions

Lourdes Grotto

The sign, taken from my truck

Sides of the cake:

Right side of the cake

Back side of the cake

Left side of the cake

Top of the cake, appropriately covered with 'snow'!

Wikipedia link
Official website

442 S. Demazenod Drive, BELLEVILLE, IL, 62223
Cake artist: April Morrison