River to River

RESCHEDULED! Michigan's Rochester Hills Museum Screens “River to River” February 16

Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm.

Due to hazardous winter weather, the February 9th screening of the award-winning crowd-pleaser River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 by Emmy® nominated documentary filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films has been rescheduled for Friday, February 16, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. at the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm, 1005 Van Hoosen Rd., Rochester Hills, Michigan.  Fourth Wall Films and WQPT's Emmy® nominated documentary Letters Home to Hero Street will also show that evening. The event is $5/pp and free to Museum Members.

Inspired by the research and photography of Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa Division of the Route 6 Tourist Association, River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line Iowa’s U.S. Highway 6.  Historic Route 6 was once the longest transcontinental highway in the United States, running from Provincetown, Massachusetts to Long Beach, California.

“Most travelers are unaware of the many colorful stories from the past around every turn in the road,” said Dave Darby, who will appear at the Wilton screening for Q&A. “Iowa’s portion of the transcontinental Route 6 has a past that includes Bonnie and Clyde, Jesse James, Nancy Drew, Jack Kerouac, the Great Race Across Iowa, and others.”

“With Interstate 80’s near universal use by travelers, Route 6 and the memories that define it have faded from the public’s consciousness,” said director Kelly Rundle of Fourth Wall Films.  “The film is a celebration of a journey.”

The one-hour film has been delighting capacity crowds at its showings and at film festivals.  The documentary was an official selection at numerous film festivals and won Best Documentary at the 2016 Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival.  River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 is the third Emmy® nomination for the Rundles.  Their documentaries Letters Home to Hero Street (co-produced with WQPT-PBS) and Country School: One Room – One Nation also received nominations.

Guests can register by emailing rhmuseum@rochesterhills.org or by calling 248-656-4663.  The DVD of the award-winning film is available  for purchase at  http://www.fourthwallfilms.com/dvds.htm.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 was funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and the National Endowment for the Humanities through the documentary’s fiscal sponsor, The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association.

Fourth Wall Films is an award-winning independent film and video production company formerly located in Los Angeles, and now based in Moline, Illinois.

Fourth Wall Films - Making 'Movies That Matter'

Filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of the award-winning Fourth Wall Films celebrated their tenth year in the Midwest producing historic Midwestern documentary film stories.

"Fundraising is the single most challenging part of independent filmmaking," said producer Tammy Rundle.  "And while Fourth Wall Films has received more than a dozen Humanities Media Grant Awards from seven Midwestern states for various documentary projects, we must raise matching funds for each grant awarded to our film projects."

"Each year we reach out to supporters and fans of our film work for contributions to help us continue making Movies that Matter," said director Kelly Rundle.

You can help Fourth Wall Films continue to make "Movies That Matter" through a new GoFundMefundraising campaign.  Supporters can contribute any amount at GoFundMe.com/fourthwallfilms.

Money raised will be used as matching funds for recent grants awarded to two Fourth Wall Films projects ("Riding the Rails to Hero Street" and "Sons & Daughters of Thunder") and will be used for editing, licensing and production fees.

The campaign is live December 2017 (for year-end-contributions) through the end of 2018.

Fourth Wall Films' River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 is an award-winning and Emmy-nominated documentary. To order the DVD visit: http://www.fourthwallfilms.com/dvds.htm

"River to River" Still Packs Them In

Putnam Giant Screen premiere.

"River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6" has been delighting capacity crowds at its showings in towns along Route 6 and beyond ever since it premiered in September of 2015 at the Putnam Giant Screen in Davenport, Iowa.

Two years later, a screening at the Wilton Community Center in Wilton, Iowa was a standing room only scenario with a zealous crowd engaging in Q&A with filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films, and Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa-US Route 6 Tourist Association.

Wilton Community Center screening.

A Scott County Library event in Eldridge, Iowa drew another capacity crowd for the film and the classic car gathering outside the venue. 

"Most everyone loves a road trip," said producer Tammy Rundle. "River to River provides that for viewers and encourages them to get in their cars and explore the sights and sounds along Historic Route 6 themselves."

The film drew enthusiastic audiences at numerous film festivals and won Best Documentary at the 2016 Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival.  River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 is the third Emmy® nomination for the Rundles.

Moline Public Library screening.

"I think River to River will continue to pack in audiences," Tammy Rundle continued.  "It is a film about adventure, fun, nostalgia, hidden gems and preserving history for the future."

Remember to order a copy of the Emmy-nominated River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 DVD for your holiday gift giving.  To personalize your gift, just request that we sign the DVD for you and we will throw in gift wrap, too!  Place your order HERE and thank you for supporting Fourth Wall Films and #ShopSmall businesses.

To schedule a screening of the award-winning and Emmy nominated River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 in your town, contact us at fourthwallfilms@aol.com!

Spaulding Center for Transportation screening in Grinnell, Iowa.

#ShopSmall And Order "River to River" For Your Holiday Gift Giving

The River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 DVD is getting around! It is available locally at Makers Studio, 661 15th Avenue in East Moline, Illinois and now you can purchase it on Amazon.com! 

Makers Studio will host a hot chocolate bar on Saturday for you to enjoy while shopping! Step in from the cold and load up on special holiday gifts, including our DVDs, at this marvelous shop!

Saturday, November 25th is Shop Small day. When you are considering your holiday shopping, remember us at FourthWallFilms.com/dvds.htm for your DVD gift-giving!  #ShopSmall

"River to River" Screens in Dexter, Iowa June 25th

Bonnie and Clyde. Photo courtesy of the Dexter Museum.

A special FREE presentation of the Kelly and Tammy Rundle's Emmy-nominated "River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6" will screen Sunday, June 25 at 3:00 p.m. at the historic Roundhouse Community Building, 707 Dallas Street, Dexter, Iowa.  The FREE screening is sponsored by the Dexter Museum Board.

Dexfield Park in Dexter, Iowa was the hideout for Bonnie and Clyde and the Barrow gang in July 1933.  To read more on the infamous event and turning point in the end of the Barrow gang, click HERE.

Inspired by the research and photography of Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa Division of the Route 6 Tourist Association, River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line Iowa’s U.S. Highway 6.  To order a copy of the River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 DVD, click HERE.

Highway6Movie.com

“River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6”and Classic Car Show Come to Eldridge Library April 10

The Big Six River Bend Studebaker Drivers Club will kick off a classic car show in the Eldridge Library parking lot at 5pm on April 10th prior to the film.

The Scott County LibraryEldridge Branch kicks off Spring on Monday April 10, 2017 with a special free screening of the award-winning River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 by Emmy® nominated documentary filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films at 6:00 p.m.  A fun classic car show featuring beauties from the Big Six River Bend Studebaker Drivers Club will take place in the parking lot prior to the film, beginning at 5:00 p.m.  The event is sponsored by the Friends of Eldridge Library and is part of National Library Week.

Inspired by the research and photography of Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa Division of the Route 6 Tourist Association, River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line Iowa’s U.S. Highway 6.

“Most travelers are unaware of the many colorful stories from the past around every turn in the road,” said Dave Darby. “Iowa’s portion of the transcontinental Route 6 has a past that includes Bonnie and Clyde, Jesse James, Nancy Drew, Jack Kerouac, the Great Race Across Iowa, and others.”

“With Interstate 80’s near universal use by travelers, Route 6 and the memories that define it have faded from the public’s consciousness,” said director Kelly Rundle of Fourth Wall Films.  “The film is a celebration of a journey.”

Scott County Library--Eldrige Branch in Eldridge, Iowa will be full of classic cars on April 10th prior to showing the award-winning River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6.

The Scott County Library—Eldridge Branch is located at 200 N. 6^th Avenue, Eldridge, Iowa.  The free classic car show will begin at 5:00 p.m. in the library parking lot, with the free documentary showing at 6:00 p.m., followed by Q&A with filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle.

The one-hour film has been delighting capacity crowds at its showings in towns along Route 6 and beyond.  The film has been an official selection at numerous film festivals and received a Mid-America Emmy® nomination for the Rundles.  Their documentaries Letters Home to Hero Street (co-produced with WQPT-PBS) and Country School: One Room – One Nation also received nominations. 

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 was funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and the National Endowment for the Humanities through the documentary’s fiscal sponsor, The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association.  The project was endorsed by the national U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association.

Fourth Wall Films is an award-winning independent film and video production company formerly located in Los Angeles, and now based in Moline, Illinois.

The River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 DVD can be purchased at http://www.fourthwallfilms.com/dvds.htm.

Rundles Celebrate Ten Years & Ten Films In Quad Cities With WQPT Broadcasts & Screenings

March 2017 marks the 10 year anniversary of documentary filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle’s move from Los Angeles to the Quad Cities. Ten films and three Mid-America Emmy® nominations later, their new documentary The Barn Raisers will have its broadcast premiere on WQPT-PBS on Sunday, March 26 at 9:00 p.m. followed by a special broadcast of their Emmy® nominated River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6  at 10:00 p.m.

The film is also set to screen at the Scott County Library-Eldridge, 200 N 6th Ave, Eldridge, IA on Monday, April 10 at 6:00 p.m.  The Rundles will take part in Q&A following the FREE screening.

“This is a great way to celebrate ten wonderful years in the Quad Cities,” said Tammy Rundle.  “We are always grateful and honored to have our broadcast premieres on WQPT-PBS.”

Inspired by the research and photography of Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa Division of the Route 6 Tourist Association, River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line Iowa’s U.S. Highway 6..  Iowa’s portion of the transcontinental Route 6 has a past that includes Bonnie and Clyde, Jesse James, Nancy Drew, Jack Kerouac, the Great Race Across Iowa, and others.

“We have come full circle,” Tammy said. “To have our documentary films airing and screening in the Quad Cities as we celebrate our ten-year anniversary seems fitting.”

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 was funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and the National Endowment for the Humanities through the documentary’s fiscal sponsor, The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association.

The Rundles are the producers of the regional Emmy® nominated historical documentaries Country School: One Room – One Nation, River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6, and Letters Home to Hero Street (co-produced with WQPT-PBS).

Free Screening of Emmy® nominated “River to River" at Wilton Community Center January 22

A special FREE screening of the award-winning River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 by Emmy® nominated documentary filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle will take place on Sunday, January 22, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at the Wilton Community Center, 1215 Cypress Street, Wilton, Iowa. Q&A with the filmmakers and Dave Darby will follow the screening.

Wilton, Davenport, Walcott, Durant, Atalissa, Moscow, Iowa City, Coralville and Marengo are among numerous towns along Historic Route 6 that appear in the film. The Wilton Candy Kitchen and former owners, the late George Nopoulos and his wife Thelma, are featured in the documentary.

Inspired by the research and photography of Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa Division of the Route 6 Tourist Association, River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line Iowa’s U.S. Highway 6.

“Most travelers are unaware of the many colorful stories from the past around every turn in the road,” said Dave Darby, who will appear at the Wilton screening for Q&A. “Iowa’s portion of the transcontinental Route 6 has a past that includes Bonnie and Clyde, Jesse James, Nancy Drew, Jack Kerouac, the Great Race Across Iowa, and others.”

The one-hour film has been delighting capacity crowds at its showings in towns along Route 6 and beyond.  The film has been an official selection at numerous film festivals and won Best Documentary at the 2016 Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival.  River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 is the third Emmy® nomination for the Rundles.  Their documentaries Letters Home to Hero Street (co-produced with WQPT-PBS) and Country School: One Room – One Nation also received nominations. 

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 was funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and the National Endowment for the Humanities through the documentary’s fiscal sponsor, The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association.

Fourth Wall Films is an award-winning independent film and video production company formerly located in Los Angeles, and now based in Moline, Illinois.

“River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6” Film Receives Emmy® Nomination and will be Showcased at New Strand Theatre

The award-winning documentary River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6, produced by Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films, has received a Mid-America Emmy® nomination.  A special screening of the Emmy® nominated documentary will be held at the New Strand Theatre, 111 E. 3^rd St., West Liberty, Iowa, Saturday, September 24 at 1PM. The Rundles and other film participants will take part in Q&A following the film.  Tickets are available at the theater. 

West Liberty, Davenport, Walcott, Durant, Wilton, Atalissa, Moscow, Iowa City, Coralville and Marengo are among numerous towns along Historic Route 6 that appear in the film.

Inspired by the research and photography of Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa Division of the Route 6 Tourist Association, River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line Iowa’s Highway 6.

Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa Division of the Route 6 Tourist Association.

“Most travelers are unaware of the many colorful stories from the past around every turn in the road,” said Dave Darby, who will appear at the New Strand screening for Q&A. “Iowa’s portion of the transcontinental Route 6 has a past that includes Bonnie and Clyde, Jesse James, Nancy Drew, Jack Kerouac, the Great Race Across Iowa, and others.”

“With Interstate 80’s near universal use by travelers, Route 6 and the memories that define it have faded from the public’s consciousness,” said director Kelly Rundle of Fourth Wall Films.  “The film is a celebration of a journey.”

Emmy-nominated filmmakers Tammy & Kelly Rundle during filming on River to River.

The film one-hour film has been delighting capacity crowds at its showings in towns along Route 6 and beyond.  The film won Best Documentary at the 2016 Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival.

“Historic Route 6 is our own romantic little highway,” said Dimitri Makedonsky, owner of the Ladora Bank Bistro in Ladora, Iowa off of Route 6.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 is the third Emmy® nomination for the Rundles.  Their documentaries Letters Home to Hero Street (co-produced with WQPT-PBS) and Country School: One Room – One Nation also received nominations.  A gala Mid-America Emmy® award ceremony will take place in Branson, Missouri on October 1, 2016.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 was funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and the National Endowment for the Humanities through the documentary’s fiscal sponsor, The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association.

Fourth Wall Films is an award-winning independent film and video production company formerly located in Los Angeles, and now based in Moline, Illinois. This is the second Emmy® nomination for Fourth Wall Films’ Kelly and Tammy Rundle.

"River to River" Free Screening Event at Bettendorf Library on May 19

The award-winning River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 by Emmy® nominated documentary filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films will take place at the Bettendorf Public Library on Thursday, May 19, 2016 at 1:30 p.m. A Q&A with the filmmakers and Iowa-U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association's Dave Darby will follow the screening.  The event is free to the public.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line Iowa’s U.S. Highway 6.  Iowa’s portion of the transcontinental Route 6 has a past that includes Bonnie and Clyde, Jesse James, Nancy Drew, Jack Kerouac, the Great Race Across Iowa, and others.

The film, which has been delighting capacity crowds at its showings in towns along Route 6, was inspired by the research and photography of Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa Division of the Route 6 Tourist Association.

The Bettendorf Public Library is located at 2950 Learning Campus Dr, Bettendorf, IA. (Photo: QC Times)

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 was funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and the National Endowment for the Humanities through the documentary’s fiscal sponsor, The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association.  The film recently won a Gold Eddy at the Cedar Rapids Film Festival for Best Documentary.

Click link to order the award-winning River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6.

      

Reviewer Jonathan Turner Says "River to River" a Delightful Ride

"River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6" will screen FREE on Thursday, May 19th at 1:30 p.m. at the Bettendorf Public Library, 2950 Learning Campus Dr, Bettendorf, IA. Award-winning filmmakers Kelly & Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films and Dave Darby, Director of the Iowa-US Route 6 Tourist Association will take part in Q&A following the film.

By Jonathan Turner
Dispatch-Argus

If there's one lesson to be learned in the beautiful, nostalgic documentary, "River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6," it's this -- at least once when you travel on an east-west link, get off I-80 and sample the truly historic U.S. Route 6.

Another award-winning visual and educational feast from Moline's Kelly and Tammy Rundle, it literally takes viewers on an ambling, affectionate two-lane journey from Davenport, on the Mississippi River, to Council Bluffs on the Missouri.

First built as a dirt road all in one July day in 1910 by 10,000 farmers and businesses across the state, Iowa’s Route 6 is part of the second-longest transcontinental highway in America. Mostly paved by the end of the '20s, U.S. 6 stretches 3,652 miles from Provincetown, Mass., to Long Beach, Calif.

Dave Darby, Iowa-U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association and filmmaker Kelly Rundle of Fourth Wall Films during an interview on IPR.

The 53-minute film -- premiered last fall in Davenport and shown in March on WQPT-TV -- was inspired by the research and photography of Dave Darby, executive director of the Iowa division of the U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association. One of the key subjects interviewed on screen, Mr. Darby launched the first River to River Retro Road Trip when film production began in 2011. He's also writing a book on Route 6.

The retro tour (also lovingly featured in the film) draws more than 100 classic cars each year to the Quad-Cities, where the Route 6 adventure begins, with stops at events, museums and restaurants along the way to Council Bluffs.

"Highway 6 was really the Interstate 80 of its time," Mr. Darby says in the film. Once the four-lane super-highway came in, it allowed motorists to travel much faster, without slowing through towns, but "you also don't see anything," he says.

"The interstate is an empty way of travel," the eloquent Mr. Darby says. "You're very much disconnected from the land and your neighbors. It'll take you anywhere, but in between you're really nowhere."

Read the rest of the story HERE!

River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 will be presented at a free public showing on Thursday, May 19th at 1:30 p.m. at the Bettendorf Public Library, 2950 Learning Campus Dr, Bettendorf, IA. Q&A with the filmmakers and Dave Darby will follow the film.

Click link to order the award-winning River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6.

      

'"Highway 6" Worth the Trip' Says Film Critic Linda Cook

"River to River" filmmakers Kelly & Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films.  The Rundles will appear with Dave Darby and the film on Thursday, May 19th at 1:30 p.m. at the Bettendorf Public Library, 2950 Learning Campus Dr, Bettendorf, IA. (Photo Courtesy Quad City Times)

By Linda Cook
Quad City Times Movie Reviewer

“River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6” is a short, memorable movie about a long, forgotten highway. And oh, is it ever worth a little trip to see it.

This is one of the latest movies from award-earning Quad-City filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle, whose other films include “Villisca: Living with a Mystery” and “Letters Home to Hero Street.” The “River to River” documentary, which was about three years in the making, was inspired by the Historic Highway 6 research and photography of David W. Darby, executive director of the Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association. (Find out more athttp://www.route6tour.com/Route6iowa.htm)

This is the tale of the two-lane road between Davenport and Council Bluffs on the nation’s longest highway that traverses more than 3,600 miles from Cape Cod to southern California. Interstate 80 is the top choice for most drivers now. Unlike the more modern Interstate 80, Highway 6 meanders through small towns with attractions that make it worthwhile to spend a little extra time.

Read the rest of the story HERE!

River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 will be presented at a free public showing on Thursday, May 19th at 1:30 p.m. at the Bettendorf Public Library, 2950 Learning Campus Dr, Bettendorf, IA. Q&A with the filmmakers and Dave Darby will follow the film.

Click link to order the award-winning River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6.

      

Moline Public Library Features "Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6" Film and Discussion May 4

The award-winning River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 by Emmy® nominated documentary filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films will take place at the Moline Public Library on Wednesday, May 4, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. A Q&A with the filmmakers and other film participants will follow the screening.  The event is free to the public.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line Iowa’s U.S. Highway 6.  Iowa’s portion of the transcontinental Route 6 has a past that includes Bonnie and Clyde, Jesse James, Nancy Drew, Jack Kerouac, the Great Race Across Iowa, and others.

The film, which has been delighting capacity crowds at its showings in towns along Route 6, was inspired by the research and photography of Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa Division of the Route 6 Tourist Association.

The Moline Public Library is located at 3210 41st St, Moline, Illinois. The film screens at 6:30 p.m. followed by Q&A. 

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 was funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and the National Endowment for the Humanities through the documentary’s fiscal sponsor, The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association.  The film recently won a Gold Eddy at the Cedar Rapids Film Festival for Best Documentary.

      

QC Filmmakers Win Film Festival Prizes

By Jonathan Turner
Dispatch-Argus
April 12, 2016

Filmmakers from Moline and Davenport have earned honors for their latest projects.

Moline-based Fourth Wall Films, operated by Kelly and Tammy Rundle, and their co-producer partner Garry McGee won an Award of Excellence from the Hollywood International Independent Documentary Awards in Los Angeles for "Movie Star: The Secret Lives of Jean Seberg."

"Movie Star" is the first documentary film to focus on the private side of Ms. Seberg, an actress from Marshalltown, Iowa. It explores her American and international film career, civil rights-era activism and her mysterious, untimely death in Paris.

The Hollywood International Independent Documentary Awards is a monthly film competition with quarterly award ceremonies. "Movie Star," the feature documentary winner for the March edition, will screen in June during the a red-carpet ceremony held at Raleigh Studios in Los Angeles.

The film also received the Gold Eddy in the Pro-Am Documentary category at the Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival. Their "River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6" won the Gold Eddy in the Pro Documentary category -- plus the Iowa Connection Award from Produce Iowa for the film the group feels best represents filmmaking in Iowa -- Kelly Rundle said Monday.

This is Fourth Wall's 11th honor from CRIFF, a nationwide contest open to movies with an Iowa connection such as setting, subject, shooting location or home base of the filmmakers, he said.

“I think because we won our first award for our first film at the 2006 CRIFF, this festival will always be special to us,” Mr. Rundle said. "Villisca: Living with a Mystery" won the Gold Eddy at the 2006 festival.

"River to River" takes viewers on a nostalgic classic-car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line U.S. 6 in Iowa.  The documentary was inspired by Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association's Executive Director Dave Darby's research, photography and passion for preserving the historic highway.

Read more of the article HERE!

Order the award-winning River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6.

      

"River to River" Film Screens at Eagle Point Park Lodge for History Conference April 23

Join us on April 23rd for a special screening of the award-winning River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway at 3pm at the Gateway History Conference!

"Highway 6" Wins Two Top Awards at Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival

CRIFF director Scott Chrisman (center) poses with award-winning filmmakers Garry McGee (Movie Star: The Secret Lives of Jean Seberg) and Tammy & Kelly Rundle (River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6; Movie Star: The Secret Lives of Jean Seberg).

Emmy® nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films received two awards at the Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival for their new crowd-pleasing documentary River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6. 

The film was awarded the Gold Eddy in the Pro Documentary category and also received the Iowa Connection Award from Produce Iowa.

“I think because we won our first award for our first film at the 2006 CRIFF, this festival will always be special to us,” said producer Kelly Rundle. Villisca: Living with a Mystery won the Gold Eddy at the 2006 festival.

River to River director Kelly Rundle and Iowa Route 6's Executive Director Dave Darby during filming at the River to River Cruise in Brooklyn, Iowa.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line Iowa’s U.S. Highway 6.  The documentary was inspired by Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association's Executive Director Dave Darby's research, photography and passion for preserving the historic highway.

The Rundles' Fourth Wall Films is an independent film and video production company. They produced the regional Emmy® nominated documentaries Letters Home to Hero Street (with WQPT-PBS) and Country School: One Room – One Nation; and the award-winning films Movie Star: The Secret Lives of Jean Seberg (with co-producer Garry McGee),  Lost Nation: The Ioway 1, 2 & 3, and Villisca: Living with a Mystery.  For more information, visit FourthWallFilms.com.

      

"River to River" Showcased at Gateway History Conference April 23rd

On Saturday April 23, 2016, the Sawmill Museum and Clinton Public Library will host the second annual Gateway History Conference at the Eagle Point Park Lodge in Clinton, Iowa. The conference will feature presentations on a variety of historical topics related to the event's theme, “Cannot Tame That Lawless Stream: Environmental History of the Upper Mississippi River in the Iowa-Illinois Gateway Area” and feature a special presentation of the new documentary by Emmy-nominated Quad Cities filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films.

The opening keynote address will be delivered by Big River Magazine Editor, Reggie McLeod. Against the backdrop of the largest man-made portion of the Upper Mississippi River, the panel sessions will include area scholars, historians, and enthusiasts discussing various aspects of the changing ecology of the river through the lens of Gateway area history.

Director Kelly Rundle films on Route 6 for the documentary River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6.

The conference will conclude with a screening of the documentary River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6, by Quad Cities-area filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle, followed by a discussion with the filmmakers. Full details of the program schedule and presentations can be found by clicking HERE.

The Gateway History Conference is FREE and open to the public. This event is made possible with generous funding from the Joyce Foundation, Humanities Iowa, and Friends of the Clinton Public Library.

Though registration is not required, the organizers encourage those interested in attending to RSVP to Clinton Public Library Director Brad Wiles at 563-242-9115 or bwiles@clintonpubliclibrary.us.

Gazette Shines Light on Cedar Rapids Independent Film Fest, "Highway 6" and "Movie Star"

"River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6" producers Kelly & Tammy Rundle, Fourth Wall Films. Photo Courtesy Quad City Times.

By Diana Nollen
The Cedar Rapids Gazette
March 30, 2016

The Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival is all about Iowa connections on-screen and behind the scenes. And Fourth Wall Films, based in Moline, Ill., is all about preserving the Midwest's "forgotten" history.

Fourth Wall Films filmmaker Kelly Rundle is thrilled the two are again intersecting, with screenings of "River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6" (Friday, April 1 at 7:50pm, Saturday at 2:50pm) and "Movie Star: The Secret Lives of Jean Seberg" (Friday at 6:30pm and Saturday at 1:30pm) making the cut for this year's film festival.

The event, founded in 2001, runs Friday and Saturday (April 1 and 2) at Collins Road Theatres in Marion. The 63 selected films - ranging from 2 minutes to 2 hours - include a mix of features, shorts, documentaries, music videos and experimental films from students, amateurs and professionals. They compete for gold and silver Eddy awards, audience choice and Iowa connection awards.

Fourth Wall's Seberg documentary is a direct result of networking at a film festival. Garry McGee of Elma, who had conducted a bevy of interviews with the late actress' family and friends, called the Rundles in Los Angeles after reading about Midwest screenings of their Villisca film. The conversation picked back up after the Rundles moved back to the Midwest in 2007 and ran into McGee at a Mason City film festival.

"We're always looking for Midwestern stories that have a local or regional following but deserve a much wider audience or awareness," Rundle said. "This was obviously one of those stories."

"Movie Star" is a tale of Hollywood and heartbreak, beginning when an unknown 17-year-old Iowa girl beat out 18,000 actresses to play St. Joan in Otto Preminger's 1957 film. The documentary goes behind the scenes of her rocky life in the international film spotlight, her civil rights activism that drew FBI attention, and her mysterious death in Paris in 1979 - deemed a "probable suicide." "That leaves room for doubt," Rundle said.

"I hope that audience members, when they see that film, see their own daughter or granddaughter or niece or sister or friend. I just think the story relates to people on that level."

Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association's Dave Darby.  The documentary was inspired by Darby's research, photography and passion for preserving the historic highway and drawing attention to the small towns along the way.

The Highway 6 documentary, making its first film festival appearance, travels a more nostalgic route across Iowa. Taking on the form of a classic car cruise from Davenport to Council Bluffs, it looks at the towns and stories along this forgotten stretch of highway that weaves under and over Interstate 80 in places.

Rundle hopes the film inspires viewers to take their own weekend jaunt along the route, to discover hidden gems like Ladora, home to the secret writer of the "Nancy Drew" mysteries, or Dexter, site of a Bonnie and Clyde shootout.

Read the full story by clicking HERE!

 

TICKETS: Advance: $8 per session (Friday evening, Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, Saturday evening) or $25 all-event pass; day of shows: $10 per session, $35 all-event pass; theater box office or Crifm.org/ticketinfo.html

SCHEDULE: Crifm.org/festivalschedule.html

 

    

"Highway 6" Official Selection at Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival

Emmy® nominated documentary filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle spent four years crisscrossing Iowa to film their crowd-pleasing documentary River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6.  Audiences will get a chance to ‘join the journey’ when the film screens at the Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival April 1  at 7:50pm and April 2 at 2:50pm at the Collins Road Theatres, 1462 Twixt Town Road, Marion, Iowa.   Show times and ticket information will be available at www.crifm.org.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line Iowa’s U.S. Highway 6.

Bonnie and Clyde dramatic story unfolded in Dexter, Iowa. Photo courtesy Dexter Museum.

“Most travelers are unaware of the many colorful stories from the past around every turn in the road,” said producer Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films. “Iowa’s portion of the transcontinental Route 6 has a past that includes Bonnie and Clyde, Jesse James, Nancy Drew, Jack Kerouac, and the Great Race Across Iowa.”

Photo courtesy Dave Darby.

“With Interstate 80’s near universal use by travelers, Route 6 and the memories that define it have faded from the public’s consciousness,” said director Kelly Rundle, who will attend the film festival.  “The film is a celebration of a journey.”

“Historic Route 6 is our own romantic little highway,” said Dimitri Makedonsky, owner of the Ladora Bank Bistro in Ladora, Iowa off of Route 6.

The one-hour documentary, which has been delighting capacity crowds at its showings, was inspired by the research and photography of Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa Division of the Route 6 Tourist Association.

The documentary will continue its theatrical tour at film festivals and in art theaters, with broadcasts on Midwestern PBS stations slated for later this year.  The film has been released nationally on DVD.

Photo courtesy the Spaulding Inn in Grinnell, Iowa--the Spaulding mansion is featured in the documentary.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 was funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and the National Endowment for the Humanities through the documentary’s fiscal sponsor, The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association. 

To order your copy of the River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 DVD, click HERE!

WQPT-Quad Cities PBS Premieres "River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6" in March

River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6, the new documentary by Emmy nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films,  is a Featured Program on WQPT-Quad Cities PBS and will have its broadcast premiere on Tuesday, March 8 at 7:00 p.m.  The film shows again on Sunday, March 13 at 4:30 p.m., March 14 12:00 a.m., and March 16 at 2:30 a.m.

Mary Pruess, WQPT-Quad Cities PBS General Manager, wrote in her monthly message: 

"This month WQPT brings you some of the best work of our local filmmakers with the premiere of Fourth Wall Films’ River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 and If You Only Knew from the team at Mickle Communications. As your local public television station, we feel it is important to focus on our stories—our community—our issues. We are very fortunate to work with these home-grown filmmakers and showcase their work on WQPT."

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line Iowa’s U.S. Highway 6.  Iowa’s portion of the transcontinental Route 6 has a past that includes Bonnie and Clyde, Jesse James, Nancy Drew, Jack Kerouac, the Great Race Across Iowa, and others.

The film, which has been delighting capacity crowds at its showings in towns along Route 6, was inspired by the research and photography of Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa Division of the Route 6 Tourist Association.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 was funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and the National Endowment for the Humanities through the documentary’s fiscal sponsor, The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association. 

If you are not a member of WQPT-Quad Cities PBS, it's Pledge Month and the perfect time to subscribe and support public television! Visit http://www.wqpt.org/support/ to learn more.

For more information about the Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association, visit http://usroute6iowa.org/.  For information about the national U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association visit http://www.route6tour.com/.

To order your copy of the River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 DVD, click HERE!

  

 

"River to River" DVDs Ship in Time for the Holidays!

The DVDs are coming! The DVDs are coming!

Fans of River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6, by Emmy nominated Fourth Wall Films, have been chomping at the bit for the new DVD and we are pleased to report they are being manufactured and will ship mid-December.

A perfect gift for your road tripper, history buff, classic car enthusiast, Iowa aficionado... Really, River to River is for anyone!

The River to River DVD includes the crowd-pleasing film, deleted scenes, extended interview comments and more.  

"Thank you for making me fall in love with Iowa all over again," said one viewer.

Order your personal copy of River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 or gift by clicking HERE! The DVD is $24.99 with FREE shipping.

Let us know if you want the DVD signed or gift wrapped.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Fourth Wall Films!

 

"River to River" Comes to Neola, Iowa

River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 by Emmy® nominated documentary filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle will be showcased at the Neola Phoenix Theater, 307 Front Street, Neola, Iowa, Friday and Saturday October 23-24 at 6:o0 p.m. and on Sunday, October 25 at 4:00 p.m.  Tickets are $4, 12 and under are $2. 

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line Iowa’s U.S. Highway 6.  Iowa’s portion of the transcontinental Route 6 has a past that includes Bonnie and Clyde, Jesse James, Nancy Drew, Jack Kerouac, the Great Race Across Iowa, and others.

River to River has been packing screenings along Iowa's Historic Route 6.

The film, which has been delighting capacity crowds at its showings in towns along Route 6, was inspired by the research and photography of Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa Division of the Route 6 Tourist Association.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 was funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and the National Endowment for the Humanities through the documentary’s fiscal sponsor, The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association. 

For more information about the documentary, visit Highway6Movie.com.  For more information about Historic Route 6 in Iowa, visit http://usroute6iowa.org/.

To preorder the River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 click HERE!

Putnam Giant Screen Encore Showing of "Highway 6" Film Tonight!

The sold-out premiere of "River to River" at the Putnam Giant Screen on Sept. 17 prompted an encore event on Sept. 30.

An encore screening of River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 by Emmy® nominated documentary filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle is scheduled at the Putnam Giant Screen on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. A Q&A with the filmmakers and other film participants will follow the screening.  Tickets are $8.50 and available at Putnam.org.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line Iowa’s U.S. Highway 6.  Iowa’s portion of the transcontinental Route 6 has a past that includes Bonnie and Clyde, Jesse James, Nancy Drew, Jack Kerouac, the Great Race Across Iowa, and others.

The film, which has been delighting capacity crowds at its showings in towns along Route 6, was inspired by the research and photography of Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa Division of the Route 6 Tourist Association.

An IndieGoGo fundraising campaign is underway to raise funds for film distribution. Contributors can add their name to the credits and receive other perks by visiting  http://igg.me/at/highway6movie.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 was funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and the National Endowment for the Humanities through the documentary’s fiscal sponsor, The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association. 

For more information about the documentary, visit Highway6Movie.com.  For more information about Historic Route 6 in Iowa, visit http://usroute6iowa.org/.

To preorder the River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 click HERE!

Spaulding Center in Grinnell Showcases "Highway 6" Film and Filmmakers Sept. 29

Spaulding Center for Transportation's Chuck Brooke during his interview for the film.

Emmy® nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films new documentary, River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 will be showcased at the Spaulding Transportation Center, 829 Spring St. in Grinnell, Iowa on Tuesday, September 29 at 7PM.  The little-known and fascinating story of the manufacturing of Spaulding automobiles in Grinnell at the turn of the 20th century is among a number stories featured in the film.  Tickets for the screening and Q&A with the filmmakers  are $7 and available at the door the night of the show.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line Iowa’s U.S. Highway 6.  Iowa’s portion of the transcontinental Route 6 has a past that includes Bonnie and Clyde, Jesse James, Nancy Drew, Jack Kerouac, the Great Race Across Iowa, and others. 

Spaulding automobile step-climber.

An IndieGoGo fundraising campaign is underway to raise funds for film distribution. Contributors can add their name to the credits and receive other perks by visiting  http://igg.me/at/highway6movie.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 was funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and the National Endowment for the Humanities through the documentary’s fiscal sponsor, The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association. 

For more information about the documentary, visit Highway6Movie.com.  For more information about Historic Route 6 in Iowa, visit http://usroute6iowa.org/.

To preorder the River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 click HERE!

"River to River" Comes to Dexter

The Roundhouse in Dexter, Iowa will host the September 28th 7pm screening of the film.

Dexter, Iowa is getting ready for a special screening of Emmy® nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films new documentary, River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6.  Theirs is among a number of towns and stories featured in the film.  The screening and Q&A with the filmmakers takes place at the Dexter Roundhouse, 707 Dallas St. in Dexter  at 7PM Monday, September 28, 2015.  Tickets are $7 and available at the door the night of the show.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line Iowa’s U.S. Highway 6.  Iowa’s portion of the transcontinental Route 6 has a past that includes Bonnie and Clyde, Jesse James, Nancy Drew, Jack Kerouac, the Great Race Across Iowa, and others. 

The notorious outlaws Bonnie and Clyde.

The film's premiere at the Putnam Giant Screen in Davenport was sold out and other events along Route 6 have been well attended and in some cases reached capacity crowds.  The documentary features towns and stories along Iowa's Route 6, including Dexter and Stuart's connection with the notorious outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow.

An IndieGoGo fundraising campaign is underway to raise funds for film distribution. Contributors can add their name to the credits and receive other perks by visiting  http://igg.me/at/highway6movie.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 was funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and the National Endowment for the Humanities through the documentary’s fiscal sponsor, The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association. 

For more information about the documentary, visit Highway6Movie.com.  For more information about Historic Route 6 in Iowa, visit http://usroute6iowa.org/.

To preorder the River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 click HERE!

Western Historic Trails Center Showcases "River to River" September 27

Western Historic Trails Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa will screen the film Sept. 27 at 2pm.

River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 by Emmy® nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films, continues on its Route 6 tour with a screening in Council Bluffs, Iowa at the Western Historic Trails Center, 3434 Richard Downing Avenue at 2PM Sunday, September 27, 2015. A Q&A with the filmmakers will follow the screening. Tickets are $8 and available at the door the day of the show.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line Iowa’s U.S. Highway 6.

An IndieGoGo fundraising campaign is underway to raise funds for film distribution. Contributors can add their name to the credits and receive other perks by visiting  http://igg.me/at/highway6movie.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 was funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and the National Endowment for the Humanities through the documentary’s fiscal sponsor, The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association. 

For more information about the documentary, visit Highway6Movie.com.  For more information about Historic Route 6 in Iowa, visit http://usroute6iowa.org/.

To preorder the River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 click HERE!

Route 6 Film Screens in Marengo September 22

The Marengo Public Library off of Route 6.

Emmy® nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films, will present their new documentary film River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 at 7PM Tuesday, September 22, 2015 at the Marengo Public Library, 235 E. Hilton St., Marengo, Iowa. A Q&A with the filmmakers and others will follow the screening. The FREE event is sponsored by Friends of the Marengo Public Library.  Marengo is featured in the new film.

Marengo, Iowa off of Route 6 is featured in the new documentary River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6. Historian Marilyn Rodgers of the Pioneer Heritage Museum provided an on-camera interview and dozens of historical photographs for the film.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line Iowa’s U.S. Highway 6.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 was funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and the National Endowment for the Humanities through the documentary’s fiscal sponsor, The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association. 

For more information about the documentary, visit Highway6Movie.com.  For more information about Historic Route 6 in Iowa, visit http://usroute6iowa.org/.

To preorder the River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 click HERE!

"River to River" Screens at Museum of Natural History September 20

A Humanities Iowa presentation of "River to River" will take place on Sunday, September 20 at 2pm. The event is free to the public. (A Silos & Smokestacks Heritage Area partner site.)

After a sold out premiere event in Davenport, Iowa at the Putnam Giant Screen, River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6, a new documentary by Emmy® nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films, continues on its film tour to the UI Museum of Natural History, Macbride Hall, 17 N. Clinton, Iowa City on Sunday, September 20, 2015 at 2:00 p.m.  A Q&A with the filmmakers and Carolyn Dyer, author of “Rediscovering Nancy Drew”, Dave Darby, executive director of the U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association-Iowa, and Sarah Horgen from the Museum of Natural History, will follow the screening. This Humanities Iowa program is FREE to the public. Iowa City is among several towns along Iowa’s historic Route 6 featured in the film.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line Iowa’s U.S. Highway 6.

Photo courtesy David W. Darby, U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association-Iowa.

“With Interstate 80’s near universal use by travelers, Route 6 and the memories that define it have faded from the public’s consciousness,” said director Kelly Rundle of Fourth Wall Films.  “The film is a celebration of a journey.” 

“Most travelers are unaware of the many colorful stories from the past around every turn in the road,” said producer Tammy Rundle. “Iowa’s portion of the transcontinental Route 6 has a past that includes Bonnie and Clyde, Jesse James, Nancy Drew, Jack Kerouac, the Great Race Across Iowa, and others.”

The project was suggested to the Rundles by Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa Division of the Route 6 Tourist Association.

 
"Rediscovering Nancy Drew" author Carolyn Dyer will take part in Q&A at the Humanities Iowa screening of "River to River" and talk about Mildren Wirt Benson's work on the original Nancy Drew book series. 

Several Iowa City sites including the Museum of Natural History and Plum Grove Historic Site are featured in the film, as well as the surprising story of the mysterious author of the original Nancy Drew book series is featured. Karen Mason, curator of the Iowa Women’s Archives, University of Iowa Libraries, and author Carolyn Dyer, sat for on-camera interviews to reveal the story of the popular mystery writer who was born and raised in the small hamlet of Ladora, Iowa off of Route 6, wrote her first published work at age 12, and was the first person to graduate with a Master’s in Journalism at the University of Iowa.

Plum Grove, the retirement home of first territorial governor Robert Lucas (A Silos & Smokestacks Heritage Area partner site.)

The documentary will continue touring from Iowa City along Historic Route 6 with screenings on September 22, 7pm at the Marengo Public Library in Marengo, IA; the 27th, 2pm at the Western Historic Trails Center in Council Bluffs ($8/pp); the 28th at the Roundhouse in Dexter ($7/pp); the 29th in Spaulding Center for Transportation in Grinnell ($7/pp). Showings will continue at film festivals and in art theaters, followed by a national DVD release, and broadcasts on Midwestern PBS stations in 2016.

The Black Angel located in Oakland Cemetery in Iowa City.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 was funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and the National Endowment for the Humanities through the documentary’s fiscal sponsor, The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association. 

For more information about the documentary, visit Highway6Movie.com.  For more information about Historic Route 6 in Iowa, visit http://usroute6iowa.org/.

To preorder the River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 click HERE!

Six Places to see Award-winning Fourth Wall Films' "Highway 6" Documentary

River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 producers Kelly & Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films.

Emmy ® nominated documentary filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films are excited to hit the road with their new documentary River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 starting with a grand premiere event at the Putnam Museum's Giant Screen in Davenport, Iowa on September 17th at 7:00 p.m.

 

"We could not be more thrilled about premiering the film at the Putnam," said producer Tammy Rundle.  "The museum is a treasure to the Quad Cities and the documentary is very much about seeking out the treasures in communities along Historic Route 6. It is among our favorite places to explore and to bring guests who are visiting the Quad Cities."

 

The premiere event will kick off the 5^th Annual River to River Retro Road Tour, organized by Dave Darby, the Executive Director of the Iowa Division of the Route 6 Tourist Association. The film was inspired by the research and photography of Darby and he launched the first River to River Cruise when film production began on the project in 2011. The tour draws 100+ cars each year to the Quad Cities where the Route 6 journey begins, and ends in Council Bluffs with stops at events, museums and restaurants in towns along the way. For more information and to register for the Road Trip, visit River to River Retro Road Trip.

 

Premiere attendees will enjoy the classic car 'eye-candy' in the Putnam lot between 6:00 p.m. and 6:45 p.m.  The screening of the 1-hour film will begin at 7:00 p.m. with Q&A with the filmmakers and other film participants following the movie. The premiere event is sponsored by the Putnam Museum and Dahl Ford.  Advance tickets are recommended--$8.50/pp.  To order tickets visit Putnam.org.

 

View the film trailer HERE!

 

Six special event screenings of River to River will take place at venues along Historic Route 6 from Davenport to Council Bluffs, September 17-30:

 

Davenport, Iowa - PUTNAM PREMIERE EVENT!
September 17, 2015 (Thurs), 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Putnam Giant Screen, 1717 West 12th Street. Tickets $8.50/pp at Putnam.org. Q&A with the filmmakers and film participants following the movie. Sponsored by the Putnam Museum and Dahl Ford.

 

Iowa City, Iowa - HUMANITIES IOWA EVENT!  
September 20, 2015 (Sunday) 2:00 p.m. -4:00 p.m. UI Museum of Natural History, 17 N. Clinton St. Free to the public! Q&A with the filmmakers and Carolyn Dyer (author of "Rediscovering Nancy Drew").  

 

Marengo, Iowa - FRIENDS OF MARENGO PUBLIC LIBRARY EVENT! 
September 22, 2015 (Tuesday) 7:00 p.m. -8:30 p.m. Marengo Public Library, 235 E. Hilton Street. Free to the public! Q&A with the filmmakers following the movie. Sponsored by Friends of Marengo Public Library.

 

Council Bluffs, Iowa - WESTERN HISTORIC TRAILS CENTER EVENT! 
September 27, 2015 (Sunday) 2:00 p.m. -4:00 p.m. Western Historic Trails Center, 3434 Richard Downey Avenue. Tickets $8/pp at the door (seating is limited). Q&A with the filmmakers following the movie.

 

Dexter, Iowa - ROUNDHOUSE EVENT! 
September 28, 2015 (Monday) 7:00 p.m. -8:30 p.m. Dexter Roundhouse Community Center, 707 Dallas Street. Tickets $7/pp at the door. Q&A with the filmmakers following the movie.

 

Grinnell, Iowa - SPAULDING CENTER FOR TRANSPORTATION EVENT! 
September 29, 2015 (Tuesday) 7:00 p.m. -8:30 p.m. Spaulding Center for Transportation, 829 Spring Street. Tickets $7/pp at the door. Q&A with the filmmakers following the movie.

 

Showings will continue at film festivals and in art theaters, followed by a national DVD release, and broadcasts on Midwestern PBS stations in 2016.  

 

We'd LOVE to bring River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 to your location! 
To book a showing of the documentary in your community, contact Kelly and Tammy Rundle at fourthwallfilms@aol.com!

 

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 was funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and the National Endowment for the Humanities through the documentary’s fiscal sponsor, The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association.  

 

For more information about the U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association, visit http://www.route6tour.com/.

 

To pre-order the River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 DVD, click HERE!  The DVD will be released in late fall 2015, just in time for Christmas!

Iowa's Historic Route 6 Featured in New Documentary by Emmy-nominated Filmmakers

Emmy® nominated documentary filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle spent three years filming landscapes, town-scapes, historic sites and exploring the stories that line historic Route 6 for their new documentary River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6.  The film will premiere Thursday, September 17, 2015 on the Putnam Museum Giant Screen in Davenport, Iowa and then tour and screen at other venues along Highway 6 from Davenport to Council Bluffs, September 17-29. 

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line Iowa’s U.S. Highway 6.

“With Interstate 80’s near universal use by travelers, Route 6 and the memories that define it have faded from the public’s consciousness,” said director Kelly Rundle of Fourth Wall Films.  “The film is a celebration of a journey.” 

“Most travelers are unaware of the many colorful stories from the past around every turn in the road,” said producer Tammy Rundle. “Iowa’s portion of the transcontinental Route 6 has a past that includes Bonnie and Clyde, Jesse James, Nancy Drew, Jack Kerouac, the Great Race Across Iowa, and others.”

Showings will continue at film festivals and in art theaters, followed by a national DVD release, and broadcasts on Midwestern PBS stations in 2016.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 was funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and the National Endowment for the Humanities through the documentary’s fiscal sponsor, The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association. 

The Rundles' Fourth Wall Films is an independent film and video production company. They produced the regional Emmy® nominated documentaries Letters Home to Hero Street (with WQPT-PBS) and Country School: One Room – One Nation; and the award-winning films Lost Nation: The Ioway 1, 2 & 3, and Villisca: Living with a Mystery.  For more information, visit Highway6Movie.com

To schedule a screening of the film in your town, email fourthwallfilms@aol.com.

To pre-order the DVD and save click HERE!

Gilbert's Highway 6 Coast to Coast Run for Kids Hits Iowa July 22

COAST TO COAST FOR KIDS

 

The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association is excited to help Aprylle Gilbert, an accomplished folk-rock musician and long-distance runner, as she makes her way through Iowa on her coast-to-coast run across historic U.S. Route 6.  Her goal is to inspire youth and to raise funds for a youth center in a troubled neighborhood in San Jose, California.  

 

Her goal is to run an average of 30 miles per day as she makes her way from Long Beach, California, to Provincetown, Massachusetts, along Route 6--an overall distance of 3,652 miles.  At various locations, she will also be doing concerts, as time allows. Aprylle has an estimated ETA in Council Bluffs of July 22nd.

 

HOW CAN YOU HELP? 

·         Run or walk alongside Aprylle as she makes her way through your town 

·         Create a media event for your local news 

·         Provide lodging for an evening for Aprylle and her support driver 

·         Provide a meal and encouragement 

·         Donate to her cause 

·         Host a concert – with 50% of the donations going to Aprylle’s cause and 50% going to a charity of your choice.  Aprylle is a highly accomplished folk-rock musician.  (Note: Only as time allows.  Please plan in advance so Aprylle can coordinate her schedule.) 

·         Become a Member of the Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association

 

FOLLOW APRYLLE’S PROGRESS AND FIND FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT HER CAUSE AT www.route6tour.com.

“River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6” to Premiere on Putnam Giant Screen in September

 
River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 includes the Route 6 Retro Road Tour.

River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 by Emmy® nominated documentary filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle will premiere Thursday evening, September 17, 2015, 7:00 p.m. on the Putnam Giant Screen in Davenport, Iowa.  

The event will kick off the Route 6 Tourist Association-Iowa's annual “River to River Retro Road Trip” which hits the pavement September 17-20.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, historic sites and roadside attractions that line Iowa’s U.S. Highway 6.

River to River director Kelly Rundle "on the road."

“With Interstate 80’s near universal use by travelers, Route 6 and the memories that define it have faded from the public’s consciousness,” said director Kelly Rundle of Fourth Wall Films. “The film is a celebration of a journey."

Producer Tammy Rundle with Dexter Museum curator Doris Feller following an interview about notorious outlaws Bonnie and Clyde whose crime spree landed them in the Iowa Route 6 town of Dexter.

"Most travelers are unaware of the many colorful stories from the past around every turn in the road,” said producer Tammy Rundle. “Iowa’s portion of the transcontinental Route 6 has a past that includes Bonnie and Clyde, Jesse James, Nancy Drew, Jack Kerouac, and others.”

The project was suggested to the Rundles by Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa Division of the Route 6 Tourist Association.

Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa Division of Route 6 Tourist Association.

“Historic U.S. 6 is the longest highway ever created in the United States,” said Darby. “It once stretched 3,652 miles from Provincetown, Massachusetts to Long Beach, California, right through the heart of Iowa.” The Route 6 Tourist Association is responsible for an ongoing campaign to designate Historic Route 6 with special signs from Davenport to Council Bluffs.

The documentary will continue screening at film festivals and in art theaters and other venues, and will be released nationally on DVD in the fall.  Broadcasts on Midwestern PBS stations will follow in 2016.

    

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 was funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and the National Endowment for the Humanities through the documentary’s fiscal sponsor, The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association.

The Rundles' Fourth Wall Films is an independent film and video production company. They produced the regional Emmy® nominated documentary Country School: One Room – One Nation; the award-winning films Movie Star: The Secret Lives of Jean Seberg (co-produced with Garry McGee), Letters Home to Hero Street (co-produced with WQPT), Any Kid Anywhere: Sex Trafficking Survivor Stories (co-produced with Braking Traffik), Lost Nation: The Ioway 1, 2 & 3, and Villisca: Living with a Mystery.

For more information, visit FourthWallFilms.com.

Wilton Candy Kitchen's Owner George Nopoulos Leaves a Legacy at 95

George and Thelma Nopoulos pose with Route 6-Iowa's Dave Darby and filmmakers Tammy & Kelly Rundle following filming at their Wilton Candy Kitchen.

We are saddened by the news that The Wilton Candy Kitchen's George Nopoulos has passed away at the age of 95.

The world's oldest soda fountain and owners George and Thelma Nopoulos are featured in the new documentary by Emmy-nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle, River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6.

George was as sweet as the wonderful hot fudge sundaes he made and he will be missed by so many who enjoyed his stories, wit, and whistling.

River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 will premiere on Thursday, September 17, 2015, 7:00 p.m. at the Putnam Giant Screen, 1717 W. 12th Street, Davenport, Iowa.  Advanced ticket sales will be available online in August.

Read more about George in an article at the Quad City Times by clicking HERE.

"River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6" Premiere set for Sept. 17 Kicking off Retro Road Tour

September 17 is the premiere date for "River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6"!

Ladies and gentleman, start your engines!  The premiere of River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 by Emmy-nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle is confirmed for Thursday evening, September 17, 2015 at the Putnam Giant Screen in Davenport, Iowa.  The event will kick off Route 6 Tourist Association-Iowa's annual River to River Retro Road Trip which hits the road September 17-20.

Watch for special premiere event news and location, Retro Road Trip-eve plans, the DVD release and other screenings of Fourth Wall Films' River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 along the historic route at www.Highway6Movie.com and at www.usroute6iowa.org.

For more information about transcontinental Route 6, visit the U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association's website at www.route6tour.com.

See you at the premiere and on Route 6!

Movie Premiere and Route 6 Film Tour Moved to August

The Putnam Museum Giant Screen will host the August premiere of River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6.

The premiere of Fourth Wall Film's new documentary River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 has been moved to August.  Additional special screenings that will take place in a number of towns and cities from Davenport to Council Bluffs are also being arranged.

The Putnam Giant Screen in Davenport, Iowa will host the premiere event, opening the film tour along historic Route 6.  The Museum of Natural History will host the Humanities Iowa screening in Iowa City.

Check back for details on other screening locations, dates and times.

For information about Iowa's Highway 6, visit the Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association's website at http://usroute6iowa.org/.  

For information about the transcontinental Highway 6, visit the U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association's website at: http://www.route6tour.com/.

Map courtesy Dave Darby, Iowa's U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association.

Don't forget to LIKE the Highway 6 Movie fan page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

  

If you would like to add your name to the credits and make a contribution to the film project, click HERE.

If you or your business would like to be a Sponsor of the "River to River Film Premiere Events" please email us at fourthwallfilms@aol.com.

To pre-order the "River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6" DVD, click HERE!

RESERVE Your "River to River" DVD!

 

For a limited time you can now pre-order and reserve your copy of the upcoming River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 DVD at a REDUCED PRICE!

$20 per DVD price includes FREE shipping!*

The suggested retail price of the DVD after this offer expires will be $24.99 plus $3.00 shipping.

PayPal will automatically add sales tax to Illinois transactions.

Thank you for supporting this important film project with your purchase!

<--- CLICK HERE to PRE-ORDER*

You can also send a check or money order for $20 payable to:

Fourth Wall Films
P.O. Box 702
Moline, IL 61265

The anticipated release date of the DVD is Fall 2015.*

DVDs will begin shipping immediately following the premiere event on the Putnam Giant Screen in Davenport, Iowa.*

Click here to learn how you can add your name to the onscreen credits: http://docublogger.typepad.com/highway6/2-how-you-can-help-individuals.html

Synopsis
What do Bonnie & Clyde, Jesse James, Nancy Drew and Jack Kerouac have in common?  U.S. Route 6 in Iowa takes two-lane motorists from Davenport on the Mississippi to Council Bluffs on the Missouri.  Built in one day by 10,000 farmers and businesses across the state, Iowa’s Route 6 is part of the second longest transcontinental highway in America.  River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, and roadside attractions.  Experience the sights and sounds, the people and the places that the four-lanes have forgotten...before they are gone forever.

River to River is a documentary produced by Emmy nominated filmmakers Kelly & Tammy Rundle (Country School: One Room - One Nation; Letters Home to Hero Street, Lost Nation: The Ioway; Movie Star: The Secret Lives of Jean Seberg, Villisca: Living with a Mystery) inspired by the Highway 6 research and photography of David W. Darby.

56-Minutes - Color / Black & White - Mastered in High-Definition - Widescreen

Special Features
- Behind-the-Scenes featurette (a look at the journey filmmakers took making the film)

- additional scenes and extended interview comments

- Full-length filmmakers' commentary track

- Film full trailer and short teaser

Reserve your copy of this special film on DVD today!*

<--- CLICK HERE to PRE-ORDER*

You can also send a check or money order for $20 payable to:

Fourth Wall Films
P.O. Box 702
Moline, IL 61265

The anticipated release date of the DVD is Fall 2015.*

*Cover art and list of anticipated running time special features are preliminary and subject to change.

“Iowa’s Highway 6” Documentary awarded Major Grant by Humanities Iowa

Director Kelly Rundle films the Annual Route 6 Car Cruise for the documentary.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6, a new documentary by Emmy®-nominated filmmakers Tammy and Kelly Rundle of Fourth Wall Films, has received a major grant of $9975 from Humanities Iowa, a state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association is the fiscal sponsor for the film project and the grant will provide funding for post-production completion of the documentary.

“We are very excited to see all of the hard work and dedication of Fourth Wall Films coming to fruition,” said Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa US Route 6 Tourist Association. “By raising public awareness of this truly important road, we hope to see travelers pulling out of the rut that is the interstate, and returning to America's longest highway, not only making their journeys more interesting, but also improving commerce in the small towns along the way. We are very grateful to Humanities Iowa for helping to make this all possible.”

Dave Darby, Executive Director of Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Assoc. was interviewed for the film and is currently writing a book on Iowa's Highway 6, slated for release in 2015.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 will guide viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, and roadside attractions, and encourage viewers to experience the stories, sights and sounds, the people and the places that line Iowa’s Route 6.

Carnforth Inn Supper Club in Victor, Iowa.

“Iowa’s portion of the transcontinental Route 6 has a past that includes Bonnie and Clyde, Jesse James, Nancy Drew, Jack Kerouac, to name a few,” said producer Tammy Rundle. “Most travelers are unaware of the many colorful stories that come from the historic highway.”

The First National Bank was robbed by Bonnie & Clyde in 1934 in Stuart, Iowa.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 will be completed in June of 2015 with a premiere and screenings in venues along Highway 6, from Davenport to Council Bluffs, Iowa. A special Humanities Iowa screening of the documentary will take place at the Museum of Natural History in Iowa City.

The Museum of Natural History in Iowa City will host one of the screenings of the documentary along Highway 6 in June.

River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 is funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Director Kelly Rundle shoots footage of an old Spaulding at the Iowa Transportation Museum in Grinnell, Iowa.

The Iowa Route 6 Tourist Association is a part of the national U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association, a Not-for-profit IRS 501 (c) (3) charitable organization dedicated to the economic development and cultural preservation of inner-cities, small towns and rural communities located along all 3,652 miles of the Grand Old Highway, a.k.a. as the "Grand Army of the Republic Highway".

Iowa's Historic Route 6 Classic Car Cruise.

For more information about the Iowa Route 6 Tourist Association, visit http://usroute6iowa.org/.

For information about the national U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association, visit http://www.route6tour.com/.

Highway 6 historian Dr. Curtis Roseman.

Highway 6 historian and researcher Elizabeth Roseman. The husband and wife team collaborated to create an interactive website (http://www.heritagedocumentaries.org/Route6/index.html) dedicated to collecting and compiling information on the highway.

Fourth Wall Films, is an independent film and video production company that has produced the regional Emmy-nominated documentary Country School: One Room – One Nation; the award-winning film series Lost Nation: The Ioway 1, 2 & 3, the critically-acclaimed documentary Villisca: Living with a Mystery, and the newly released Letters Home to Hero Street (a co-production with WQPT-PBS).

For more information on River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6, visit www.Highway6Movie.com.

River to River Retro Road Trip set to roll Oct. 9-12th

The Iowa Route 6 Tourist Association invites classic car owners to get their motors running and head on down America’s Longest Highway, Historic US 6.  

The event kicks off in downtown Davenport, with the latest addition to their popular River to River Retro Road Trip –“Cruising the Ones”, which is open to anyone with a classic car.  Come visit Downtown Davenport, where there will be hundreds of classic cars cruising Third and Fourth Streets, just like in the good old days.  A complete schedule can be found HERE.

Sargent Peppers and Klemme Motorsports will have a DJ and special Cruiser Parking on the 300 block of East Third Street, while downtown restaurants will be open for the event.

“We feel there are many Quad Citians that have never been to some of these terrific restaurants downtown. This is your opportunity to come cruise, watch the cars, and grab a delicious meal.” says Dave Darby, Executive Director of the association, which is devoted to preservation and economic development along the Iowa stretch of America’s longest highway. “We are excited to make Downtown Davenport a focal point of our Iowa experience this year.”

The cruise, which is scheduled for Thursday evening from 6 -9 PM on October 9^th, is “pre-party” for the annual “River to River Retro Road Trip, now in its fourth year.  The road trip invites anyone with a classic car to join them in a trip across Iowa on the original historic alignments of US Highway 6. The credo for their road trip is “No Interstates – No Chain Restaurants.  Just Mom & Pops and Two Lane Blacktop”.

“Most people’s perception of Iowa as a flat, boring state stems from the fact that they’ve only seen it from Interstate 80. The Iowa you’ll discover on Highway 6 is rich with history, scenery, small town friendliness, and great food.” says Darby. “It’s a completely different driving experience. Many of our participants are repeats, some having been along for every trip.” 

Darby notes, “Most of today’s travelers are in a rut. They hop on the interstate to get where they are going, and have onlythe same old chain restaurants they have at home to choose from. They come home from their trip with only a fraction of the experience they could have had.”

The River to River Retro Road Trip begins Friday morning October 10^th, and concludes Sunday, October 12th, after a visit to the Freedom Rock, and the Covered Bridge Festival in Winterset.  Participants are invited and encouraged to dress in clothing that matches the era of their cars.

Overnight stops are in Grinnell and Council Bluffs this year, withevents and activities planned for each evening. Some of the proceeds, as in years past, will benefit the Children’s Therapy Center of the Quad Cities.

The past three cruises were filmed for the upcoming documentary River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 by award-winning filmmakers Kelly & Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films.  The film will be released in the Spring of 2015 and screen in venues and theaters along Iowa's Historic Route 6.

For details on joining the 2014 River to River Retro Road Trip, visit www.usroute6iowa.org  or contact the Route 6 Tourist Association via email usroute6iowa@gmail.com  or by phone at (563) 499-8211 (after 4:30 PM on weekdays).

The Route Tourist Association is a nationwide 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For more information on the Route 6 Tourist Association, visit www.route6tour.com.

Production on "River to River" Nearly Wrapped

Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association's Executive Director Dave Darby holds up his latest historical acquisition. Highway 6 is his passion, he says.

Filming on the new documentary River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 by Emmy-nominated filmmakers Kelly & Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films is ready to wrap.

Recent production work was completed: at Dexter, Iowa--where Bonnie & Clyde's famous 1933 shoot-out at historic Dexfield Park took place; at the University of Iowa's Women's Archives in Iowa City-- where "Nancy Drew" author Midred Wirt Benson's collection is housed; and a recap interview filmed with Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association.

"There are several more towns along Iowa's Route 6 in which we will be filming," said producer Tammy Rundle.  "It has been a long and remarkable journey for us.  We have met so many incredible people; driven the open road with beautiful classic cars and taken in the most breathtaking landscapes imaginable; visited fascinating museums, parks, historic sites,  fun shops and quaint motels; taken in a movie at a drive-in; eaten at some of the best diners, supper clubs and restaurants on the map; and we look forward to sharing the film in theaters and venues all along Highway 6 next year!"

Follow our progress and LIKE us on Facebook by clicking HERE!

For more information about the award-winning documentaries created by Fourth Wall Films, visit www.FourthWallFilms.com.  DVDs of the Rundles' award-winning films are available at: http://fourthwallfilms.com/dvds.htm.

The U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association is a Not-for-profit IRS 501 (c) (3) charitable organization dedicated to the economic development and cultural preservation of inner-cities, small towns and rural communities located along all 3,652 miles of the Grand Old Highway, a.k.a. as the "Grand Army of the Republic Highway".  The Iowa Association is part of this national organization.

River to River Motorcyle Cruise Hits the Highway 6 Route June 12-14

 

Dave Darby and the U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association-Iowa launch the 1st River to River Iowa Motorcycle Cruise June 12-14, 2014.  The cruise begins in Council Bluffs and finishing in Davenport at the Twentieth Anniversary Rally On The River event.

America’s longest and most historic  highway, historic US 6, stretches 3,652 miles from Provincetown, MA to Long Beach CA.  Iowa's portion of the route is the subject of Emmy-nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle's new documentary River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6.  The film will be released in the spring of 2015.

"For out of towners, Council Bluffs has a bunch of activities happening on the 100 block of historic Broadway Avenue, including a Farmers Market, and drink specials at the ultra cool Barley’s Bar," says U.S. Route 6-Iowa's president Dave Darby, an avid advocate and preservationist for the histori highway.

"They’ll wave the checkered flag at 9 AM at the 100^th block of Broadway Avenue, and we’ll take the original Broadway Ave/McPherson Ave alignment out of Council Bluffs, right through the scenic Loess Hills.  Speaking of hills, US 6 on the west end of Iowa offers plenty of rolling hills and curves for their riding pleasure," said Darby.  "We’ll check out Freedom Rock along with the Historic White Pole Road, which features Jesse James and Bonnie & Clyde robbery sites.  Lunch will be available at various restaurants along the White Pole Road.  From there,  we roll through scenic Adel, Des Moines, Altoona, and Colfax before meeting up with Thunder Nites in Newton, where they typically have between 1500 to 2000 bikes on hand, and some rockin’ live music on the square from Insane Jane." 

Saturday cruise will head east through the Amana Colonies with the Rally on the River in Davenport, Iowa the final destination.  

More information about the River to River Motorcycle Cruise can be found at usroute6iowa.org.  To learn more about historic Route 6, visit U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association.

For more information about the award-winning films produced by Fourth Wall Films or to purchase DVDs, visit http://www.fourthwallfilms.com/dvds.htm.

Rosemans Interviewed for Highway 6 Documentary Film

Route 6 road scholars Curtis and Elizabeth Roseman share their collection with the River to River: Highway 6 filmmakers during their interview session.

River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films sat down with Highway 6 scholars Curtis and Elizabeth Roseman to talk on camera about their research, experiences, and massive archive of Route 6 maps, postcards, photographs and memorabilia they have gathered over the years of traveling what was once America's longest transcontinental highway.

The husband and wife team collaborated to create an interactive website (http://www.heritagedocumentaries.org/Route6/index.html) dedicated to collecting and compiling information on the highway.

You won't find Route 66 memorabilia in the Roseman home.  It's all about 6.  

"Half the digits and twice the kicks," smiled Curtis Roseman.

River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 will be released theatrically in the fall of 2014.

River to River Route 6 Classic Car Cruise is Success

Arriving in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Between 75 and 150 classic cars motored across Iowa from the Mississippi River in Davenport to the Missouri River in Council Bluffs.  Organizer Dave Darby, President of the Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourism Association joined forces with sponsor Dahl Ford to show motorists all that the two lane Highway 6 has to offer.  Proceeds from the cruise benefited the Children's Therapy Center in Moline, Illinois.

The tour enjoyed fantastic food and drink at Hill of Beans in Durant; the Wilton Candy Kitchen in Wilton; the Ladora Bank Bistro; the Menlo Cafe in Menlo; Wiota Steakhouse in Wiota; M&I Weather Vane Cafe in Anita; George the Chili King in Des Moines, and others!

Emmy-nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films captured footage of the Route 6 cruise along the way for their new documentary River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6, due for release in the fall of 2014.

Documentary filmmaker Kelly Rundle and Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourism Association President and Cruise Organizer Dave Darby.

Highlights of the cruise included a block party for the cruisers in Brooklyn, Iowa that drew crowds for good food, music and photographs of rows of classic beauties.  The cruise made stops at the Spaulding Transportation Museum in Grinnell and paraded by waving townfolk.  Music and a good old drive-in movie at the Valle in Newton; tour of the Coke Museum in Atlantic; a moving visit to the Freedom Rock created by artist Roy "Bubba" Sorensen in Greenfield, and many, many more memorable town offerings along the way.

The All the Way Club poses for a photo in Council Bluffs.

Those cruisers who made the entire journey from River to River posed for the "All the Way" Club photo in Council Bluffs.  Next year's cruise promises to be even bigger!

Historic Highway 6 Cruise Story Hits Local Paper

Photo by Dave Darby.

Check out today's Quad-City Times for an informative article about the upcoming Iowa Historic Highway 6 car cruise.  The drive, which begins in Davenport on Friday, August 23, 2013, may draw up to 150 classic cars as it snakes along Historic U.S. Highway 6 to Council Bluffs.

http://qctimes.com/news/local/historic-route-classic-car-trip-starts-here/article_e011b428-7be8-51d8-9cc0-cbb727de6dec.html

Old Route 6 Focus of Special Program at Bettendorf Public Libary June 20th

Postcard image provided by Dave Darby, Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association.

Travelers, history enthusiasts, scenic-day trippers and Seniors will want to motor in for a special presentation on historic U.S. Highway 6 at the Bettendorf Public Library on Thursday, June 20 at 1:30 p.m.  Writers Curt and Libby Roseman will share a wealth of fun and fascinating stories, trivia and information on Old Route 6, the 3,662-mile transcontinental highway that runs right through the Quad Cities.

The Rosemans and scholar Kevin J. Patrick, Indiana University of Pennsylvania Professor of Geography and Regional Planning, have been collecting and compiling information on U. S. Highway 6 for their website dedicated to information on the historic route that held America's longest transcontinental title for 28 years--extending from Provincetown, Massachusetts to Long Beach, California. 

"Our ongoing investigation of Route 6 emphasizes not only the road itself, but also its roadside landscapes and its regional and historical contexts," the website states.

Curtis Roseman (QC Times photo)


Libby Roseman (Heritage Documentaries, Inc. Photo).

Curtis Roseman, a Professor Emeritus of Geography, University of Southern California, will appear in the new documentary film River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 by Emmy® nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films, slated for release in 2014.  

The Bettendorf Public Library is located at 2950 Learning Campus Drive, Bettendorf, Iowa.  The program begins at 1:30 p.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m.  This event is free and open to the public, and is part of the library's Senior Day program, which is supported by Friends of the Bettendorf Library. Refreshments will be served after the presentation.

Visit the Highway 6 Movie Fan Page on Facebook and click LIKE!

Humanities Iowa Awards Grant to “River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6” Documentary Project

Filming at the Amanas off of Highway 6.

Emmy®-nominated filmmakers Tammy and Kelly Rundle of Fourth Wall Films have received a major grant from Humanities Iowa to partially fund production on their new documentary River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6.  The Iowa U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association is the fiscal sponsor for the film project.

“With Interstate 80’s near universal use by travelers, Route 6 and the memories that define it have faded from the public’s consciousness,” said producer Kelly Rundle.  “We are very grateful for this key grant from Humanities Iowa that helps us preserve and tell another unique and important Iowa story.”

Filming at the Sugar Grove Vineyards and Gathering Place in Newton, Iowa.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6  guides viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through yesterday’s soda shops, filling stations, general stores, drive-ins, and roadside attractions, and encourages them to experience the stories, sights and sounds, the people and the places that line Iowa’s Route 6.

“Most travelers are unaware of the many colorful stories from the past around every turn in the road,” said producer Tammy Rundle.  “Iowa’s portion of America's longest highway has a past that includes Bonnie and Clyde, Jesse James, Nancy Drew, Jack Kerouac, just to name a few.”

Highway 6 runs right through Nancy Drew author Mildren Wirt Benson's hometown of Ladora, Iowa.

Production continues this summer during the 2013 River to River Classic Car Cruise which takes place August 23-25 starting in Davenport, Iowa and ending in Council Bluffs, with stops at sites, eateries and celebrations in towns along the way.  The Cruise is sponsored by the Iowa Route 6 Tourist Association and Dahl Ford.  Proceeds benefit The Children’s Therapy Center of the Quad Cities.  More information about the Cruise can be found at www.route6tour.com/Route6iowa.htm. 

2012 River to River Car Cruise stop in Durant at Hill of Beans Bistro.

River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 is funded in part by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.  The film will be released in 2014. 

The Rundles own Fourth Wall Films, an independent film and video production company, and have produced the regional Emmy® nominated documentary Country School: One Room – One Nation; the award-winning film series Lost Nation: The Ioway 1, 2&3, and the critically-acclaimed documentary Villisca: Living with a Mystery.  For more information, visit www.FourthWallFilms.com.  Visit the Highway 6 Movie Fan Page on Facebook and click LIKE!

'River to River Classic Car Cruise' Set for August 23-25, 2013

The wheels are turning and  Dave Darby, the Director of the Iowa US Route 6 Association, is busy making arrangements and preparations for the 3rd Annual River to River Classic Car Cruise which promises to be bigger and better this year!  

Emmy nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle will be gathering final footage for their new documentary River to River: Iowa's Highway 6 during the tour, scheduled for August 23-25, 2013.  The cruise begins in Davenport, Iowa and ends in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

"This year's classic car cruise across Iowa will be the biggest one we've ever put on. Excitement is building!" said Dave Darby.  "We are extremely pleased to announce that we are partnering with the Children's Therapy Center of the Quad Cities on our Classic Car Cruise."

Get off of I-80 and see the Midwest at its best!  Mark your calendars and register/RSVP at usroute6iowa@gmail.com.  

For more information about this fabulous road trip, special lodging rates and the cruise itinerary and special stops and events along the way, visit:  http://www.route6tour.com/Route6iowa.htm or https://www.facebook.com/usroute6iowa?fref=ts.

"Highway 6" Filmmakers Premiere New Documentaries on Ioway Indians in Iowa City Feb. 23

Highway 6 documentary filmmaker Kelly Rundle shoots footage at Living
History Farms' 1700 Ioway Farm in Des Moines for "Lost Nation: The Ioway 2&3.

Delegations from the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma and the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska will return to their ancestral homeland of Iowa to attend the world premiere of Lost Nation: The Ioway 2 & 3 at the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History, 17 N. Clinton St., Macbride Hall Auditorium in Iowa City on Saturday, February 23, 2013 at 6:30 p.m.  Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films, producers of the Emmy® nominated documentary Country School: One Room-One Nation and the award-winning Lost Nation: The Ioway 1will join the Ioway and other film participants for Q&A following the screenings.

When the Ioway were forcibly removed from their ancestral homeland of Iowa in 1837 to a reservation on the border of Nebraska and Northeast Kansas, Ioway leader White Cloud (The Younger) believed his people must relocate to survive. But intermarriage, broken treaties and the end of communal living led to a split in 1878 and the establishment of a second Ioway tribe in Oklahoma. Both tribes endured hardship and challenges to their traditions and culture to achieve successful land claims and self-determination in the 1970s. Lost Nation: The Ioway 2 & 3 brings the dramatic Ioway story full circle.

“I believe all the tribes had their trail of tears, said Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma Tribal Elder Joyce Big Soldier-Miller. “They all suffered--all those Indians who made those treks away from their former homelands.”

“It’s always good to look at the past and remember that it does affect the future,” said Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska tribal member Reuben Ironhorse-Kent. “The ancestors did the best they could with what they had.”

Ioway Elders and tribal members join other Native scholars, historians, archaeologists and anthropologists to tell the dramatic and true story of the small tribe that once claimed the territory between the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers from Pipestone, Minnesota to St. Louis. The state of Iowa takes its name from the Ioway Tribe.

In addition to the premiere, the public is welcome to visit the new Ioway exhibit at the Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center in Toddville, Iowa (40 minutes north of Iowa City), a special Ioway display and premiere reception in the Iowa Hall at the Museum of Natural History from 5:30pm until 6:30pm.

The world premiere of Lost Nation: The Ioway 2&3 is hosted by the Museum of Natural History, University of Iowa, 17 N. Clinton, Macbride Hall Auditorium, Iowa City, Iowa and will take place on Saturday, February 23, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free. The films contain mature themes and historical images that may be disturbing to young children.  A premiere reception will take place from 5:30pm-6:30pm in the Museum's Iowa Hall.

The documentaries will continue screening throughout the U.S. and will be released on a single full-featured DVD in April 2013. An alternative soundtrack in the nearly extinct Ioway language will be offered on the DVD. Broadcasts on Midwestern PBS stations are slated for 2013.

Lost Nation: The Ioway 2&3 was partially funded by grants from Humanities Iowa and Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area, as well as humanities councils in Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and South Dakota, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The Rundles are currently in production on the documentary River to River: Iowa's Highway 6 which will be released in 2014.

First Phase of Production Completed on "Highway 6" Documentary

A gem of a place off of Iowa's Highway 6! The Museum of Natural History in Iowa City--a SSNHA partner site.

The first phase of production on the new documentary River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 by Emmy-nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films has been completed.  The Rundles spent much of August and September filming after receiving a grant award from Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area (SSNHA) through their fiscal sponsor KPTS-PBS in June.

"The grant allowed us to shoot footage along the eastern section of Route 6 between Davenport and Des Moines," said producer Tammy Rundle.

"A number of SSNHA partner sites are located along the historic highway and will be of interest to motorists and tourists who have chosen the two-lane scenic route over the busy I-80 Freeway," said director Kelly Rundle.

Not directly on Route 6, but worth the short hop, skip and jump is the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch.

The SSNHA Iowa Highway 6 journey included the Family Museum in Bettendorf; the Putnam Museum of History and Natural Science in Davenport; the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch; the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History, and the Plum Grove Historic Home in Iowa City.

A lovely place to stretch your legs in Coralville, Iowa is the Iowa River Gazebo and Pedestrian Bridge.

Just off of Route 6 in Coralville, footage was gathered at the Iowa River Gazebo and Pedestrian Bridge, and the 1876 Coralville School House. 

F.W. Kent Park near Oxford, IA is a must stop for a scenic picnic off of Historic Route 6. 

Late summer footage of scenic prairies, wildflowers and wetlands was gathered at F.W. Kent Park directly off of Highway 6 near Oxford, Iowa.  A remnant of Old Highway 6 can be found near the entrance of the park. 

The Amana Colonies off of Route 6.

Highway 6’s scenic drive to the Amana Colonies produced beautiful images of numerous historic structures built by the Germans who settled there in the mid-1800s.

Sugar Grove Vineyard and Gathering Place in Newton, Iowa.

An Historic Highway 6 Classic Car Cruise, organized by Dave Darby of the Iowa Route 6 Tourist Association, provided energetic and colorful images of motorists enjoying the historic route in restored vintage automobiles.  The cruise began in Davenport and ended in Council Bluffs.  

Classic cars gathered at the Valle Drive-In in Newton, Iowa after a Historic Route 6 road tour.

A highlight in Newton, Iowa was a gathering of the classic cars at the Valle Drive-In at dusk.  Also in Newton, the Jasper County Historical Museum and Sugar Grove Gathering Place were filmed.

Kelly Rundle and State Historical Society Curator Jack Lufkin pose in front of a rare Mason automobile.

Footage was gathered at a number of sites in Des Moines, including Living History Farms, and the State Historical Society.  A rare Mason automobile designed by the Duesenberg brothers and manufactured by the Maytag-Mason Motor Company in Des Moines in 1910 was filmed during the visit.

Final production on the documentary will take place in the spring of 2013.  River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 is slated for release in late fall of 2013.

Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa Route 6 Tourist Association.

Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area, a non-profit organization, is one of 49 federally designated heritage areas in the nation and is an Affiliated Area of the National Park Service.  Through the development of a network of sites, programs and events, SSNHA's mission is to interpret farm life, agribuisiness and rural communities--past and present.

 

2nd "River to River" Iowa-U.S. Route 6 Classic Car Cruise September 7-9

Iowa-U.S. Route 6 Classic Car Cruise rolls a second time from Davenport to Council Bluffs, Iowa the
weekend of Sept. 7-9, 2012. (Photo 2011 Cruise. Copyright Fourth Wall Films.)

The Iowa division of the US Route 6 Tourist Association will sponsor a classic car cruise across Iowa on old Route 6 the weekend of September 7-9, 2012. 

Portions of the cruise will be included in the new documentary River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 by Emmy-nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films (Country School: One Room - One Nation, Lost Nation: The Ioway, Villisca: Living with a Mystery).  The film will feature scenic and historic towns and attractions along the historic highway.

“We want to encourage people to leave the interstate and head out on the old two lane highway, to leave the rat race of today’s world and to stop and smell the roses,” says Iowa Route 6 Tourist Association Executive Director David Darby. “Not only is it more enjoyable, but it benefits the local economy.”

The ride begins in Davenport, Iowa with drivers meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, September 7th at the corner of 2nd and Iowa streets.

Drivers are invited to join for all or part of the cruise as they travel west on Route 6, stopping at various locations on the way to Council Bluffs, Iowa--the final destination of the tour.  Lodging with special Route 6 tour rates to be announced.

Those wishing to join for the western half of the cruise can either meet in Newton, Iowa on Friday night at the Valle Drive-In or Saturday, September 8th for breakfast from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the Mid Town (Old Maytag) Cafe.  Cars will depart from the square at 9:30 a.m. for the next leg of the tour.

Some of the best food in the state will be sampled at several eateries during the tour.  A firm believer in buying local, Darby said, “When you go to a chain restaurant, the experience is soon forgotten. But when you go to a 'mom and pop' establishment, you can make friends, capture some history, and take with you memories that last a lifetime while the money stays within the community.”

An itinerary will be distributed to drivers during the cruise.  Stops along the Route 6 tour include:

Friday, September 7, 2012:

Choice of The Wilton Candy Kitchen, world's oldest ice cream soda fountain - Wilton, IA; or, Brunch at the delicious Hill of Beans Bistro in Durant, IA.

Happy Hour at the Ladora Bank Bistro - Ladora, IA.

Dinner at the Carnforth Inn – Victor, IA.

Valle Drive-In (Iowa's oldest drive-in movie theater) - Newton, IA. (Drivers from the western half are welcome to join us for the movie as well.)
 
Saturday, September 8, 2012:

Breakfast at the Mid Town Café – Newton, IA.

Tony's Classic Cars, T-Bird restoration HQ – Des Moines, IA.

Bonnie & Clyde historical site, and Drew's Chocolates - Dexter, IA.

Bonnie & Clyde bank robbery site - Stuart, IA.

Lunch at the Menlo Café – Menlo, IA.

Jesse James Train robbery site – Adair, IA.

Dinner at the Wiota Steakhouse – Wiota, IA.
 
Sunday, September 9, 2012:

Breakfast at the Weather Vane Café - Anita, IA.

Lunch at George’s Chili King - Des Moines, IA.

The documentary is the first step in reaching a wider audience.  Once the film is complete, Darby plans on publishing a book he’s authored entitled “From River to River: Your Guide to the Original Highway 6” to further encourage drivers to use Route 6 over the interstate for their travels.

“In such an impersonal world, it is a joy to take off on an adventure along the heartland of America, and breathe in exactly what America was built on,” Darby says. “Instead of a flat, straight pair of lanes interrupted by only green signs and overpasses, the rolling fields and curving roads undulate under your wheels in between the small towns that are filled with friendly people.”

River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 is slated for release late in 2013.  The documentary project recently received a grant from Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area.

Dave Darby, is the Executive Director of the Iowa Route 6 Tourist Association.  The non-profit organization works to encourage state and local government to place historical signage designating Route 6 roads; preserve historical buildings, bridges, and alignments along Route 6; and to encourage co-operation of communities along the highway to hold festivals, concerts, car shows and more, to boost tourism and traffic to local businesses.

###

David W. Darby,
Executive Director
Iowa Route 6 Tourist Association
dwdarby@aol.com

"Highway 6" Filmmakers' Emmy-nominated Documentary on IPTV August 24

Two-room schoolhouse located in Coralville, Iowa along Highway 6.

Iowa Public Television (IPTV-PBS) will broadcast the award-winning documentary Country School: One Room - One Nation by Tammy and Kelly Rundle (Villisca: Living with a Mystery, Lost Nation: The Ioway, Movie Star: The Secret Lives of Jean Seberg) on Friday, August 24, 2012 at 9:00 p.m.  The film recently received a regional Emmy-nomination in the Historical Documentary category and has won numerous film festival awards and recognition.

Country schools took rough-hewn pioneers and multilingual immigrants and transformed them into a literate and patriotic new nation.  Whether personally, or through a parent or grandparent, the country school as an American architectural icon, is as imprinted on our perception of the nation’s early history as the log cabin and the general store.  Stories told by former teachers and students are often nostalgic, but they are also dramatic, humorous, and heart-wrenching.

In addition to Country School, the Rundles produced the award-winning documentaries Villisca: Living with a Mystery, about the 1912 unsolved Villisca, Iowa axe murders of 8, and Lost Nation: The Ioway, a film about the Ioway Indians.  Currently they are in production on the documentary River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6, and a docudrama entitled Sons & Daughters of Thunder, based on the play by Earlene Hawley and Curtis Heeter.  They are in post-production on Lost Nation: The Ioway 2&3, to be released in November; and Movie Star: The Secret Lives of Jean Seberg, a co-production with Emmy-nominated filmmaker Garry McGee, slated for release in May/June 2013.

Country School was shot in Iowa, Kansas, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Missouri and Illinois and received grant awards from Humanities Iowa, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area, the Kansas Humanities and the Wisconsin Humanities.