AREA COMMUNITY NEWS: Oakland Mills features ‘River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6,’ car show April 14

MT. PLEASANT -- The Henry County Conservation Department kicks off the spring season April 14, with a free screening of the Emmy-nominated 'River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6” and a classic car show.

The film by award-winning documentary filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle will be shown at 3 p.m. at Oakland Mills Nature Center near Mt. Pleasant. Questions-and-answers with the filmmakers will follow the film.

No preregistration is necessary to attend the film.

Prior to the film, a classic car show will take place from 2-3 p.m at the Top of the Hill area at Oakland Mills County Park.

Inspired by the research and photography of Dave Darby, former 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 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.”

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.

Information and preregistration for the free car show can be found at www.mycountyparks.com, Henry County, Events. Car owners are asked to preregister by April 12 and should first check-in by 1:30 p.m. April 14 at the Oakland Mills Nature Center.

For information, contact the Henry County Conservation Department at 319-986-5067.