HOLLYWOOD

Glen said. This safety-conscious diver and teacher wanted to make his site a fun place to dive and decided that he would place interesting items strategically. When the U.S. Marshalls show was being filmed, Glen was asked to be the safety diver during the shoot. Though he couldn’t do it because of work commitments, one of his divers did the job. Glen just asked the diver to do one thing, ask what they were going to do with the plane when they were through. “I bought it from Warner Brothers for one dollar,” Glen said. While it only took a dollar to buy the plane, moving it to the quarry was a different matter.

The plane now sits with a school bus, and other neat items that divers new and old can check out. If you are not an experienced diver, don’t fret, Glen gives lessons and will give a beginners workout. Of course, he has great dive options for the more experienced diver as well. Mermet Springs is located outside of Vienna, Ill. Call 618-527-DIVE or log onto http://www.mermetsprings.com for details.

Interested in western history? Scenes from Where the West Was Won were shot at Cave-In- Rock State Park, which is located, like the Bay City General Store, right along the Ohio River.

Patsy Ledbetter of Cave-In-Rock, Ill., said, “My great Uncle and Aunt owned this land.” She recalled the filming. “It took eight days to film Davy Crockett and the keelboat race.” Patsy, a retired schoolteacher, said that the cave has flooded in years past. She even showed where boaters had written their names at the top of the cave. Some names date back to 1913. As a child, she can remember the cave being used as a place to hold dances. “My Uncle played a violin. They had made a wooden floor and charged to come to dances here,” she said Cave-In-Rock State Park was created in 1929, but its history dates back several centuries.

The 55-foot-wide cave, situated on the banks of the river, served as shelter for Native Americans as well as French explorers. Then later in the 18th century and the early 19th century, the cave was used by outlaws and river pirates. One of the Web sites explained, “After the outlaws were removed from the cave, it was used for revivals, town meetings, shelter and even as the backdrop for a western movie.”

That western movie was How the West Was Won. Today the adventures filmed here are filmed by tourists using their video cameras, but the cave and park are natural wonders not often found on Illinois soil. The park also has a variety of recreational activities available, along with a lodge and restaurant. Check out www.quincynet.com/illinoisparks/CaveInRock for more information.

Metropolis, Ill., is the reigning home of Superman. In this town that boasts the oldest state park and Fort Massac recreated in miniature, as well as Harrah’s casino and hotel, this small city is truly Superman’s burg. The Superman hook came about because of Jim Hambrick’s fascination with Superman lore. Hambrick, a California native, brought his hobby to Superman’s hometown and opened a Super Museum. This fun stop boasts over 20,000 items, covering the earliest to the latest Superman memorabilia.

Besides the Super Museum, Hambrick has also opened the Americana Hollywood Museum, which is dedicated to Hollywood of yesterday and today. Hambrick’s nephew, Dustin Dewey, along with many family members, work at the museums and share the collecting gene. Batman is Dustin’s particular lure. He said that items in the two museums combined represent only 20 percent of Hambrick’s collection. “He is always bringing in more stuff.

You name it, if he can find it he does.” Call 618-524-5518 for information and hours at the Super Museum and 618-524- 5975 for the Americana Hollywood museum.

These are just a few of the fun ways you can get a Hollywood fix without flying halfway across the United States! Keep in mind that it can still freeze and ice up in southern Illinois, so check out the weather conditions. If the road is clear, and the Ohio is moving, head south and add a little Hollywood glam and glitter to your holiday!

Cindy Ladage works part time for the State of Illinois and lives on a grain farm near Virden. Cindy is the author of two short-story collections, co-author of two children’s books with Jane Aumann and enjoys freelance writing.