Nineth ANNUAL "GREAT U.S. 50 YARD SALE"
"THE NATION'S YARD SALE"
MAY 16-18, 2008
GENERAL INFORMATION
The nineth annual Great U.S. 50 Yard Sale will be held Friday-Sunday, May
16-18, 2008. The yard sale started in 2000, stretching across most of
Indiana. The goal is for it to grow into a Coast-to-Coast event held each
year on the weekend before the Memorial Day weekend. The Great U.S. 50 Yard
Sale also serves to promote tourism along U.S. 50, to unite the many diverse
communities, to provide opportunities for fund raising by civic organizations,
to aid the environment through recycling, and to serve as an opportunity
for individuals to enjoy a great weekend of sales.
While promoted as a yard sale, the actual sales are limited only by the
imagination and law. Individual communities and businesses along U.S. 50
are encouraged to have special promotions during this weekend. Vendors,
especially antique and craft dealers, from all over the U.S. are welcome to join
us.
This is a non-sponsored event, meaning that it is not promoted by any
particular organization, but represents the efforts of volunteers and those who
wish to promote their communities. As such, the nature of the sale will
vary along the route. U.S. 50 is Constitution Avenue in Washington, DC.
It is Wyatt Earp Blvd in Dodge City, Kansas. It crosses mountains
and deserts, as well as farm land. In some communities U.S. 50 is now a
super highway and the sale route might follow Old 50. With such
diversity, many decisions will have to be made at the local level. The best
source for specific and up-to-date information is to follow the Connect-to-County
links.
The official yard sale is over three days. There are no set hours. (If
you have ever had a yard sale, you know that advertising set hours never works).
Also, given the nature of yard sales (and the history of last year), it is
probable that many individual households will not decide to participate until
just a day or two before the sale dates. The best option for buyers is to
locate a participating county and then just head down the road.
IMPORTANT: Please note that all sales are subject to local laws. Also,
no one is to set-up, sell, nor park on the state right-of-way at any time.
U.S. 50 is both the Loneliest Road in America and an extremely busy
highway. Safety is a primary concern. All sellers should allow for
parking and everyone should avoid being on the state right-of-way.
SPREAD THE WORD
The National Coordinator for the U.S. 50 Yard Sale is Tom Taylor of North
Vernon, Indiana. totaylor@seidata.com
While the sale is still in
its infancy, last yearıs experience showed if you build it, they will come.
A key to making this sale a success is to let people know it exists.
Please forward the www.route50.com
site to friends.
Media outlets are encouraged the include information about the yard sale in
their broadcasts/publications. Merchants along U.S. 50 are encouraged to
post signs advertising the event. Especially desired would be volunteers
willing to receive some flyers via e-mail and then to print and distribute them,
either by posting them in a community or having them available as handouts in a
shop. Contact totaylor@seidata.com
if you want some flyers. You
do not need permission to spread the word, as all publicity is welcome as a
key to the event's success.
COORDINATE A COUNTY
The nature of such a large event requires the need for coordination on a local
level. The word coordination is perhaps too large as the person is
more of an information source than a coordinator. Businesses,
organizations, and individuals set up their own sales and the coordinator really
has no responsibility in those areas.
The primary responsibilities of a
County Coordinator are:
1. Help advertise and promote the sale within the county
2. If there are needed decisions relative to local needs, make those
decisions. (Examples:
U.S. 50 is now a bypass, so a decision is made to follow Old 50. or a small community wishes to have a community-wide
yard sale, as opposed to limiting
it just to U.S. 50.)
3. Serve as a contact for two groups of people - Those from out of town
looking for selling space and
locals with space to rent along U.S. 50. (The easiest thing is just to keep a list of those
with space to rent, either on a web page or where it can be quickly e-mailed back.
The coordinator is not involved in setting prices nor any other aspect of deal
making other than just providing information about who is willing to rent space.)
4. Answer e-mailed questions from those seeking information.
5. Contact local law enforcement a week before the sale and ask that they
help patrol the route during the sale, particularly factors related to
safety.
It is essential that a local coordinator be on e-mail. It would be ideal
if the coordinator could have a web page where information could be listed as to
known sales sites, contact information for those offering space for rent,
hotel/motel information, and restaurant information. This, however, is
ideal - not required.
NOTE: IN BECOMING A COORDINATOR, THE INDIVIDUAL AGREES TO HAVE THEIR
CONTACTS LISTED ON THE CONNECT-TO-COUNTY LINK ON THE
< WWW.ROUTE50.COM
> SITE.
Ideal candidates for county coordinators would be local tourism officials, local
newspapers, local radio stations, antique stores, etc. Media are welcome
to become a local sponsor and use the event for their own promotional purposes.
This stated, we also welcome individual community-spirited citizens who
just want to help.
If no coordinator is listed for your county and you want more information about
becoming the coordinator, contact < totaylor@seidata.com
>.
COMMUNITY IDEAS
The Great U.S. 50 Yard Sale is a perfect opportunity for schools, churches
and civic organizations to make money. It can also be coordinated with
other community activities into an overall theme.
1. Recycling - Many communities have spring recycling days. The
most environmentally
friendly type of recycling is for the item to be put to a new use by someone else. If your community has a
recycling day, why not schedule it the week after the sale? Rather
than taking a working stove to the landfill, try selling it first.
2. Business Promotions - U.S. 50 remains the Main Street of many
communities in America. Perhaps
the local Chamber of Commerce can encourage sidewalk sales and other promotions
during the Great U.S. 50 Yard Sale. Motels and Restaurants can also run special
promotions for the sale weekend.
3. The Yard Sale as Fund Raiser - It is likely that there will be
out-of-town sellers looking for
places to set-up. A school, church, or civic organization can locate a large parking lot or field and
set-up space for vendors. This space could be rented out for the weekend.
If you gathered enough vendors, you could also charge a small fee for parking
or for entry. (The Great U.S. 50 Yard Sale is generally free, but most
potential buyers would be willing to pay a dollar or two parking/entry fee if they knew
there were, say, 100 vendors in one spot. If the local Band Boosters can attract
100 vendors and charge them, say, $30 set-up fee for the weekend, that is
$3,000. If 2,000 people visit and pay $2 entry fee each, that is another $4,000.
The organization earns $7,000 that weekend. It is less time involvement than a
month-long candy sale and 100% of the proceeds stay with the organization.
4. Sowing Seeds - The Great U.S. 50 Yard Sale attracts visitors along
a route they might otherwise not
travel. Having once visited, it is likely that many will want to return at other times of the
year. This is a great opportunity for communities and businesses to have promotional
materials available for distribution.
INFO FOR SELLERS
The fun of The Great U.S. 50 Yard Sale is that it can include the sale of
anything legal. Each seller is in charge of his/her own sales site. In many
ways, the U.S. 50 Yard Sale could best be described as ³regular yard sales, but
everybody having them the same day. The following additional information
may be helpful-
1. Safety and the Law - All sellers must abide by local laws
regarding such sales. All sellers
should also consider safety, being particularly careful about providing off- road parking for buyers.
No one is allowed to sell, nor park on state right-of-way.
2. Individuals Living Along U.S. 50 - Persons selling in their own
yards are not required to do anything (subject to local
law) other than arrange their own sale for May 16-18, 2008. As a courtesy,
however, it would be nice to contact the County Coordinator
so that she/he has some sort of idea of where sales will be located.
3. Businesses - As with individuals, businesses do not need
permission to participate in
this event, but are encouraged to help promote the U.S. 50 Yard Sale by referring to it by name in any
related advertisements. They are also encouraged to inform the County Coordinator
of their efforts so that she/he will have that information. Local antique
shops are particularly encouraged to coordinate with one another and to help to
promote this event.
4. Sellers from Out of Town Needing Space - You are first encouraged
to check the Connect-to-County
list to find participating areas within your region. Please check this regularly as the list
will change weekly all the way up to sale week. You should then contact
the appropriate County Coordinator to ask for a list of individuals/clubs/ businesses
offering space for rent. You may then directly contact those offering space.
5. Sellers Living Near U.S. 50 - One lesson learned from last year
was that many people who lived
from a block to a couple miles off U.S. 50 wanted to participate in the sale, but did so by
erecting signs such as Yard Sale, Three Blocks South.
While persons are welcome to do this, experience
shows that many buyers, particularly
out-of-town buyers, focus on making a ³straight run² on U.S. 50 and do not go to these side sales.
We welcome all sellers - the more sellers to more buyers who will come. This
stated, we also believe most sellers will benefit by finding space on U.S. 50.
INFO FOR BUYERS
The nature of this event is such that it is impossible to provide anyone with a
list of sales prior to the sale dates. Many sales
will be held by individual families in their own yards and they do not need
permission of the organizers to participate. The best advice for buyers is to go to
the Connect-to-County page. Locate a county that has a coordinator and click the
link to that person to ask for information about that countyıs participation.
It was this writerıs experience last year (the second year of the sale) to travel a
twenty-five mile section of U.S. 50, not knowing what to expect. What was found was
75+ sales, including several sites with multiple vendors. (There was
another stretch of about fifteen miles where I found no sales.)
While the sale route will generally follow U.S. 50, it may detour in specific
communities to follow the Old
Route or for other routes. Where communities make such changes, it is anticipated they
will post signs.
Please remember to park safely and never park on state right-of-way.
CONNECT-TO-COUNTY
This list will be updated weekly. For information about becoming a County
Coordinator, contact Tom Taylor < totaylor@seidata.com
>. Join the
fun, volunteer, and have your community included.
To get more information about The Great U.S. 50 Yard Sale for specific
locations, please click the appropriate link:
CALIFORNIA
Sacramento County
El Dorado County
Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority
PO Box 5878, Stateline, NV 89449
Phone (775) 588-5900
NEVADA
Douglas County
Carson City
Lyon County
Bread of Life Christian Fellowship
Contact
Becky Melendez
10042 Hwy 50 East
Moundhouse, NV 89706
We are having a Yard Sale, Carnival and a Health and
Safety Fair.
We will be having a Bounce House for the children,
Food, Games and a Fun time.
Email: Hwy50YS@sbcglobal.net or call
(775)-220-9696
For yard sale booth: Call (775) 246-9997
For Health and Safety Fair: email: HealthFairContacts@clearwire.net
Fernley
Dayton
Free Community Yard Sale, May 18
Contact: Ashley Clements
Terribles Casino
Dayton
775 Highway 50 East
Dayton, NV 89403
Tel: 775-246.9696
Fax: 775-246-7558
email:
Promotions@terribleherbst.com
Churchill County
Lander County
Eureka County
Luhree Riggs
Eureka County Economic Development Program
P.O. Box 753, Eureka, NV 89316
Tel: (775)237-5484, Fax (775) 237-5175
Email econdev@eurekanv.org
Please note the sale will be
May 17, 8:00-3:00 at the Fairgrounds.
White Pine County
Evie Pinneo
Executive Director
White Pine Chamber of Commerce
Tel: 1-775-289-8877
e-mail elycc@idsely.com
UTAH
Millard County
Sevier County
Emery County
Grand County
COLORADO
Mesa County
Delta County
Montrose County
Marge Keehfuss
Director Chamber of Commerce
e-mail: marge@montrosechamber.com
Gunnison County
Chaffee County
Town of Poncha Springs
Diana Heeney
Clerk/Treasurer
E-mail clerk@ponchaspringscolorado.us
The Town of Poncha Springs will be participating..
The sale will be held Saturday, May 17, at Chipeta Park.
It is a community wide sale and is advertised as such.
Our Highway 50 yard sale is held in conjunction with the Towns annual clean-up
day.
Fremont County
ITown of Cotopaxi
Catherine L. Bland
Colorado Mountains.org
Phone:719-942-3221
Fax: 719-942-3072
e-mail: info@ColoradoMountains.org
www.coloradomountains.org
Canon City
Spaces available in two City Parks on Highway 50
17 & 18 May 2008
Ione Stroup
Phone 719 275-3482
e-mail
ilstroup@q.com
Pueblo County
Otero County
Ron Davis
Exec. Director of Arkansas Valley Community Center
Tel: 719-384-8741X 101 or 719-384-6549 (H)
e-mail: romadavis@bresnan.net
ROCKY FORD
Coordinated by Rocky Ford Gazette
Kim Stallbert
e-mail: sales@rockyforddailygazette.com
Rocky Ford Community Sale
May 17
Contact: Amanda Becker
tel: 719-980-0163
email: aarvoreverde@gmail.com
Bent County
Prowers County
KANSAS
Hamilton County
Kearny County
Finney County
Gray County
Ford County
Edwards County
Stafford County
Reno County
Harvey County
Dan & Amanda Bader
24 Sequoyia Park City, Ks.. 67219
(316)-201-6951
Email;
dbader@cox.net
meadowlarktrader1@cox.net
Marion County
Dan & Amanda Bader
24 Sequoyia Park City, Ks.. 67219
(316)-201-6951
Email;
dbader@cox.net
meadowlarktrader1@cox.net
Chase County
Lyon County
Coffey County
Osage County
Franklin County
Miami County
Johnson County
MISSOURI
Jackson County
Johnson County
Pettis County
Theresa A. Wolf
P.O. Box 302
Sedalia, MO 65302
Tel: 1-660-829-4415
e-mail <smilingt@iland.net>
Morgan County
Theresa A. Wolf
P.O. Box 302
Sedalia, MO 65302
Tel: 1-660-829-4415
e-mail smilingt@iland.net
Moniteau County
Cole County
Osage County
Gasconade County
Franklin County
Irene Bowen, mgr.
Mason/Dixon Flea Market
Union, Mo. 63089
Tel: 1-636-451-5412
e-mail maktmama@charter.net
St. Louis County
ILLINOIS
St. Clair County
Joe Zimmerlee
City of Lebanon Chamber of Commerce
10th Year Anniversary to a Citywide Spring Yard Sale
221 W. St. Louis St.
Lebanon, IL 62254
Tel: 618-537-8420
Email: zim2006@sbcglobal.net
Clinton County
Marion County
Iuka, Salem, Odin, Sandoval
Salem - City-Wide Yard Sales
For locations visit www.salemil.us
"Making History on U.S. 50" sidewalk sales
Jane Marshall
Keep Salem Beautiful (KSB) President
City of Salem
Tel: 618-548-2222, ext. 20
e-mail:
cityclerk@salemil.us
The Village of Odin will hold their
community-wide yard sale on May 17
in conjunction with the Route 50 Coast to Coast Yard Sale.
Contact: Ruth Uhls ruth1340@fairpoint.net
Clay County
Richland County
Lawrence County
Delilah Gray
Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce
619 12th St
Lawrenceville, IL 62439
Phone- 618-943-3516
Fax 618-943-4748
www.lawrencecountyillinois.com
e-mail: lccc@midwest.net
INDIANA
Knox County
Shyla Beam
Vincennes/Knox County Convention and Visitors Bureau
102 North 3rd Street.
Vincennes, IN 47591
Phone: 812-886-0400
Phone: 800-886-6443
http://www.vincennescvb.org
Email shyla@vincennescvb.org
Daviess County
Daviess County Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 430
Washington, IN 47501
Tel: 1-812-254-5262
Tel: 1-800-449-5262
Fax: 1-812-254-4003
e-mail <chamber@dmrtc.net>
Martin County
Bob and Pat Street
SPACE AVAILABLE
307 E. Broadway
Loogootee, IN
email:
rstreet3966@yahoo.com
Lawrence County
Jennifer Anderson
Lawrence County Tourism
Website - Limestonecountry.com
533 West Main Street
Mitchell, IN 47446
Phone 812-849-1090 / Toll Free - 800-798-0769
Fax - 812-849-0168
E-mail - limestonecountry@verizon.net
Jackson County
Jane Hays
Jackson Count Visitor Center
357 Tanger Blvd, Suite 231
Seymour, IN 47274
Phone 1-812-524-1914
Toll-Free- 1-888-524-1914
FAX -1-812-524-1915
E-mail: jane@jacksoncountyin.com
Darlage Logging and Lumber - Space
Available
4040 E U.S. 50
Seymour, IN 47274
1-812-522-6737
Jennings County
Susan Walters
Jennings County Visitors Denter
375 N Hwy 3&7
North Vernon, IN 47265
Tel: 1-812-346-4865
Tel: 1-800-928-3667
e-mail <visit@Jenningsco.org>
Rockey Top Truck
Stop -
100 Space available
six miles west of North Vernon
Tel: 1-812-346-9909
Goins Auction lot - Space
available
Butlerville
Tel: 812-458-6354 - ask for Becky
E-mail: dgoinsauction@aol.com
Re-Use-It Recycling Center - Space
Available
U.S. 50 E
North Vernon, IN 47265
1-812-352-0505 (ask for Libby)
Humane Society of Jennings County -
Space
Available for Rent:
8375 Highway 50
Nebraska, IN
Phone: 812-458-6888
Website: www.Jenningscountyhumane.com
Email: Humanejc@gmail.com
Ripley County
Katherine Taul (Exec. Dir)
Ripley County Tourist Bureau
102 N. Main Street, P.O. Box 21
Versailles, IN 47042
Tel: 1-812-689-7431, (812-756-2800 Cell)
Toll Free: 1-888-747-5394
FAX: 1-812-689-3934
e-mail <rctb@ripleycountytourism.com
www.ripleycountytourism.com
Old Holton School Parking Lot - Space Available
Wilbur Myers
Holton, IN 47023
1-812-689-6844
Dearborn County
OHIO
Hamilton County
Terry Simpson
Sims743@yahoo.com
www.northbendohio.org
North Bend will have community-wide sales
Clermont County
City of Milford - City-Wide
Yard Sales
Susan Ellerhorst, Assistant to City Manager
745 Center Street, Suite 200
Milford, OH 45150
Phone: 1-513-831-4192
Fax: 1-513-248-5096
e-mail: sellerhorst@milfordohio.org
Brown County
Highland County
Highland County Convention Visitors Bureau
website: www.highlandcounty.com
Contact: Sara Lukens
P. O. Box 638
1575 N. High St.
Hillsboro, Ohio 45133
email: highland.county@dragonbbs.com
Ross County
Ross-Chillicothe Convention & Visitors Bureau
Kyrsten Vogel, Director
45 E. Main St.
Chillicothe, Ohio 45601
Telephone:740-702-7677, Fax: 740-702-2727
email: info@visithistory.com
www.visithistory.com
Vinton County
Americorps*VISTA - ReUse Industries
Emily Camm
Volunteer Coordinator
740-698-8200 ext 15
Athens County
Athens County Convention and Visitors Bureau
667 East State Street
Athens, OH 45701
1-800-878-9767
Phone: 1-740-592-1819
Fax: 1-740-593-7365
e-mail: info@athensohio.com
Washington County
Kelly Dyar
Marietta/Washington County CVB
121 Putnam Stree, Suite 110
Marietta, OH 45750
1-800-288-2577
e-mail: info@mariettaohio.org
WEST VIRGINIA
Wood County
Robyn Forse
Pleasant Valley Trading Co, Antique and Craft Mall
Rt 50 and Progress Ridge Rd exit, 8 miles east of Parkersburg
May 16-18, 10AM-6PM, setup at 8AM
Space available - $5 per day, bring your own tables
Tel: 1-800-935-MALL or 1-304-679-3919
E-Mail pleasantvalleyantiques@yahoo.com
Ritchie County
Cathy Nulter, Secretary/Treasurer
Ritchie County Tourism and Visitors Bureau
Historic Post Office and Bank
of
Main Street
Cairo
,
304-628-3777 / 888-379-7873
e-mail: rctourism@zoominternet.net
Doddridge County
Sat, May 20
FRN building in Smithburg on "old 50"
Take Smithburg exit off "new 50" and go one mile. Exit is
between West
Union and Salem
Contact Berneice Swiger
e-mail: dcfrn@westvirginia.net
Att: Berneice
Harrison County
Sara Reel, Office Assistant
Greater Clarksburg Convention & Visitors Bureau
208 Court Street
Clarksburg, WV 26301
304-622-2157
e-mail: sreel@cityofclarksburgwv.com
Space will be available at The Towne House
Motor Lodge
May 16-18
West Route 50 between Clarksburg & Salem
First Come First serve basis $5 per vender
Contact - rearvumirr@cebridge.net 800-728-5503
Taylor County
Olive Crow
Rt. 2 Box 352
Grafton, WV 26354
304-265-5549
e-mail: ajhouse26354@yahoo.com
Preston County
Carol Castle - Space Available
Rt. 1 Box 1196
Rowlesburg, WV 26425
phone 304-454-9744
email: bcastle@mail2.gcnet.net
Located on Rt. 50 about 10 miles west of Aurora and 4 miles east of
Cool Springs Park or 26 miles east of Grafton near the Cheat River Bridge.
Grant County
Mineral County
Mineral County Historical Society
Historic Old Stone House, near Burlington
email: apalmer@hereintown.net
Hampshire County
Hampshire County Convention & Visitors Bureau
www.cometohampshire.com
Patty Anderson (MJ Wenzel)
CVB Administrator
91 S. High Street, Romney, WV 26757
Tel: 1-304-671-2369
E-mail hampshirevisitorsbureau@citlink.net
VIRGINIA
Frederick County
Clarke County
Fauquier County
Loudoun County
Fairfax County
District of Columbia
Washington
MARYLAND
Garrett County
Jonni Hunt
Garrett County Chamber of Commerce
14 Visitors Cent Drive
McHenry, MD 21541
Phone: 1-301-387-4286
e-mail: info@GarrettChamber.com
Prince Georges County
Anne Arundel County
Queen Annes County
Talbot County
Dorchester County
Wicomico County
Saturday
& Sunday
Weekend flea market held in a
large city parking lot at the
corner of Rt. 13 & Rt. 50 in Downtown Salisbury, Maryland.
Spaces are $10 a day, mention the Rt. 50 Yard Sale and get a space for $5
Please bring your own table.
Michael Day
Salisbury, MD
Phone 1-410-603-3930, fax:
410-543-2059
e-mail:
sburyarch@aol.com
Worcester County
This page is linked to US 50 Coast to Coast Travel Site.