February 20, 2026
On February 20, 2026, a fire tore through The Curve Inn at 3219 South 6th Street Road in Springfield, Illinois. For so many people across Springfield, this was more than a building fire. It was the loss of a place woven into the life of our community.
From Copps Corner to The Curve Inn
The building went up in 1932 and first opened as Copps Corner, owned by the Copps family. In 1945, Guido Manci purchased the property and gave it the name so many people know and love today: The Curve Inn. Over the decades, this corner of South 6th Street, part of historic Route 66, became part of everyday Springfield life. Workers from nearby Pegwill Packing would walk through the alley for a cold drink. Music, conversation and familiar faces filled the room, and a local landmark took on a life of its own.
The Cask and Keg years and beyond
The Curve Inn also carried a colorful, layered history, with chapters that reflected a very different era in Springfield. In 1972, Neil McGillivray purchased the bar and expanded it with the Cask and Keg, a club for regulars. The original Cask and Keg signs still hang on the front of the building, a quiet reminder of the generations that passed through its doors.
In 2002, Ray and Ami Merchant purchased The Curve Inn and carried its legacy forward, building it into a place known not only for live music and community gatherings, but for its support of local charities and fundraising efforts. Springfield’s original roadhouse, just like the sign says.
Why I picked up my camera
As a longtime photographer in the Springfield area, I felt compelled to document the Curve Inn fire while it was still raw and full of emotion. I have deep respect for the history that remains in Springfield, and that respect is what brought me to the corner of South 6th and St. Joseph that day. Photography, at its best, preserves more than a scene. It preserves meaning.
The small things that remain
Still, some of the frames that stay with me most are the small ones. A frame still hanging on a blackened wall. A fan grille bent by the heat. A single leaf resting in the ashes. Together, these are the details that tell you how many years of life happened inside these walls.
Springfield showed up
Above all, my heartfelt sympathies go out to the owners of The Curve Inn, everyone who worked there and all those who carry memories tied to this place. I’m also deeply grateful for the firefighters and first responders who answered the call.
Since the Curve Inn fire, Springfield has rallied around the owners and their employees with benefit concerts and donation drives. If you’d like to hear more about what comes next for this landmark, NPR Illinois has a great conversation about it.
Even so, someone had already painted a message on the burned wall, right under the Route 66 sign. I can’t think of a better way to end this story.
Share your Curve Inn memory
If The Curve Inn has meant something to you, I’d love for you to share a memory or a message of support in the comments below. In times like this, remembering together can be its own kind of healing.
Photography by Chris Withers Photography. The Curve Inn, 3219 South 6th Street Road, Springfield, Illinois. #springfieldil #route66
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