You’d better go to the Smithsonian soon

That's because its National Museum of American History, which includes Route 66 in its "America on the Move" exhibit, will close Sept. 4 for two years for major renovations, according to WUSA-TV in Washington, D.C. The "America on the Move" has an actual full-width section of Route 66 from western Oklahoma built in 1932. The … Continue reading You’d better go to the Smithsonian soon

Observations on the song “Route 66”

Tim de Lisle of The Guardian in London searches for a British equivalent of Bobby Troup's famed song, "Route 66." His observations provide hints on why "Route 66" continues to endure as a favorite cover song nearly 60 years after it was written: As subjects for great songs go, it's not the most promising. The … Continue reading Observations on the song “Route 66”

Old-fashioned soda fountain opens in Lincoln, Ill.

O'Donohue's Old-Fashioned Soda Fountain opened Thursday at 111-113 N. Kickapoo St. in downtown Lincoln, Ill., reports the Lincoln Courier. It sounds like the proprietors went all-out in creating a distinctive look: The soda fountain is along one silvery, glistening side of the business's two-part soda bar, the other, a repository for gallons of hard-serve, premium … Continue reading Old-fashioned soda fountain opens in Lincoln, Ill.

Book review: “Images of 66”

I've never met David Wickline that I can recall. Many other roadies haven't, either. But Wickline's stature among Route 66 aficionados has skyrocketed in recent weeks. That's due to the recent publication of his softcover book, "Images of 66," which contains a staggering 386 pages and thousands of color photos of sights along the Mother … Continue reading Book review: “Images of 66”

Meet me in St. Louis

Most roadies already know of the allures of St. Louis, but this article by the Calgary Sun serves as a good reminder -- many of the city's attractions are free, the excellent dining is less expensive than many other major U.S. cities, and the unique frozen treat that is Ted Drewes Frozen Custard on Route … Continue reading Meet me in St. Louis

Kudos to Kidzworld.com

One of the big concerns about Route 66 is that not enough is being done to get young people interested in it. Nobody can accuse Kidzworld.com of not doing its part. On Wednesday, it created a page about the Mother Road that briefly touches briefly on its history, a few attractions, films, songs and Internet … Continue reading Kudos to Kidzworld.com

Ham radio operators to celebrate Route 66

There are 12 towns mentioned in Bobby Troup's famed song "Route 66" -- Chicago, St. Louis, Joplin, Oklahoma City, Amarillo, Flagstaff, Gallup, Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, and don't forget Winona. Amateur radio operators in each of those towns and five other cities on Route 66 will organize a "Route 66 on the Air" … Continue reading Ham radio operators to celebrate Route 66

Kingman tourism gets a boost

The governor of Arizona presented the Kingman Chamber of Commerce and the Historic Route 66 Association a grant of nearly $32,000 to help tourism promotion. The Kingman Daily Miner has the story.

More photos from the Triangle Motel work day

Marvin, an Amarillo photographer, was there Saturday shooting photos at the Triangle Motel's work day. The gallery is here.

New mural depicts Route 66

Elizabeth Long, a high-school graduate of Marshfield, Mo., and a student that Kansas City Art Institute, painted a 40-foot-long mural depicting Route 66 at the RVExpress RV Park in Marshfield, reports the Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader. Long received pictures of Route 66 landmarks from Mother Road author Skip Curtis. She spent about 100 hours this summer … Continue reading New mural depicts Route 66