A stroll across the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge

Here's a clip from an old St. Louis public access television show called "World Wide Magazine," in which Vince and Marty stoll across the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge that once carried Route 66 from Madison, Ill., to north St. Louis. Vince and Marty are a coupla goofs, but the footage from the bridge is … Continue reading A stroll across the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge

Calling all Mother Road volunteers

The Clinton (Okla.) Chamber of Commerce needs volunteers for 2- to 3-hour shifts to help man a promotional booth at the Best Fest at Riverparks West Bank Festival Area in Tulsa on Nov. 17-19. The Chamber will be there to promote the 2007 Route 66 Festival. Here's an Acrobat file of the Best Fest brochure … Continue reading Calling all Mother Road volunteers

Swastikas on old Arizona road maps?

It's true. But it's not as sinister as it first appears. Fellow road warrior Tim Steil pointed out this Arizona roads site, which shows a scan from a 1927 Rand McNally atlas. And look on the lower right corner of the page -- a swastika on the Arizona highway marker. I included a close-up excerpt … Continue reading Swastikas on old Arizona road maps?

Woman cycling Route 66 to help cancer-stricken brother

Michelle Thompson is cycling on part of Route 66 during a 2,500-mile trip from Glen Ellyn, Ill., to Costa Mesa, Calif., to raise money for her brother, who is being treated for oral cancer, reports the Bloomington (Ill.) Pantagraph. The trek is expected to take six weeks, and Thompson, 35, hopes to raise $50,000. The … Continue reading Woman cycling Route 66 to help cancer-stricken brother

A little off the top, please

If you're traveling Route 66 in Oklahoma and need a haircut, a historic, Route 66-themed barbershop recently opened in Yukon, according to the Daily Oklahoman. Bob Jeffrey, 60, moved from New York to Yukon to be closer to his daughter and her family. So he acquired the 70-year-old Midway Barbershop at 432 W. Main St. … Continue reading A little off the top, please

No ordinary man

I stumbled across this obituary for Glen Leonhardt in the San Bernardino County Sun. He held the somewhat ordinary job of a mechanic, but his deeds and experiences made his life extraordinary. His ties to Route 66 were multiple: He helped build that road in Vega, Texas; he married a woman from the Route 66 … Continue reading No ordinary man

Route 66 Advisory Council to meet

The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program Advisory Council is scheduled to meet Nov. 8-9 at the Best Western Saddleback Inn at 4300 Southwest Third St. in Oklahoma City. Here's more from the press release about the council and the meeting: The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program Advisory Council was established to consult with the Secretary … Continue reading Route 66 Advisory Council to meet

Far and wide

The chamber of commerce in Clinton, Okla., sent out a press release about the Route 66 Festival in June. As you'd expect, stateside media picked it up in a few places. But here's more proof about how internationally famous Route 66 is: A British site, Easy Travel News, is publicizing it, too.

Meadow Gold sign clears another hurdle

The City of Tulsa Board of Adjustment unanimously classified the Meadow Gold sign as a historic monument on Tuesday, thus clearing another hurdle for its restoration and re-erection on Route 66. The sign will be placed on a new building at the southwest corner of 11th Street (aka Route 66) and Quaker Avenue, just a … Continue reading Meadow Gold sign clears another hurdle

Caring for the poor

There is a cemetery just off Route 66 in Livingston County, Ill., that was devoted exclusively for the area's poor-farm residents. I didn't know about it, nor did many other people for a long time, because the Poor Farm Cemetery had been neglected for years. That has changed. For the past two years, volunteers have … Continue reading Caring for the poor