Scenes from the festival

On Saturday afternoon, I took a walk at downtown Clinton, Okla., to check on the activity during the National Route 66 Festival. Inside the Frisco Center, Delbert Trew, who won the Route 66 Lifetime Achievement Award with his wife Ruth on Friday, is displaying one of the letters salvaged from "Rattlesnakes -- Exit Now" sign … Continue reading Scenes from the festival

Clinton proves its worth as a festival host

This article by Steve Lackmeyer of The Daily Oklahoman has a lot to recommend it, including interviews with a bunch of Route 66's colorful characters (including a man with 53 Route 66-related tattoos) during the National Route 66 Festival in Clinton, Okla. But this excerpt justifies the faith I've had in Clinton (population 8,300) in … Continue reading Clinton proves its worth as a festival host

Oklahoma dominates Will Rogers Awards

Representatives from Oklahoma took home four of the top six honors during the Will Rogers Awards Evening in the Frisco Center on Friday night at the National Route 66 Festival in Clinton, Okla. Author and actor Michael Wallis of Tulsa was given the Will Rogers Award, the group that restored the Old Armory in Chandler, … Continue reading Oklahoma dominates Will Rogers Awards

Rain stops, preservation project begins

It was looking grim Friday morning before the scheduled start of the preservation project for the closed Ray's Motel in Clinton, Okla., as part of activities with the National Route 66 Festival. Heavy rain had fallen, and according to radar, a storm system appeared parked over Clinton. However, shortly before the project's 11 a.m. start, … Continue reading Rain stops, preservation project begins

Come claim your Belvedere

A fellow by the name of R.E. Humbertson was revealed as the person in 1957 who guessed closest to Tulsa's 2007 population, and so he gets the rusted 1957 Plymouth Belvedere that was taken out of a vault last week, reported the Tulsa World. It is possible Humbertson is still alive; he would be 85 … Continue reading Come claim your Belvedere

Over easy, please

You often hear the summer adage that "it's so hot, you can fry an egg on the sidewalk." Every Fourth of July for the past 17 years, the Route 66 town of Oatman, Ariz., proves that old adage true. The old mining town nestled in the parched Black Mountains will hold its Oatman Sidewalk Egg … Continue reading Over easy, please

The perils of fast money and Route 66

Vince Scott bought the Boots Motel in Carthage, Mo., a few years ago with the sole purpose of quickly selling it again to Walgreens for a quick buck. However, Route 66 preservationists protested the impending deal, and Walgreens moved to greener pastures. Scott still has the motel, and admits the 1930s landmark could be a … Continue reading The perils of fast money and Route 66

National Route 66 organization proposed

The formation of a new, national Route 66 organization was proposed during the Route 66 Summit on Thursday at the National Route 66 Festival in Clinton, Okla. The organization would be similar to the old U.S. Highway 66 Association, which operated from 1927 to 1976, and the current-day Lincoln Highway Association, which has a paid … Continue reading National Route 66 organization proposed

Fire up the plane, crank the jukebox

I got this e-mail today from Ramona Kiewert, co-owner of the Bent Door in Adrian, Texas, on how progress has been with th old Route 66 business: The Music is playing and the Plane's flying at The Bent Door. Progress has been good this summer so far; the office area has now been painted as … Continue reading Fire up the plane, crank the jukebox

Stay for the view

The White Dog Hill restaurant east of Clinton, Okla., is distributing a flier for attendees at the National Route 66 Festival in town. The top of the leaflet says: Come for the food ... Stay for the view. It is truth in advertising. The White Dog Hill, formerly the Clinton Country Club decades ago, is … Continue reading Stay for the view