Tow Tater vandalized

Tow Tater, the 1951 International boom truck (shown above in May) that was a primary inspiration for Mater in the movie "Cars," was vandalized late Friday or early Saturday in front of the 1940s-era gas station that's become a Route 66 welcome center in Galena, Kan. Melba Rigg, one of the Four Women on the … Continue reading Tow Tater vandalized

Historic theater soon will close

The Rialto Theatre in South Pasadena, Calif., recently announced that its last day of operation will be Aug. 19. The Rialto, built in 1925, is on the Fair Oaks alignment of Route 66. According to the theater's MySpace site: Sadly we have to end with the Simpsons. So if you want to see the Simpsons … Continue reading Historic theater soon will close

Light and motion

I've posted this video of the animated neon rotosphere on top of El Comedor restaurant in Moriarty, N.M., on Route 66 simply because I liked it. Travel blogger Ace Jackelope posted it on YouTube yesterday for a future news item. On a related note, Debra Jane Seltzer of the terrific Roadside Architecture site informs us … Continue reading Light and motion

A struggle to preserve what’s left

The Chicago Tribune today tells about Route 66's struggles to preserve its historic motels. The article focuses on the closed and deteriorating Palamar Motel in Pontiac, of which a recent photo of it can be seen here. The Tribune lays out the dilemmas: But old motor lodges present trickier problems because they are larger and … Continue reading A struggle to preserve what’s left