Six Route 66 fans in the Netherlands recently formed the Dutch Route 66 Association during a dinner in Amsterdam "with the aim of promoting Route 66 and providing information to whomever has a need for it." At left is the group's logo, complete with the nation's symbolic wooden clogs. The people who formed the group … Continue reading Dutch Route 66 Association formed
Month: January 2014
Corvette installed at Route 66 Mural Park
One-half of a 1964 Corvette was installed Friday at the Route 66 Mural Park in Joplin, Mo., near Seventh and Main streets, where two alignments of Route 66 intersect. According to a news release from the Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau: The newly placed corvette will provide a photo opportunity for visitors to stand by … Continue reading Corvette installed at Route 66 Mural Park
Crystal City Shopping Center says it’s starting improvements
The historic but long-moribund Crystal City Shopping Center along Route 66 in southwest Tulsa soon will begin major upgrades, according to KTUL-TV in Tulsa and the shopping center's Facebook page. One post by the shopping center's Facebook page administrator said: Renovations have begun! The center will soon look like these renderings. New roof and store … Continue reading Crystal City Shopping Center says it’s starting improvements
Number of visitors to Pontiac increases again in 2013
The number of tourists to the Route 66 town of Pontiac, Ill., increased for the fourth straight year in 2013, according to numbers released this week by Pontiac Tourism. Tourism director Ellie Alexander said overall tourism numbers rose by 5 percent during the year, to a record 24,173. Pontiac saw robust increases in international visitors … Continue reading Number of visitors to Pontiac increases again in 2013
Williams marijuana dispensary plans move to bigger building
The Route 66 Wellness Center, the only medical marijuana dispensary in the Route 66 town of Williams, Ariz., plans to move to a bigger facility behind its current building, according to the Williams-Grand Canyon News. Now the dispensary's owners hope to move to a site behind its existing building, to 324 E. Railroad Ave. "The … Continue reading Williams marijuana dispensary plans move to bigger building
How a winery in Stroud became a tourist attraction
The Journal-Record in Oklahoma City recently published a long feature, via the Associated Press, about StableRidge Vineyards along Route 66 in Stroud, Okla. The story about winery, which has operated for nearly 10 years by Don and Annetta Neal, contains these fascinating nuggets: The main building of the site is a former Catholic church. Annetta … Continue reading How a winery in Stroud became a tourist attraction
Take a cruise with Hank Crawford
Jazz artist Hank Crawford, with a small group of six other musicians, delivers his take on Bobby Troup's "Route 66" in 1965. https://youtu.be/QTGJ1K9eeok Crawford, who died in 2009, perhaps was best-known for being the musical director for Ray Charles as well as his recording career. He also provided musical arrangements for Lou Rawls and Etta … Continue reading Take a cruise with Hank Crawford
Case squad tackles unsolved murder on Route 66
The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office in northern Arizona has assembled a cold-case squad in an effort to solve about three dozen long-unsolved murders in the area, including one on Route 66 just east of Twin Arrows more than 40 years ago, reported the Arizona Daily Sun newspaper. A group of are criminal investigators and retired law … Continue reading Case squad tackles unsolved murder on Route 66
A radio interview with George Maharis
George Maharis, co-star of CBS-TV's "Route 66" drama of the early 1960s, was interviewed for 21 minutes a few days ago on "The Vintage Rock and Pop Shop" on WFDU radio in New Jersey. Maharis now is 85 years old. https://youtu.be/tJCRqOR4-VM In 2007, I interviewed Maharis for about a half-hour before "Route 66" episodes finally trickled … Continue reading A radio interview with George Maharis
Atlanta begins second Route 66 Reinterpreted art contest
The Route 66 town of Atlanta, Ill., is calling for submissions for its second annual Route 66 Reinterpreted art project, where contestants re-imagine the iconic Route 66 shield sign. According to a news release from Atlanta: Participating artists will be provided a blank, 2-by-2-foot wooden cutout of the Route 66 highway shield, painted white, which … Continue reading Atlanta begins second Route 66 Reinterpreted art contest