Replica of historic hotel lobby re-created in Oklahoma Route 66 Museum

As if you don't have enough good reasons to visit the marvelous Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton, Celina Hawkins of the Odessa American in Texas explains why there's another: On Thursday, relatives and many others gathered inside the Route 66 Museum as the newest exhibit – an exact replica of the lobby of the … Continue reading Replica of historic hotel lobby re-created in Oklahoma Route 66 Museum

A visit to the Midpoint Cafe

KVII-TV reporter Larry Lemmons, based in Amarillo, traveled west on Route 66 to check out what was happening at the historic Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas. This television segment was more in-depth than I anticipated, and it captures the atmosphere of the restaurant as well as anything. https://youtu.be/IkywbkeqiPo Dennis Purschwitz and his wife Donna bought … Continue reading A visit to the Midpoint Cafe

A history of Bama Pies

If you drive through Route 66 in Tulsa, you'll probably notice a big beige building on the north side of 11th Street with the name Bama Pies. It is part of The Bama Companies. This well-produced video by the company shows how it expanded from its mom-and-pop roots to becoming a multinational corporation. Even if … Continue reading A history of Bama Pies

Federal historic tax credit put on National Trust’s watch list

Each year, the National Trust for Historic Preservation releases its list of the 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. No Route 66 property made the 2014 list. However, what made the watch list should be of interest to Route 66ers -- and all preservationists in general. Take note of the last item (you can skip ahead … Continue reading Federal historic tax credit put on National Trust’s watch list

Route 66 Wedding Chapel in Tucumcari opens next week

The long-planned Route 66 Wedding Chapel in Tucumcari, New Mexico, will open Tuesday, and it already has weddings booked, reported the Quay County Sun newspaper. The chapel will be in the Mother Road Old Time Photos business, run by Leigh and Rhys Williams, at 824 E. Route 66 across the road from the historic Blue … Continue reading Route 66 Wedding Chapel in Tucumcari opens next week

Neon restored on historic theater in downtown Los Angeles

The marquee of the historic Globe Theatre in downtown Los Angeles was relighted during a ceremony Tuesday night. It reportedly was the first time in 30 years that the marquee has glowed. The theater is on 740 S. Broadway in downtown L.A., which served as the western terminus of Route 66 until it was stretched … Continue reading Neon restored on historic theater in downtown Los Angeles

Springfield tunnel once was part of a brewery

Last week, workers clearing land for the future site of a Route 66-themed park on College Street in Springfield, Missouri, found a series of underground rooms that probably were at least a century old. This week, media outlets -- including the Springfield News-Leader -- found the tunnel once was part of the Springfield Brewing Co. … Continue reading Springfield tunnel once was part of a brewery

La Posada owner commits to buying Plaza Hotel

Allan Affeldt, co-owner of the historic La Posada hotel in Winslow, Arizona, announced Tuesday night in a Facebook post that he signed a contract to buy the historic Plaza Hotel in downtown Las Vegas, New Mexico. Affeldt's wish to own the Plaza Hotel had been known for weeks. He had said owning the Plaza would … Continue reading La Posada owner commits to buying Plaza Hotel

Photographer wants to document America’s neon signs

San Diego photographer Stefanie Poteet is traveling all over the United States the next four months so she can artistically document vintage neon signs, including on Route 66. Here's the video that comes with her Kickstarter fundraiser: Poteet writes about her quest: These signs and the places they were built for are an integral part … Continue reading Photographer wants to document America’s neon signs

The Griswolds will take a Route 66 trip next month

No, we're not talking about the fictional family as depicted in the 1983 road-trip comedy film "National Lampoon's Vacation." No, this is a real-life family in Georgia that has Griswold as its surname. Better yet, Steve and Lisa Griswold took a 1984 Ford LTD Country Squire station wagon and modified it to look exactly like the ultra-ugly … Continue reading The Griswolds will take a Route 66 trip next month