Month: November 2006

Group gets loan to preserve The Mill

Wow, that was quick. The Route 66 Heritage Foundation, based in Lincoln, Ill., already has secured a loan to begin its efforts to shore up the long-closed The Mill restaurant and lounge on Route 66 in Lincoln, according to the Lincoln Courier. The group also is about to get take over ownership of the property. … Continue reading Group gets loan to preserve The Mill

A magic night on 66

Tulsa blogger Michael Bates spent a rather eventful evening on Route 66 -- the same day as the road's 80th anniversary and his birthday. He encountered a few people who should be familiar to Route 66 fans, including a certain VW driver. Go read the whole thing. It's really good.

Lawsuit thins wallet of Aztec Hotel owner

Kathie Reece-McNeill owns the historic Aztec Hotel in Monrovia, Calif., and is carefully restoring the Route 66 landmark. However, her pocketbook is lighter after fighting a lawsuit that alleged Americans with Disabilities Act violations, reports the Sacramento Bee. Reece-McNeill rebutted attempts to settle out of court, and she won the lawsuit. But the battle cost … Continue reading Lawsuit thins wallet of Aztec Hotel owner

City will try to shut down Western Motel

A reader pointed out this article Thursday from the Daily Oklahoman in which the City of Bethany, Okla., is trying to shut down the Western Motel on Route 66. The motel, which was built at 7600 NW 39th in 1953, was declared a public nuisance by the city council after complaints of prostitution there. According … Continue reading City will try to shut down Western Motel

El Vado Motel situation clarified

Last week, I heard through the grapevine that some sort of appeal to demolish El Vado Motel in Albuquerque was being considered. I subsequently contacted the city, requesting more information. Today, I received an e-mail from Ed Boles of the City of Albuquerque, who helpfully clarified some things about the situation. The owner of El … Continue reading El Vado Motel situation clarified

A mother of a marathon

Driving Route 66 west of Tulsa was an eerie experience Saturday night. Every so often, on the side of the road, you'd encounter a lone figure wearing a reflective vest, extra layers to ward off near-freezing temperatures and often a head flashlight to help see through the darkness. Here's one that I saw trudging along … Continue reading A mother of a marathon

Happy ending for soldiers

After the Veterans Day list of U.S. soldiers from Route 66 towns who died in Iraq and Afghanistan, it's nice to have a story about soldiers with happy endings. In Gallup, N.M., members of the National Guard's 1116th Transportation Company were welcomed home with a parade on Route 66. No soldiers were killed or injured … Continue reading Happy ending for soldiers

Meet Mater’s inspiration

It's been the victim of neglect. The odometer reads 99,372 miles, and there's no telling whether they're original. Rust covers the entire body, where it nearly obscures the letters "Tannou" and "Joplin, Mo" on the door. The seats desperately need to be re-upholstered. And it gets its fuel from a storage tank that resembles a … Continue reading Meet Mater’s inspiration