The Happy Burger restaurant along Mission Street, aka Route 66, in Sapulpa, Okla., is marking its 50th year in business this month, reports the Sapulpa Daily Herald. The Happy Burger was a Tastee Freez franchise when it opened in 1957. The name was changed to Happy Burger during the 1970s. The restaurant's floor and counters … Continue reading Happy Burger marks 50 years
Month: October 2007
Haunts along Route 66
Ghost stories abound along the old road that is Route 66. And it appears Flagstaff, Ariz., is lousy with them. City historian James Hardy says there are multitudes of ghost stories and legends along Route 66 in town. You have a tree near the library that you should leave alone, a mischievous poltergeist at the … Continue reading Haunts along Route 66
Rest area
During a recent trip to New Mexico on Route 66, we stopped to check out an old cemetery near the settlement of Montoya. A few graves predated the commissioning of Route 66, and burials occurred there as recently as 2005. There are traditional engraved tombstones, including a fair number of markers for local soldiers of … Continue reading Rest area
Santa Monica motel to become housing for mentally ill
It's a bit of good news and bad news in this report by columnist Kevin Herrera of the Santa Monica (Calif.) Daily Press. The bad news is that the Village Motel, which has sat at 2624 Santa Monica Blvd., aka Route 66, for more than 50 years, will soon no longer operate as a lodging … Continue reading Santa Monica motel to become housing for mentally ill
Albuquerque’s La Posada may reopen next year
A story in the New Mexico Business Weekly has this story about Gary Goodman and his La Posada of Albuquerque: For the past two years, Goodman has been renovating the hotel and returning it to its former elegance. He plans to open the 1939 hotel as a boutique hotel with 107 guest rooms and indoor … Continue reading Albuquerque’s La Posada may reopen next year
The Green Parrot Tavern comes down
The historic Green Parrot tavern, on old Route 66 in Galena, Kan., was torn down after collapsing underground mines severely compromised the integrity of the structure. KSN/KODE in nearby Joplin, Mo., has a report, including video of the demolition. The good news is that cleanup crews are sorting through the wreckage by hand and seek … Continue reading The Green Parrot Tavern comes down
Aussie reporter checks out Oklahoma’s 66
Washington correspondent Michael Rowland of the Australian Broadcasting Corp. took time off from the Beltway and checked out old Route 66 and some Harley riders on it in northeastern Oklahoma. You can view the eight-minute video here in both Windows Media Player and RealPlayer in both broadband and dialup speeds. It's a well-done, well-edited segment. … Continue reading Aussie reporter checks out Oklahoma’s 66
Preventing a motel vanishing act
The Arizona Republic published a good article Friday about slowly vanishing motels along Route 66. The article quotes Emily Priddy of Route66Motels.com and cites the ongoing preservation efforts at Earl's Motor Court and La Posada, both in Winslow, as beacons of hope for Mother Road travelers who love vintage lodgings. I found it especially fascinating … Continue reading Preventing a motel vanishing act
Young shutterbug shows a good eye
A short story in the Kansas City Star tells about 16-year-old Max Mikulecky, whose photography earned him an article in Shutterbug magazine. Max said he’s inspired by things like “rusty cars, old barns … stuff that’s shown wear.” He uses both digital and film cameras. At his Web page, viewers can see Max’s photos of … Continue reading Young shutterbug shows a good eye
An evening at Boot Hill Saloon and Grill
The exterior of the Boot Hill Saloon & Grill, at the intersection of U.S. 385 and old Route 66 in Vega, Texas, looks like something from the 1880s Old West. But don't expect it to be a rough-and-tumble joint where fistfights between cowboys outnumber the bottles of red-eye whiskey. Sure, Boot Hill contains a lounge … Continue reading An evening at Boot Hill Saloon and Grill