Joplin puts museum proposal on ballot

By a 7-2 vote, the City Council of Joplin, Mo., agreed to place a sales-tax referendum on the April ballot to fund the Joplin Museum Complex's proposed move to historic Memorial Hall, according to the Joplin Globe. Voters will be asked to authorize a special museum sales tax of one-sixth of a cent to pay … Continue reading Joplin puts museum proposal on ballot

Historic Kingman hotel may close

The historic Hotel Brunswick in Kingman, Ariz., may close its doors as early as next week because of rising costs and a poor economy, reported the Kingman Daily Miner. Co-owner Debra Sixta estimated that the hotel is losing $4,000 to $5,000 a month amid rising utility costs and dropping income. The hotel opened in 1909, … Continue reading Historic Kingman hotel may close

Williams may change street’s name to Route 66

Tucked away in a story posted today by the Williams-Grand Canyon News about the Williams, Ariz., city council was this little item: Council members also discussed whether to change the name of Mountain Man Trail to Route 66, or "Old Route 66," during the Jan. 14 meeting, but decided to table the matter for discussion … Continue reading Williams may change street’s name to Route 66

Route 66 Multimedia update

The students at California State-Hayward have posted a video update of their Route 66 Multimedia Experience project. Here, they show the nuts and bolts of how they're making it function within the skeleton of a vintage Volkswagen Beetle.

Cost-share grant season begins

Now is the time of year in which you can apply for a cost-share grant from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. These grants, which cover up to 50 percent of the cost of a project, mostly are awarded for repairs or improvements to historic properties along Route 66. Applications can be found here, or … Continue reading Cost-share grant season begins

“I have a dream”

(This was originally posted three years ago. It's appropriate to repost it for the holiday.) This is the full version of Martin Luther King Jr.'s historic "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963. So what does King have to do with Route 66? Well, there's this passage: There are those who are asking the devotees … Continue reading “I have a dream”

Harvey House in Barstow to mark centennial

The historic Harvey House in Barstow, Calif., is set to mark the 100th anniversary with a series of events and celebrations this year, according to the Desert Dispatch. The celebration is expected to kick off with a Harvey House Farmer’s Market Day on the third Saturday of every month until September, according to Sielski. Sielski … Continue reading Harvey House in Barstow to mark centennial

The grim state of the Route 66 Bridge

A representative from the Missouri Department of Transportation attended the Route 66 Association of Missouri's meeting this weekend and painted a grim picture of the state of the Route 66 Bridge near Eureka, Mo., adjacent to  Route 66 State Park. The state recently closed the bridge to the public and has proposed demolishing the dilapidated … Continue reading The grim state of the Route 66 Bridge

Bob Waldmire interview to be replayed

A one-hour radio interview conducted with late Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire in 2008 will be rebroadcast over the Internet on Monday afternoon on BOUNCE Talk Radio. The broadcast time is 3 p.m. Eastern, noon Pacific time, Monday on the "Route 66 Radio Show." The show is hosted by Bob Moore, former executive editor of … Continue reading Bob Waldmire interview to be replayed

Logan County sees huge jump in tourism dollars

Geoff Ladd, tourism director for Logan County, Ill., saw an unprecedented jump of 30 percent in tourism revenue in 2009, and Route 66 played a role in that, reported the Lincoln Courier. There were a number of reasons cited in the rise in motel tax revenue: the opening of a Hampton Inn and the reopening … Continue reading Logan County sees huge jump in tourism dollars