It took a while, but it looks like other media types are taking note of the recently released Route 66 Economic Impact Report. On Sunday, the Victorville (Calif.) Daily Press took a closer look. And one longtime roadie, Jim Conkle, said Victorville isn't doing enough to draw Route 66 tourism: Conkle has seen small towns … Continue reading Victorville newspaper takes note of Route 66 report
Month: February 2012
La Posada nearly finished with all the rooms
John Sharpe, chef at the acclaimed Turquoise Room restaurant at the historic and massively successful La Posada hotel in Winslow, Ariz., revealed a few newsworthy items in his regular email newsletter Sunday. First, construction on all the hotel's rooms is about to come to an end. Sharpe said: We are presently at 49 and will top … Continue reading La Posada nearly finished with all the rooms
Odell Station in miniature
Willem Bor, a resident of the Netherlands who has created miniature versions of Route 66 landmarks, has finished a new one -- the historic Odell Station in Odell, Ill., in 1/25th scale. Bor even made a miniature of the travel trailer that sits next to it. More of Bor's work can be seen here, here, … Continue reading Odell Station in miniature
Singer-songwriter leading a Route 66 tour
Fred Eaglesmith, a veteran singer-songwriter whose tunes have been recorded by Miranda Lambert, Toby Keith, Alan Jackson, and other musicians, is the headliner for a Route 66 Tin Can Caravan on the Mother Road in September. A few details about the tour from the website: An eighteen-day road trip down Historic Route 66, from Chicago … Continue reading Singer-songwriter leading a Route 66 tour
The legendary blizzard of 1956
I stumbled today onto this story in the The Courier of Montgomery County, Texas, about a freak blizzard that struck the Plains of New Mexico and Texas on Feb. 4, 1956. The storm blanketed snow from Amarillo to the north, Tucumcari, N.M., to the west, and Wink to the south. Even El Paso got 5 … Continue reading The legendary blizzard of 1956
El Garces makes slow progress
It's been slow, but the Needles (Calif.) Desert Star reported this week that the effort to restore and eventually reopen the historic El Garces hotel, restaurant, and railroad depot in Needles is making progress. The stumbling point has been whether the Federal Transportation Administration will approve a joint operating agreement between El Garces LLC and the … Continue reading El Garces makes slow progress
Wigwam Motel in Rialto named to National Register
The Wigwam Motel on Route 66 in Rialto, Calif., was placed on the National Register of Historic Places effective Jan. 3, according to an email Thursday afternoon from the National Park Service. The Wigwam, which features individual motel cabins in the shape of tepees, was nominated in late 2011; its inclusion on the National Register was … Continue reading Wigwam Motel in Rialto named to National Register
The heap behind Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
The Disney Parks Blog took a behind-the-scenes look at Larry the Cable Guy, aka Mater from the 2006 Disney-Pixar film "Cars," recording a voice-over. Disney needed Larry's pipes for Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, one of the rides featured in Cars Land at Disney's California Adventure: https://youtu.be/_dzY9K_0nuM Cars Land is based on the fictional Route 66 town of … Continue reading The heap behind Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
Let’s make Route 66 a National Historic Trail
It's time for the Route 66 community to talk to congressmen about eventually designating the Mother Road as a National Historic Trail, under the auspices of the National Park Service. Of the eight states where the old highway traverses, six have attained Byways or All-American Road status for Route 66. A seventh -- California -- … Continue reading Let’s make Route 66 a National Historic Trail
Bill would eliminate National Scenic Byways program
A transportation bill proposed by U.S. House committee chairman would eliminate the National Scenic Byways program, according to an email from an official with the Route 66 Association of New Mexico. Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, introduced legislation Tuesday that would repeal the byways program, according to an email … Continue reading Bill would eliminate National Scenic Byways program