Waylan’s Ku-Ku reopens after owner’s months-long medical leave

The Waylan's Ku-Ku restaurant in Miami, Oklahoma, recently reopened after its longtime owner shuttered it for  months due to unspecified medical leave. The Joplin Globe reports owner Gene Waylan closed the Route 66 restaurant in July and reopened it just before Christmas. “I had to leave for medical reasons, but I’m doing better,” Waylan said. … Continue reading Waylan’s Ku-Ku reopens after owner’s months-long medical leave

High winds break off one of the blades of The Mill in Lincoln

High winds last week snapped off one of the blades of the The Mill museum along Route 66 in Lincoln, Illinois, and organizers are raising money to restore it. Geoff Ladd of the Route 66 Heritage Foundation of Logan County said he was alerted about the damage Thursday. According to the Lincoln Courier: “I received … Continue reading High winds break off one of the blades of The Mill in Lincoln

Amarillo Route 66 art prominently featured in Plainview gallery

Route 66 artwork from Amarillo figures prominently in an art show in the unlikely locale of Plainview, Texas (pop. 20,700). The "Yellow City Art" show at Contemporary Art Museum Plainview, which runs through February, features the work of photographer Ed Ruscha (known for his 1963 "Twentysix Gasoline Stations" photo book) and the late Stanley Marsh … Continue reading Amarillo Route 66 art prominently featured in Plainview gallery

Hot rodder Ken Block shows his driving skills in Shamrock

This is from the "Don't try this unless you're a pro" chapter. Ken Block of Hoonigan Racing recently showed his driving and burn-out skills on the streets of Shamrock, Texas, including Route 66. It's hair-raising to see how close he comes to slamming into the supports of those old gas stations in town. KAMR-TV in … Continue reading Hot rodder Ken Block shows his driving skills in Shamrock

Photographer Terrence Moore talks about his life’s work on Route 66

Terrence Moore has made the publicity rounds for his excellent new book, "66 for 66: A Photographer's Journey." If you have an hour to kill, Moore talks about his book and his nearly 50 years of documenting Route 66 in this free-wheeling segment on Big Blend Radio: https://youtu.be/uhS3eEW4bC0 Moore also was interviewed by Arizona Highways … Continue reading Photographer Terrence Moore talks about his life’s work on Route 66

Frank and Lynne’s video Christmas card

In what's become a holiday tradition, former Historic Seligman Sundries owners Frank and Lynne Kocevar have put together their annual (and whimsical) video Christmas card: https://vimeo.com/306840692 The scenes shown are from Arizona, including their old stomping grounds in the Route 66 town of Seligman. On a related note, posts on this website might be a … Continue reading Frank and Lynne’s video Christmas card

Springfield developing a larger plan for Route 66 tourism

The city of Springfield, Illinois, announced in the wake of its recent purchase of the Sonrise Donuts neon signs it is developing a larger tourism plan to draw more Route 66 travelers in the coming years. With an eye on Route 66's centennial in 2026, Springfield wants to develop a "hub" of Route 66 attractions into … Continue reading Springfield developing a larger plan for Route 66 tourism

U.S. government shutdown affects some national parks

The shutdown of the U.S. government that began Friday night is affecting some, but not all, of the national parks and other sites managed by the National Park Service. The effect the shutdown, if it's short-term, should be low on Route 66 because it's tourism off-season, especially near the Christmas and New Year's holidays. One … Continue reading U.S. government shutdown affects some national parks

Mother Jones historical marker unveiled at Coalfield rest area in Illinois

Officials recently unveiled a historical marker dedicated to union activist Mother Jones at the Coalfield rest area along Interstate 55 in Illinois, not far from where she is buried. According to the Macoupin County-Carlinville Inquirer-Democrat: The large, 4×4-foot marker was placed in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Transportation and is paired with an indoor … Continue reading Mother Jones historical marker unveiled at Coalfield rest area in Illinois

Travel app by Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership may be released by May

The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership is developing an app that will offer turn-by-turn directions on Route 66 and themed itineraries. The group stated the app should be ready for release by May -- near the start of travel season. From the news release this week: The GPS-based app has several purposes, including: • Helping … Continue reading Travel app by Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership may be released by May