This past weekend was a huge one for Route 66 — not just in Springfield, Missouri, but also in Williams, Arizona; Kingman, Arizona; Seligman, Arizona; and Joliet, Illinois.
The events came 100 years after officials in Springfield sent a telegram to the federal government, stating they were receptive to the No. 66 for their Chicago-to-Los Angeles highway.
That anniversary prompted the National Route 66 Centennial Kickoff Celebration in Springfield.
One event as part of the celebration was the unveiling of the Queen’s Gate 66 monument on St. Louis Street near Glenstone Avenue, both alignments of Route 66.
Springfield also dedicated the sculpture that pays tribute to the long-gone Colonial Hotel, where that fateful telegram was sent.
And here’s a scene from the Route 66 Telegraph Ball:
You can see the so-called Third Hour of NBC-TV’s “Today” show, where hosts Al Roker, Dylan Dreyer, and Laura Jarrett took in the sights of Route 66 in Springfield.
A lot more can be seen on the Facebook page of the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival.
Down the road in Seligman, Arizona, 99-year-old Angel “The Guardian Angel of Route 66” Delgadillo waved the starting flag for the 37th annual Arizona Route 66 Fun Run.
During the Fun Run, the Hotel Beale rooftop sign in Kingman, Arizona, was lighted for the first time in more than 40 years.
The Hotel Beale itself, though long closed, also received some facade improvements.
Also, in Williams, the historic neon signs for the Canyon Club, Turquoise Teepee and Sultana Bar were relighted.
In Joliet, the local Slammers baseball team played a game inside the walls of the Old Joliet Prison.
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