The Pontiac (Ill.) Daily Leader reports that a statue was dedicated earlier this month commemorating the 52 people who died in an explosion in 1942 at an ordnance plant just off Route 66 in Elwood. The statue, of a man in work clothes, wearing a hard hat and carrying a lunchbox, is next to the … Continue reading Memorial commemorates ordnance disaster
Author: Ron Warnick
I'm the editor and publisher of Route 66 News, a clearinghouse of events, information, and entertainment pertaining to historic U.S. 66, the Mother Road.
Pontiac set to add to Route 66 attractions
A report by the Pontiac (Ill.) Daily Leader about Monday's city council meeting had items of interest for Route 66ers: A mural is planned on the east side of the Diaz Sign Art building at 628 W. Lincoln Ave. that says "Enjoy Pontiac, Illinois on Route 66" with a 1950s-era car and a Route 66 … Continue reading Pontiac set to add to Route 66 attractions
Book review: “Hip to the Trip”
Just when you think there are no more new avenues to books about Route 66's history, Peter Dedek finds unexplored backroads and obscure alignments in his "Hip to the Trip: A Cultural History of Route 66" (169 pages, University of New Mexico Press, $19.95). Dedek, a professor at Texas State University, diligently researches the history … Continue reading Book review: “Hip to the Trip”
Yum
Rory Schepisi, who's busy trying to get her Boot Hill Saloon & Grill open in Vega, Texas, won a contest in "The Next Food Network Star" TV series in that the dish she created appears on the July issue of Bon Appetit magazine. The dish is called Rory's Ribs with Grilled Corn, Cantaloupe and Fresh … Continue reading Yum
Wave ’em in
A few days ago, we reported about the Mule Trading Post near Rolla, Mo., restoring a an animated hillbilly sign that waves its arms. Ace Jackalope took a brief video of the sign to show you what it looks like in action: Also, Ace took a short video of the main animated neon sign at … Continue reading Wave ’em in
Project manager moves onto El Garces site
Now, this is what we call hands-on restoration. According to this story in the Mohave Daily News, artist and sculptor Dan Lutzick has been hired as project manager for the restoration of El Garces, a former Harvey House, in Needles, Calif. And he's not just dropping by the site every week or so: In April, … Continue reading Project manager moves onto El Garces site
History to a T
This is an interesting idea: an apparel company in Portland, Ore., scours the country for cool graphics from now-defunct 1930s to '60s roadside businesses and puts them on T-shirts. Vintage Roadside not only helps preserves the memory of a long-gone motel or restaurant on a T-shirt, but its site also provides a brief history of … Continue reading History to a T
Don’t forget the Panhandle passport
A reporter from KVII-TV in Amarillo participates in the Texas Old Route 66 Association's self-guided passport program that is scheduled to run up to the start of the National Route 66 Festival in Clinton, Okla. The linked page also includes a video. You can pick up a passport at one of these locations: MidPoint Cafe … Continue reading Don’t forget the Panhandle passport
Aztec Hotel will undergo renovations
The historic Aztec Hotel in Monrovia, Calif., is set to have a bunch of renovations in the coming weeks, including the renaming of its Elephant Bar, reported the Pasadena Star-News. The building has an extensive Mayan theme, and the work done will better reflect that. The hotel is receiving a $50,000 grant from the California … Continue reading Aztec Hotel will undergo renovations
Miami, Okla., jumps on Route 66 bandwagon
The Daily Oklahoman has a good overview about big changes in the offing for Miami, Okla., which once was tepid to Route 66 but now seems to have jumped onto the Mother Road bandwagon. The city has applied for a bunch of grants for streetscape improvements, shoring up historic properties and better signs to direct … Continue reading Miami, Okla., jumps on Route 66 bandwagon