Tulsa last week saw its 16th neon sign lighted with the help of the city's Route 66 Neon Sign Program. The latest beneficiary is Justin Thompson Catering, which is near 11th Street (aka Route 66) and Lewis Avenue. Here's a Facebook post by the Tulsa Route 66 Commission that shows it: https://www.facebook.com/Tulsa66Commission/posts/800029263880137 The other recipients … Continue reading 16th neon sign finished by Tulsa’s Route 66 Neon Sign Grant Program
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.
Film noir tax parody shot along Route 66 in Springfield, Missouri
Your local accounting office probably never did anything this elaborate. BKD CPAs & Advisors, an accounting and advisory firm with offices in 18 states, produced a 30-minute film noir tribute titled "The Missing Deductions," which features a lot of information about new U.S. federal tax laws in the guise of a private-eye story. It was … Continue reading Film noir tax parody shot along Route 66 in Springfield, Missouri
Ann’s Chicken Fry House of Oklahoma City closes for good, citing COVID-19
Ann's Chicken Fry House restaurant of west Oklahoma City closed shortly after Christmas, blaming the financial hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic. OKCTalk.com revealed the restaurant's permanent closure in a tweet Friday: https://twitter.com/OKCTalk/status/1347560216179601414 One of the photos of a sign on the window stated: "Permanetly (sic) closed. Thank you OKC for a great run ... … Continue reading Ann’s Chicken Fry House of Oklahoma City closes for good, citing COVID-19
Shamrock cancels St. Patrick’s Day Celebration due to COVID-19
The annual St. Patrick's Day Celebration in Shamrock, Texas, has been canceled this year because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It's the first time in almost 70 years that's happened. The festival's board and steering committee voted Tuesday to cancel the event scheduled for March 18-21 and announced it would concentrate its energies on the … Continue reading Shamrock cancels St. Patrick’s Day Celebration due to COVID-19
Motel Safari in Tucumcari to receive New Mexico Route 66 Association Heritage Award
Motel Safari in Tucumcari, New Mexico, later today will receive the 2020 New Mexico Route 66 Association Heritage Award because of its historic-friendly preservation. The association stated in a news release Wednesday the award comes "in recognition of numerous renovations to the Classic Googie Style Motel, a New Mexico Route 66 landmark." The award ceremony … Continue reading Motel Safari in Tucumcari to receive New Mexico Route 66 Association Heritage Award
Historic Gordon’s Clock resurfaces in Las Vegas after its restoration
The historic Gordon's Jewelry Clock recently was restored and reinstalled at its old location in downtown Las Vegas, New Mexico. The jewelry store it touted is gone, but the clock stood sentinel in the 600 block of Douglas Avenue (map here) for about 75 years until it was auctioned in 2013. A local, Bob Mishler, … Continue reading Historic Gordon’s Clock resurfaces in Las Vegas after its restoration
Programming note
It's a typically slow period for news, so I've spent that time instead doing an annual freshening up of many of the main pages on the Route 66 News site. The pages listing Attractions, Restaurants, Motels, Campgrounds, Bars and Events have had their URLs checked and, if they're bad, replaced with new ones. A few … Continue reading Programming note
The story behind the many graffiti murals at Mad Dog Liquor in Tulsa
For about 15 years, the Mad Dog Liquor store along Route 66 in east Tulsa has given a canvas to varying graffiti artists for their work. The Tulsa World talked to the store's owner, Jackie Dutton, who said the building originally was a drab gray but opened it up to local graffiti artists after gaining … Continue reading The story behind the many graffiti murals at Mad Dog Liquor in Tulsa
Jim Livingston’s Route 66 art featured at Amarillo’s airport
Amarillo photographer Jim Livingston, known for his "I Am Route 66" project, recently installed his Route 66 artwork at Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport. According to KAMR-TV in Amarillo, images from popular points along Route 66 are located before the security check and next to the Husband statue. The Amarillo Convention and Visitor Council features … Continue reading Jim Livingston’s Route 66 art featured at Amarillo’s airport
Praying Hands Monument in Webb City to undergo extensive renovations
The nearly 50-year-old Praying Hands Monument in King Jack Park in Webb City, Missouri, will undergo extensive stabilization work later this month. According to the Joplin Globe, the Dawson Heritage Foundation has hired Midland Enterprises to work on the substructure of the sculpture, which was built in 1973: The contractor will place a new reinforced concrete … Continue reading Praying Hands Monument in Webb City to undergo extensive renovations