A Costa Rican immigrant raised in Yukon, Oklahoma, recently completed a terrific-looking mural on the side of one of the buildings at the city's landmark Yukon's Best Flour mill elevator. Channel 9 in nearby Oklahoma City produced a video about the mural and its creator, Carlos Barboza. Here is more from the report: Barboza researched … Continue reading New mural added to Yukon’s Best Flour mill in Yukon
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.
Tulsa approves three more applications for neon grants
Three more applications for neon-sign grants in Tulsa were approved along the Route 66 corridor, along with their designs. The ones approved were: Cities Service, West 17th and Southwest BoulevardFlo’s Burger Diner, 2604 E. 11th St.Renaissance Brewing Company, 1147 S. Lewis Ave. Dennis Whitaker, a planner for the Indian Nations Council of Governments, emailed the … Continue reading Tulsa approves three more applications for neon grants
Enlight Inn motel in Joplin renamed Westport Inn
The Enlight Inn, previously the long-closed Westport Lodge motel in Joplin, Missouri, that was renovated and reopened in 2017, recently was renamed the Westport Inn. Wally Kennedy, the business writer for the Joplin Globe newspaper, had the story in his regular column. Kennedy said the Enlight Inn at 3817 N. Main St. (aka Route 66) … Continue reading Enlight Inn motel in Joplin renamed Westport Inn
Grand Canyon Railway marks 30th year, helped revitalize Williams
The Grand Canyon Railway recently marked its 30th anniversary, and it helped revive the Route 66 town of Williams, Arizona, after it was bypassed by Interstate 40. The Williams News posted an excellent overview of the railway, which carries passengers from Williams to the south rim of Grand Canyon National Park, and its impact on … Continue reading Grand Canyon Railway marks 30th year, helped revitalize Williams
Springfield utility makes quick work of covering graffiti on Chatham Road Bridge
City Water, Light and Power crews of Springfield, Illinois, wasted little time in covering over graffiti on the Chatham Road Bridge that once carried Route 66. WICS-TV in Springfield posted a report this week about the vandalism: A viewer sent us the photos of the vandalism before CWLP was able to paint over it.Painted on the … Continue reading Springfield utility makes quick work of covering graffiti on Chatham Road Bridge
OKPOP museum will break ground soon in downtown Tulsa
The Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture, aka OKPOP, will break ground this month across the street from the historic Cain’s Ballroom in downtown Tulsa, officials announced last week. The groundbreaking ceremony is set for 10 a.m. Oct. 23, and the governor and other officials will attend, reported the Tulsa World newspaper. Construction on the OKPOP … Continue reading OKPOP museum will break ground soon in downtown Tulsa
Cost for Route 66 Visitor Center in Albuquerque keeps rising
The cost of a Route 66 Visitors Center on Albuquerque's west side has risen from $3.4 million to $12.9 million in three years. KRQE-TV in Albuquerque had the story Wednesday night and quoted city councilor Klarissa Pena: Back in 2016, Albuquerque city councilors and Bernalillo County commissioners announced a Route 66 Visitor Center on the … Continue reading Cost for Route 66 Visitor Center in Albuquerque keeps rising
Buck Atoms Cosmic Curios on Route 66 in Tulsa raising money for a new neon sign
Mary Beth Babcock, owner of Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios on Route 66, is crowdfunding an effort to build a new neon sign at her Tulsa gift shop. Babcock aims to raise $10,000 through a GoFundMe.com campaign that launched about three days ago. As of Tuesday night, she'd raised more than $1,000. She wrote on Facebook … Continue reading Buck Atoms Cosmic Curios on Route 66 in Tulsa raising money for a new neon sign
Big Chief Roadhouse marks 90th year in Wildwood
The Big Chief Roadhouse, which sits along an old alignment of Route 66 in Wildwood, Missouri. recently celebrated its 90th anniversary. The Lancer Feed, a newspaper created by students at Lafayette High School in Wildwood, created this video from the Sept. 14 celebration: https://youtu.be/38_lRMseNlY The restaurant's website contains an extensive history here. The Big Chief … Continue reading Big Chief Roadhouse marks 90th year in Wildwood
Old Joliet Prison draws 14,000 visitors since opening in August 2018
The Old Joliet Prison has drawn a total of 14,181 visitors for tours and events since opening to the public in August 2018, according to the Joliet Historical Museum. The 19th-century prison, known officially as the former Joliet Correctional Center, also generated $407,654 in revenue, a report in The Herald-News stated. The net revenue of … Continue reading Old Joliet Prison draws 14,000 visitors since opening in August 2018