Roof blown off historic Needles Theatre

An apparent dust devil Saturday blew off the remnants of a metal roof off the historic but long-closed Needles Theatre in downtown Needles, California. The wreckage of the roof blocked the westbound lanes of Broadway (aka Route 66) in Needles. The Needles Desert Star reported: Needles resident Michael Wright was on the second floor of … Continue reading Roof blown off historic Needles Theatre

More details emerge about Buck Atom Space Cowboy dedication on Saturday

We've known for some weeks about the big party at 10 a.m. Saturday for the 21-foot-tall Buck Atom Space Cowboy fiberglass giant that will be dedicated at Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios on 66 in Tulsa. Mary Beth Babcock, the effervescent owner of the souvenir store in a former gas station at 1347 E. 11th St. … Continue reading More details emerge about Buck Atom Space Cowboy dedication on Saturday

Scenes from the 2019 Arizona Route 66 Fun Run

Frank Kocevar put together this video about the just-completed Arizona Route 66 Fun Run that went from Seligman to Topock. https://vimeo.com/334349468 It's good to see Angel Delgadillo, at 92 years young, and Fun Run grand marshal Bob Boze Bell in the clip. The 2020 edition of the Fun Run will be May 1-3.

Site announced for Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66

Organizers for the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66 announced they have acquired a building in downtown Joliet, with the hopes of opening it by next year. According to the Joliet Patch, the museum's organizers bought a three-story building at 9 W. Cass St. (seen above) that dates to the 1920s. The structure … Continue reading Site announced for Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66

Ramada Kingman, Canyon 66 restaurant to be sold by bankruptcy auction

The financially troubled Ramada Kingman hotel and its Canyon 66 restaurant will be up for bids via bankruptcy auction May 17, with the sale date of May 23. According to legal documents, the public sale date will be 1:30 p.m. May 23 at U.S. bankruptcy court in Riverside, California. The proposed sale price will be … Continue reading Ramada Kingman, Canyon 66 restaurant to be sold by bankruptcy auction

Switch is flipped on Ariston Cafe’s neon restoration

At 8:10 p.m. Saturday, the switch was flipped to show the restored neon signs and window accents for the Ariston Cafe in Litchfield, Illinois, during a relighting ceremony. The aim of the restoration was to show what the Route 66 restaurant looked like shortly after it opened in Litchfield in July 1935. The Ariston originally … Continue reading Switch is flipped on Ariston Cafe’s neon restoration

Remains of long-missing woman found near Amboy Crater

The remains of a woman were found last week near Amboy Crater near Amboy, California, after she and her husband went missing 10 months ago. Susan Schmierer and her husband, William, of Williamsburg, Virginia, went missing after a visit to Amboy Crater during a cross-country trip to see a daughter in California. Their empty car … Continue reading Remains of long-missing woman found near Amboy Crater

$1.5M sought for Albuquerque’s Central Avenue for extra cops, marketing

Several Albuquerque city councilors want $1.5 million to hire extra police officers and pay for marketing to boost Central Avenue, aka Route 66, after the ill-conceived Albuquerque Rapid Transit project decimated the corridor. The four councilors expect the money from a new internet sales tax that will generate an estimated $6 million a year. The … Continue reading $1.5M sought for Albuquerque’s Central Avenue for extra cops, marketing

Launching Pad Drive-In in Wilmington holds its grand reopening

The Launching Pad Drive-In in Wilmington, Illinois, held its grand reopening Friday, although the Route 66 restaurant had been open for several weeks to long lines to test its food offerings. Holly Barker and Tully Garrett purchased the long-closed restaurant in the fall of 2017. According to The Herald-News in nearby Joliet: Barker said they … Continue reading Launching Pad Drive-In in Wilmington holds its grand reopening

Route 66 Museum and Visitor Center in Los Lunas comes more into focus

The purpose and scope of a long-proposed Route 66 Museum and Visitor Center in Los Lunas, New Mexico, became clearer after hearing opinions from residents during a recent meeting. The museum will be west of the historic Luna Mansion on Main Street on a 1926 to 1937 alignment of Route 66 that went south from … Continue reading Route 66 Museum and Visitor Center in Los Lunas comes more into focus