The Launching Pad Drive-In in Wilmington, Illinois -- best-known for its Gemini Giant fiberglass giant on a corner of the property -- has new owners who plan to reopen the Route 66 landmark in the late spring. The Free Press Newspapers reported Tully Garrett and Holly Barker will take possession Oct. 16 of the property, … Continue reading Launching Pad Drive-In lands new owners
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.
Elbow Inn’s main building reopens
The main building for the Elbow Inn bar and barbecue restaurant in Devil's Elbow, Missouri, reopened Wednesday about five months after record flooding ravaged it and the tiny Route 66 town. The Elbow Inn's beer-garden area reopened a few weeks after the flood. But seeing the main bar looking all shiny and new was a … Continue reading Elbow Inn’s main building reopens
Scenes from the Military Vehicle Preservation Association Route 66 Convoy
We've been tracking the Military Vehicle Preservation Association's Route 66 Convoy, where about 70 military vehicles are going west the length of the Mother Road over several weeks. You can follow the convoy's progress online here, which includes a live feed if the signal is good. The Facebook page for MVPA Historic Convoys also is … Continue reading Scenes from the Military Vehicle Preservation Association Route 66 Convoy
Historic house for sale in Webb City being considered as a B&B
A historic house on the north edge of downtown Webb City, Missouri, is on the market, and prospective buyers are considering it for use as bed-and-breakfast lodging. KSN-TV took a closer look at the Aylor House: The 3,000 square foot home was built in 1891 and features many details original to the house. That includes … Continue reading Historic house for sale in Webb City being considered as a B&B
Tom Petty, R.I.P.
Word came down late Monday that rock 'n' roll legend Tom Petty died after suffering a cardiac arrest at his Southern California home. He was 66. I'll let others wax poetic about his marvelous career, including one of my favorite music writers at the Chicago Tribune. But it's almost a given Tom Petty and his … Continue reading Tom Petty, R.I.P.
Book review: Charles Phoenix’s “Addicted to Americana”
If you wondered whether famed pop-culture enthusiast Charles Phoenix included Route 66 attractions in his latest book, "Addicted to Americana" (180 pages, hardcover, illustrated, Prospect Park Books), all you have to do is glance at its cover. It contains an image of the Desert Hills Motel neon sign in Tulsa and a tepee from one … Continue reading Book review: Charles Phoenix’s “Addicted to Americana”
Mother Road Marathon resumes with almost 900 runners
Nearly 900 runners participated in tri-state Mother Road Marathon, which resumed Sunday after a three-year hiatus. The 26.2-mile course went from Commerce, Oklahoma, through much of Route 66 in Kansas, and finished at Schifferdecker Park in Joplin, Missouri. A total of 300 runners competed in the full marathon. Another 400 ran a half-marathon, and 200 … Continue reading Mother Road Marathon resumes with almost 900 runners
Grand Canyon Cafe grand reopening set for next Saturday
The Grand Canyon Cafe in Flagstaff, Arizona, will hold a grand reopening celebration Saturday, Oct. 7, with free pancakes that morning and possibly free meals for a year at the historic Route 66 restaurant. Starting at 10:30 a.m. next Saturday, guests can score free pancakes in exchange for submitting their email addresses or sharing their online … Continue reading Grand Canyon Cafe grand reopening set for next Saturday
Landowner of Classen Circle plans to demolish site anyway
Oklahoma City zoning commissioners hit a stalemate Thursday on whether to rezone historic Classen Circle to allow the construction of a Braum's restaurant there, but the landowner said he planned to raze the site for redevelopment regardless of the Braum's decision. Commissioners mustered only a 3-3 tie on whether to rezone the parcel. But it … Continue reading Landowner of Classen Circle plans to demolish site anyway
Filmmaker is crowdfunding a portion of his Blue Whale movie
Tulsa-based filmmaker Jonathan Rossetti wants to make a coming-of-age independent film set at the iconic Blue Whale of Catoosa, Oklahoma, and he has set up a crowdfunding campaign to hire a casting director. Rossetti launched up his campaign this month on Seed and Spark. He hopes to raise about $10,000 within two weeks. He … Continue reading Filmmaker is crowdfunding a portion of his Blue Whale movie