A fire Tuesday believed caused by a cigarette damaged Redmon's Candy Factory in Phillipsburg, Missouri, but the business reopened less than 24 hours later. The building sustained fire, smoke and water damage. A woman answering the phone at Redmon's said the popular roadside stop reopened about noon Wednesday. The cleanup after the fire apparently went well. The … Continue reading Fire damages Redmon’s Candy Factory
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.
Plan would demolish Oklahoma City’s Classen Circle
A chain restaurant submitted plans to the city of Oklahoma City to tear down all the buildings in Classen Circle, which includes Classen Grill and other historic businesses. OKCTalk.com broke the news Wednesday. Braum's Ice Cream and Dairy Stores, a popular chain in Oklahoma, wants to build a store there. They have filed to rezone .48 … Continue reading Plan would demolish Oklahoma City’s Classen Circle
Replacement festival opposed for Rockabilly on the Route
A proposal by a city official to organize a replacement festival for the discontinued Rockabilly on the Route music fest in Tucumcari, New Mexico, was tabled after Rockabilly's co-organizer said such a bid would be "theft" of intellectual property. Rockabilly on the Route organizers, however, said they were open on organizing a Route 66 festival … Continue reading Replacement festival opposed for Rockabilly on the Route
Book review: ‘Route 66: An American Myth’
Before this book review begins, one needs to review the definitions of the word "myth." According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, the first entry to define that word is "a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon." … Continue reading Book review: ‘Route 66: An American Myth’
Skippy’s Route 66 Restaurant reopens after fire
Skippy's Route 66 Restaurant near Leasburg, Missouri, reopened last week after a fire heavily damaged the old Route 66 business in October. Skippy's posted on its Facebook page July 6: We have officially opened up! Good times to pull that switch for that open sign! It's been a long road, but I can officially state … Continue reading Skippy’s Route 66 Restaurant reopens after fire
Author traveling Route 66 in 1930 Ford Model A for book project
Noted author and retired professor T. Lindsay Baker is traveling Route 66 in a 1930 Ford Model A as part of research into a book he'll be writing about restaurants and dining along the Mother Road. Tulsa World columnist Ginnie Graham caught up with Baker last week in Tulsa. The article is far-ranging and ought … Continue reading Author traveling Route 66 in 1930 Ford Model A for book project
Grand Canyon Caverns soon will open Grotto underground dining area
Grand Canyon Caverns near Peach Springs, Arizona, in early August will open a Caverns Grotto on an elevated platform as a specialty underground dining area. Frank Kocevar, former owner of Historic Seligman Sundries in nearby Seligman, Arizona, had some details in an email: A winding walkway takes you to the platform. The raised platform will … Continue reading Grand Canyon Caverns soon will open Grotto underground dining area
Restoration of Front Street Bridge in Galena completed
The restoration of the historic Front Street Bridge in Galena, Kansas, recently was finished, and the city will hold a dedication ceremony at 6 p.m. July 22 to mark the occasion. City and county officials talked to the Joplin Globe newspaper about the project, also known as the Galena Viaduct: “It’s a piece of history, … Continue reading Restoration of Front Street Bridge in Galena completed
Fanning 66 Outpost soon will reopen
The closed Fanning 66 Outpost, best known for the formerly World's Largest Rocker on its premises, will reopen later the summer after a local businessman bought it. Ryan Thompson, owner of Route 66 Mercantile in nearby Cuba, Missouri, closed on the purchase of the property this week. Route 66 Mercantile is part of the former … Continue reading Fanning 66 Outpost soon will reopen
John Margolies roadside photos now available for download
More than 11,000 photos of roadside America that John Margolies took during a nearly 40-year career now are available for download from the Library of Congress. The archive, which runs from 1972 to 2008, includes nearly 80 photos from Route 66. The entire archive is here; Margolies' Route 66 photos may be found here. You may … Continue reading John Margolies roadside photos now available for download