"Boomtown," a feature-length documentary about the history of Tulsa, will be screened theatrically next month and on Tulsa television stations in August, according to an article in the Tulsa World. Here is the official trailer: Official Trailer HD - Boomtown: An American Journey from Kirkpatrick&Kinslow Productions on Vimeo. Kirkpatrick & Kinslow, based in the Tulsa … Continue reading Full-length documentary about Tulsa’s history coming soon
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.
Demolition of Bel-Aire Motel begins
The razing of the long-troubled and condemned Bel-Aire Motel along Route 66 in Springfield, Illinois, began Monday, according to varying media outlets in the city. The Springfield State Journal-Register published a gallery of photos of Sheppard's Auto Sales & Salvage doing the demolition work. The company's owner said he hoped he would be finished within … Continue reading Demolition of Bel-Aire Motel begins
Vandals damage ghost town of Spencer
Vandals damaged portions of the semi-restored ghost town of Spencer, Missouri, on old Route 66 last week, according to a report by KYTV in nearby Springfield. Quentin Stockman is the caretaker for the complex. Spencer lies on a 1928 alignment of Route 66, and the buildings were renovated to look like that era. “That used … Continue reading Vandals damage ghost town of Spencer
New renderings of Sapulpa’s giant gas pump released
New artist's renderings were released Monday of the giant gas pump that will be built outside the Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum on Route 66 in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. Initial reports more than two weeks ago said the pump was going to be 20 feet tall. It turns out the museum's organizers underestimated the pump's … Continue reading New renderings of Sapulpa’s giant gas pump released
If you want to get married on Route 66 …
... Laurel Kane at Afton Station in Afton, Oklahoma, get 'er done as a marriage officiant. Kane presided over her first official nuptials Saturday for a couple that had been together for 13 years. You can read the details at her blog, but here are the important details for anyone else who's considering getting hitched: … Continue reading If you want to get married on Route 66 …
Old-school “Route 66”
If you want to know what it sounded like when the Nat King Cole Trio's version of "Route 66" came out on 78 rpm record in 1946, you have your chance -- cracks, pops and all. Route 66 from Ricky Doo Wop on Vimeo. This was the record that jump-started Bobby Troup's career and spawned … Continue reading Old-school “Route 66”
Route 66: The Road Ahead hosting regional workshops
The Route 66: The Road Ahead Initiative will host Route 66 Collaboration Workshops at seven cities in July, according to a news release Friday. The initiative is joining with the National Park Service's Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program on the workshops, in which members of Route 66 associations, tourism officials, economic development professionals, business owners, preservationists, … Continue reading Route 66: The Road Ahead hosting regional workshops
Bridge near Funks Grove soon will be closed until late October
A stretch of Route 66 that goes near Funks Grove Pure Maple Sirup and the Illinois hamlet of Funks Grove will be closed through late October because a 1950s-era bridge will be replaced. According to a brief in the Bloomington Pantagraph, a 4 1/2-mile stretch of Route 66 north of U.S. 136 will be closed … Continue reading Bridge near Funks Grove soon will be closed until late October
“Cars 3” appears to be slated for 2018 release
"Cars 3," the second sequel of the Disney-Pixar animated films that were rooted on Route 66, appears to be scheduled for a 2018 release, according to a report from Sao Paulo Disney Expo in Brazil by Pixar Brazil Blog. A reporter at the expo May 27-28 took a few photographs of a Disney employee in … Continue reading “Cars 3” appears to be slated for 2018 release
Scenes from Rockabilly on the Route
If there's a big Route 66 event, there's a good chance Frank Kocevar, former owner of Historic Seligman Sundries in Seligman, Arizona, will be there. During last weekend's Rockabilly on the Route in Tucumcari, New Mexico, he took his video camera and got plenty of footage at the festival -- and some familiar faces to … Continue reading Scenes from Rockabilly on the Route