Armand Ortega Sr., 86, savior of the historic El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, New Mexico, when it faced the wrecking ball during the 1980s, died Wednesday. An employee at the hotel said Ortega had been in failing health for about a year. His funeral was today at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Gallup, with burial at Sunset Cemetery. Ortega Family Enterprises, based in Santa Fe, owns … Continue reading Owner of El Rancho Hotel in Gallup dies
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.
Outdoor concert will benefit Sprague’s station
An outdoor benefit concert by a local country-music band for the Sprague's Super Service station in Normal, Illinois, will be coupled with free tours of the historic facility Sunday by owner Terri Ryburn, reported WJBC radio. Sprague's Super Service 305 E. Pine St. in Normal is hosting an outdoor concert from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday. … Continue reading Outdoor concert will benefit Sprague’s station
Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program announces 2014 grants
The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program on Thursday announced five cost-share grants totaling $77,000 for 2014, including one for an endangered bridge in Oklahoma. Here are the recipients: Rock Creek Bridge, Sapulpa, Oklahoma ($5,013 National Park Service grant, $5,013 match by recipient)– The bridge carried traffic on Route 66 from 1926 until 1952. The bridge, on the … Continue reading Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program announces 2014 grants
Front Street Garage in Galena will be renovated
The long-closed Front Street Garage in Galena, Kansas, has a new roadie owner, and his long-term plans are renovating it into a Ford Model A museum, according to KODE-TV. The garage, also known as the Bradshaw Garage, is directly across the street, aka Route 66, from Cars on the Route -- known as the home … Continue reading Front Street Garage in Galena will be renovated
Springfield will simulcast Ozark Mountain Daredevils concert during festival
If you didn't have a ticket to the Ozark Mountain Daredevils' headlining concert at the Gillioz Theatre during the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival in Springfield, Missouri, on Aug. 9, no worries -- the sellout show will be simultaneously broadcast for free on a 16-by-30-foot screen in Park Central Square downtown. The band enthusiastically endorsed … Continue reading Springfield will simulcast Ozark Mountain Daredevils concert during festival
Will the Route 66 festival transform Kingman?
The Kingman Daily Miner newspaper posted an interesting article this week about Route 66's growing economic influence and whether the upcoming International Route 66 Festival will transform the host town of Kingman, Arizona. The article borrows heavily from the influential Route 66 Economic Impact Study and anecdotal evidence on how Route 66 affects other towns, … Continue reading Will the Route 66 festival transform Kingman?
The coming Chinese invasion (continued)
Noting demographic and economic trends, I predicted in 2011 that Route 66 would see a growing influx of Chinese tourists. Here's the latest sign. This week, the Shanghai General Motors Tour of Route 66 began in Amarillo and will continue to Santa Monica. The tour, organized by Open Road Productions of Brighton, Michigan, features Chinese Cadillac owners and dealers driving Cadillac … Continue reading The coming Chinese invasion (continued)
An idea for Route 66 events that needs to spread
A few days ago, the committee for the Route 66 Classic Car Cruise that will take place Aug. 9 in Crestwood, Missouri, announced the newest charity that will receive proceeds from the annual event. According to a news release, the committee will give the event's proceeds to Project Backpack - St. Louis, which serves the St. Louis metro … Continue reading An idea for Route 66 events that needs to spread
World’s Largest Catsup Bottle up for sale
The World's Largest Catsup Bottle, a landmark for decades in Collinsville, Illinois, has been put up for sale and faces a cloudy future, according to several St. Louis-area media outlets. KPLR-TV posted this story today (the video isn't embeddable). The Metro Independent, based in Collinsville, also had this report today: Bethel-Eckert Enterprises Inc., owners of the warehouse below … Continue reading World’s Largest Catsup Bottle up for sale
The miracle of the Coleman Theatre’s restoration
The history and eventual revitalization of the historic Coleman Theatre in Miami, Oklahoma, is one of the most inspiring and interesting stories you'll hear on Route 66. It continues to amaze how a town of just 13,000 people with nominal funding could return an opulent theater back to its old glory. And who better to … Continue reading The miracle of the Coleman Theatre’s restoration