Some good news and bad news about a Route 66 landmark. The bad news is the long-closed Tropics Dining Room building along old Route 66 in Lincoln, Ill., was sold and its sign will be taken down, according to Lincoln Daily News. The good news is the sign will be preserved and restored after a new home … Continue reading Tropics sign will be taken down and restored
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.
Historic boarding house reopens in Atlanta, Ill.
After months of renovations, a boarding house that operated during the late 1940s near downtown Atlanta, Ill., has reopened as a lodging facility again. An open house recently was hosted for the Colaw Rooming House at 204 NW Vine St., about a block and a half off historic Route 66. From the news release about … Continue reading Historic boarding house reopens in Atlanta, Ill.
Santa Fe may ban motor vehicles in its Plaza
Santa Fe, N.M., may curb motor vehicles in its downtown Plaza area, according to an op-ed piece written by former city councilor Frank Montano in the Albuquerque Journal. The 1926-37 alignment of Route 66, aka the Santa Fe Loop, runs about a block south of the Plaza. However, El Camino Real -- a road older than Route 66 -- … Continue reading Santa Fe may ban motor vehicles in its Plaza
Developers tour El Vado Motel
The city of Albuquerque finally is pushing hard to have developers do something with the historic but long-closed El Vado Motel. KRQE-TV in Albuquerque filed this report about developers touring the property this week: A few weeks ago, the city released a request for proposals from developers. The deadline for submission is July 3. The … Continue reading Developers tour El Vado Motel
Miss Belvedere languishing in a warehouse
The 1957 Plymouth Belvedere, aka Miss Belvedere, that was unearthed from a Tulsa time capsule to much fanfare in 2007, is sitting in a New Jersey warehouse, apparently unwanted, according to a recent story in Hemmings Motor News. Because water inundated the vault during its 50-year residence, rust and mud covered the Belvedere and rendered … Continue reading Miss Belvedere languishing in a warehouse
World’s Largest Covered Wagon repaired
The World's Largest Covered Wagon, aka the Railsplitter Covered Wagon, in Lincoln, Ill., has been repaired in time for tourism season after a severe windstorm damaged it in January. The Bloomington Pantagraph reported: "It was a challenge, and because it is in the Guinness Book of World Records, we had to make sure that we … Continue reading World’s Largest Covered Wagon repaired
Cow Bop embarking on another summer Route 66 tour
Western swing and jazz band Cow Bop, along with several other guest artists and bands, will go on another Route 66 tour this summer, according to a news release from Cow Bop guitarist Bruce Forman. This time, the World's First Linear Music Festival on July 25 to Aug. 9 will be sponsored by Rifftime, a … Continue reading Cow Bop embarking on another summer Route 66 tour
More about that Diet Mountain Dew commercial
Longtime readers of this site probably have seen a muddy-looking but still-invigorating Diet Mountain Dew commercial featuring an altered version of Bobby Troup's "Route 66" by John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols. A high-quality version of the ad recently was uploaded by the AICP Show, which honors art and technique for those … Continue reading More about that Diet Mountain Dew commercial
La Posada owner wants to buy another historic Las Vegas hotel
Amid the hubbub of La Posada Hotel co-owner Alan Affeldt recently buying the historic Castaneda Hotel in Las Vegas, N.M., one thing that's been often overlooked is he wants to buy the historic Plaza Hotel in town, too. Following up on an editorial Sunday in the Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper, I found this excerpt … Continue reading La Posada owner wants to buy another historic Las Vegas hotel
“The Grapes of Wrath” was published 75 years ago today
John Steinbeck's famous novel about the Great Depression and a family's Moses-like journey on Route 66, "The Grapes of Wrath," was published 75 years ago today. The National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, Calif., is marking the anniversary all year, and I'll post a review of a new book about the writing of the novel when … Continue reading “The Grapes of Wrath” was published 75 years ago today