They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. If that's the case, Route 66 should be very flattered indeed by what certain highway boosters are wanting to do in Australia. We'll let The Australian newspaper explain: Grain silos rising from flat terrain vie with open-cut mines for the attention of truckers who use the … Continue reading Australia highway wants to use Route 66 to rebrand itself
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.
Vic’s Pizza in Springfield closes
Vic's Pizza and Pub, a mainstay on old Route 66 on the north side of Springfield, Ill., since 1948, recently closed its doors, reported the Springfield State Journal-Register. The closing must have happened shortly after Valentine's Day. Its Facebook page shows normal postings through that date, then nothing. The newspaper reported: “Business was slow and … Continue reading Vic’s Pizza in Springfield closes
Elvis driving old Route 66 in Arizona
There's not much of a description to this video, except we know it's primarily Elvis Presley visiting Meteor Crater off Route 66 in Arizona in June 1967. All of the footage appears to be home movies. You'll also see glimpses the American Indian souvenir shops -- including Chief Yellowhorse's -- at the New Mexico-Arizona state line, … Continue reading Elvis driving old Route 66 in Arizona
Williams committees send mixed messages to Route 66 Zipline
https://youtu.be/wBzLYDQbK3o By tomorrow, we should know whether the Route 66 Zipline will continue to run in Williams, Ariz. Recent votes by two commissions offer little guidance on how the city council will vote. That's because the Historic Preservation Commission unanimously voted earlier this month to deny the business a special-use permit. However, the Planning and Zoning … Continue reading Williams committees send mixed messages to Route 66 Zipline
A report on Route 66 in mid-Missouri
The Ozarks News Journal produced this short video that looks at the past and future of Route 66 in mid-Missouri, particularly the Lebanon area. Ramona Lehman, co-owner of the Munger Moss Motel in Lebanon, plays a significant role in the clip. Route 66 PKG Vimeo 720p from Ozarks News Journal on Vimeo. (Image of the … Continue reading A report on Route 66 in mid-Missouri
Overview of the 2013 Route 66 Marathon
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma yesterday posted this video below about the 2013 edition of the Route 66 Marathon, held in Tulsa in November. Blue Cross / Blue Shield is a major sponsor of the marathon, but the video serves as an excellent overview of it regardless. In a relatively short time, the … Continue reading Overview of the 2013 Route 66 Marathon
Fire destroys St. Clair museum
A fire Sunday night destroyed a century-old building in downtown St. Clair, Mo., that housed the St. Clair Historical Museum, reported the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the Washington Missourian. The museum at 280 Hibbard St. stood about two blocks south of Route 66, and it housed a Route 66 exhibit. The building previously was an … Continue reading Fire destroys St. Clair museum
“Route 66” on a cigar-box guitar
David Vidal shows what he can do with Bobby Troup's "Route 66" on a cigar-box guitar (with a resonator) and a harmonica. https://youtu.be/7uqZruHIKqc As I've long note, Troup's tune is endlessly malleable. (Video by Ace Jackalope)
The keeper of the Route 66 Trailhead Park’s grapevines
The grapevines growing at Route 66 Trailhead Park in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., serve an ornamental purpose, but they hold a historical aspect as well. Gino Filippi, a city counciler for nearby Upland, Calif., and the son of local vintner Joseph Filippi, volunteers to help prune and maintain the 36 fledgling Mission grapevines at the park, … Continue reading The keeper of the Route 66 Trailhead Park’s grapevines
Garavelli’s, R.I.P.
Garavelli's Cafeteria in south St. Louis on the Chippewa Street alignment of old Route 66 closed last June. It ended nearly a century of a Garavelli's restaurants operating in St. Louis. Norma Maret Bolin, author of the well-researched "Route 66 St. Louis," sent me photos Thursday of the building being demolished, including the one above. … Continue reading Garavelli’s, R.I.P.