The Cozy Dog Drive-In, a fixture along Route 66 in Springfield, Ill., for six decades, soon will host a camera crew from the Food Channel to show how the restaurant's cozy dogs are prepared, reported the Springfield State Journal-Register in a story about tourism in the city. According to the newspaper, filming will take place on … Continue reading Cozy Dog will be subject of Food Network program
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.
Rail museum in Kingman will likely open in late July
A room at the Amtrak Train Depot in Kingman, Ariz., will be devoted toy trains and other railroad memorabilia when when a local train club opens it later this month, reported the Kingman Daily Miner newspaper. The Whistle Stop Railroad Club repaired some broken-down toy trains and railcars, and now have them operating. More about … Continue reading Rail museum in Kingman will likely open in late July
TV ad denigrates Wigwam motels
A new television commercial by the Microtel motel chain conveys an unflattering light on the three surviving Frank Redford-designed wigwam-style motels, including two on Route 66, says at least one of their owners. The manager of the Wigwam Motel in Rialto, Calif., is considering a defamation suit or other legal action against the chain, and … Continue reading TV ad denigrates Wigwam motels
Downtown L.A. theater completes $1 million restoration
The century-old Palace Theatre in downtown Los Angeles held tours this past weekend after the owners finished a $1 million restoration, reported the Los Angeles Times. The theater, which opened in 1911, sits at 630 S. Broadway, about one block from the original western endpoint of Route 66 at Seventh and Broadway. The Delijani family … Continue reading Downtown L.A. theater completes $1 million restoration
A short film about Run It Forward on Route 66
Here's a short film about the Run It Forward campaign, which took place on Route 66 in May: https://youtu.be/1PiH49HzdMA A relay of eight top running athletes ran on all 2,400 miles of Route 66 in 18 days for the charity, which aims to promote fitness, nutrition, and dental health to underprivileged kids. Run It Forward also presided over … Continue reading A short film about Run It Forward on Route 66
Blue Dome Diner in Tulsa soon will close
The Blue Dome Diner, located on an older alignment of Route 66 in downtown Tulsa, will close at the end of the month because its lease was not renewed, reported Fox23 News in Tulsa. Brian Prewitt is the owner of the restaurant, at 313 E. Second St. It formerly was known as the Route 66 … Continue reading Blue Dome Diner in Tulsa soon will close
Bel-Aire Motel ruled out for Springfield Route 66 museum
The historic Bel-Aire Motel in Springfield, Ill., has been quietly withdrawn as a possible site for a Route 66 visitors center and museum, reported The State Journal-Register. A group of tourism, city and planning officials has been meeting informally about the idea in recent weeks, including an analysis by the Springfield-Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission … Continue reading Bel-Aire Motel ruled out for Springfield Route 66 museum
“Hard Travelin'”
https://youtu.be/yI9OJ6PIbso Stew Magnuson put this video together for the Woody Guthrie song: With Depression-era photos by the great Farm Services Administration photographer John Vachon. Created in honor of Woody's 100th birthday. You'll hear a Route 66 reference in the song about the two-minute mark. If you get the notion, you can travel to Okemah, Okla., … Continue reading “Hard Travelin'”
Longtime bowling alley in Granite City closes
AMF Bowland Lanes in Granite City, Ill., closed on July 9, leaving the steel-mill town on old Route 66 without a bowling alley, reported the Suburban Journals. According to longtime bowler Terry Hogue, the bowling center's shutdown came abruptly: "Nobody got any warning or anything," said Hogue, 72. "They came in (last) Monday and told … Continue reading Longtime bowling alley in Granite City closes
Still tree-mendous
Longtime readers may remember a story from two years ago where Durelle Pritchard of Pontiac, Ill., decided to do something different about getting rid of a nuisance pine tree in his yard. Instead of chopping down the tree, he had a chain-saw artist whittle it into the shape of an old-fashioned gas pump. Pritchard's house sits … Continue reading Still tree-mendous