For those seeking or wanting to sell historic property along Route 66, a new site launched last week that may provide a good resourse for such things. HistoricForSale.com, a subsidiary of PreservationDirectory.com, launched on Wednesday. It's an online directory of vintage homes and historic commercial property for sale, and real-estate agents who specialize in such … Continue reading Historic real estate site launched
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.
A Muffler Man primer
Carrie Steinweg, a correspondent for The Times in Munster, Ind., has an excellent overview of the significance and history of Muffler Men -- the fiberglass giants that were (and still are) used by businesses to get the attention of potential customers. Many of the statues were purchased by muffler shops -- hence, the Muffler Man … Continue reading A Muffler Man primer
Remembering RoVal’s
The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin uncovered a story from Route 66's past about the long-gone RoVal's steak house in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., at 11871 Foothill Blvd. (aka Route 66). The restaurant's namesake, RoVal Jones, died at age 89 last week. RoVal's first restaurant was on Ninth Street in Rancho Cucamonga. But its second location on … Continue reading Remembering RoVal’s
Tribute to Bolin Ford
Here's a video tribute that someone posted about the devastating fire in December that destroyed much of Bolin Ford on Route 66 in Bristow, Okla. Much of the historic Bristow Motor Co. complex still remains, however. Bolin Ford plans to rebuild.
Tucumcari may make another bet on racetrack
Tucumcari, N.M., is betting that another horse-racing license will come open in the next two years and has decided to keep its option on purchasing land between Interstate 40 and Route 66, reports the Quay County Sun. Tucumcari lobbied hard last year to get the racetrack, but the state awarded the license to Raton, N.M. … Continue reading Tucumcari may make another bet on racetrack
Marketing agency now owns Route66.com
The long-dormant Internet domain of "route66.com" was acquired a few months ago by the Oklahoma City-based marketing firm of Ackerman McQueen. Route66.com's home page has undergone an update. It's still fairly rudimentary, but does contain links to POPS in Arcadia, Okla.; the OklaTravelNet site and the National Historic Route 66 Federation. A screen shot of … Continue reading Marketing agency now owns Route66.com
Rock Cafe resurrection
It appears the Rock Cafe in Stroud, Okla., is shooting for a reopening in May -- the one-year anniversary of a devastating fire that gutted the historic building. David Burke Historic Preservation, based in Perry, Okla., is the main contractor on the reconstruction project. It has a Web page that details the ongoing work, including … Continue reading Rock Cafe resurrection
Spreading the gospel
Members of the Czech Route 66 Association put together an exhibit at a local shopping mall so that fellow citizens of the Czech Republic can learn about the Mother Road. The exhibit will be up until March 2.
Robert Earl Keen to go on Route 66 tour
Texas singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen will go on a music tour of Route 66 sometime this year, reports the San Antonio Express-News. According to Keen's Web site, the tour will mark the 20th anniversary of his most famous song, "The Road Goes on Forever (and the Party Never Ends)." A documentary also is planned, and … Continue reading Robert Earl Keen to go on Route 66 tour
VW RV
Near the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Ariz., there's a vintage Volkswagen Beetle that's been converted into a motorhome. It's been sitting off Route 66 for years. I'd assumed the VW RV was some sort of one-off project by a local mechanic and that the vehicle was dubious in its road-worthiness. However, in this post at … Continue reading VW RV