Not only is someone looking after Elmer Long's Bottle Tree Ranch near Oro Grande, California, but he is adding to it three years after the creator's death. According to ABC10 in Los Angeles, Brian McKinsey now serves as caretaker of the Route 66 landmark. The story contains this encouraging excerpt: McKinsey says it’s not uncommon … Continue reading Caretaker creating new additions to Elmer Long’s Bottle Tree Ranch
Category: Art
15-foot pollinator sculpture debuts along Route 66 in Carlinville
A three-piece, 15-foot-tall pollinator sculpture recently was installed along Route 66 in Carlinville, Illinois. The steel sculpture of flowers and a bee stands at the Carlinville Plaza on the city's north side. Make Carlinville Beautiful coordinated the creation and donation of materials for the project. According to an article in the Alton Telegraph, the sculpture … Continue reading 15-foot pollinator sculpture debuts along Route 66 in Carlinville
Cherokee Nation Welcome Center opens near Vinita
The Cherokee Nation earlier this week opened its Anna Mitchell Cultural & Welcome Center on Route 66 in Vinita, Oklahoma. Mitchell is known as one of the Cherokee Nation's pre-eminent pottery artists. She began her ground-breaking experiments with clay from an area less than a mile from the future home of the welcome center. More … Continue reading Cherokee Nation Welcome Center opens near Vinita
Eviction notice served to Jax Welborn’s Route 66 Community Art Gallery, other shops in Waynesville
Jax Welborn's Route 66 Community Art Gallery, Get Your Pics on Route 66 shop and Pics by Jax Studio in Waynesville, Missouri, will close on Oct. 9 after she unexpectedly was served an eviction notice Monday from her landlord. It feels like the sudden death of a loved one," Welborn said on a Facebook post. … Continue reading Eviction notice served to Jax Welborn’s Route 66 Community Art Gallery, other shops in Waynesville
Former University Lodge in Albuquerque reopens as Hotel Zazz boutique lodging
The former University Lodge motel along Route 66 in Albuquerque reopened a few weeks ago after months of renovations -- just in time for the city's fabled Balloon Fiesta -- and has been rechristened as the colorful Hotel Zazz. The Albuquerque Journal recently published a story about Hotel Zazz and owner Sharmin Dharas, who grew … Continue reading Former University Lodge in Albuquerque reopens as Hotel Zazz boutique lodging
A miniaturized version of The Spindle sculpture returns to Berwyn along Route 66
A smaller version of the famous Spindle sculpture that once stood in a shopping center in Berwyn, Illinois, recently was unveiled along that city's alignment of Route 66. Artist Pete Gamen created a 23-foot-tall version of the sculpture and uses fiberglass go-karts instead of cars, according to WBBM. It stands in Paisan’s Pizzeria and Bar … Continue reading A miniaturized version of The Spindle sculpture returns to Berwyn along Route 66
Article reveals more details on Dennis Hopper’s iconic “Double Standard” photo
A recent story in the New Yorker provided a lot more detail about "Double Standard," a now-iconic photograph from inside a car of a Los Angeles gas station at a Route 66 intersection by actor Dennis Hopper during the early 1960s. Here's an Instagram image of the photo on display in London: View this post … Continue reading Article reveals more details on Dennis Hopper’s iconic “Double Standard” photo
Joliet clarifies what it will do with nearly a half-million dollars for Route 66
A report in an area newspaper recently clarified how Joliet, Illinois, will use nearly $500,000 to beef up its Route 66 attractions for the highway's centennial in 2026. According to the Herald-News (paywall), the city council loaned $484,500 to the Heritage Corridor Convention and Visitors Bureau so it could get started quickly on Route 66 … Continue reading Joliet clarifies what it will do with nearly a half-million dollars for Route 66
New murals help brighten Route 66 corridors in Collinsville, Edwardsville, Yukon
New murals that recently were painted in Collinsville and Edwardsville, Illinois, and Yukon, Oklahoma, are brightening the drive on Route 66 in those towns. The one that was finished this week in Edwardsville is part of the Route 66 Mural Art Trail, where 12 murals are planned along Route 66 in Illinois. The Edwardsville mural … Continue reading New murals help brighten Route 66 corridors in Collinsville, Edwardsville, Yukon
Route 66 pedestrian underpass in Chelsea reopens to the public
The historic pedestrian tunnel under Route 66 in Chelsea, Oklahoma, recently reopened to the public after vandalism forced its closing about a year ago. The Oklahoma Route 66 Association made the announcement of the reopening of the underpass: The tunnel was refurbished in 2016 with a Route 66-style mural that spotlights Chelsea landmarks. The tunnel … Continue reading Route 66 pedestrian underpass in Chelsea reopens to the public