The Route 66 Food & Fuel gas station complex under construction on Route 66 in Joliet, Ill., will feature a replica of the car driven by the Blues Brothers on top of a 25-foot pole, according to the Joliet Patch. The Patch said: Ferhat Zerin, a principal planner for Ginkgo Planning & Design, cited the … Continue reading Joliet gas station will feature Blue Brothers car atop a pole
Category: Art
Wagon Wheel Restaurant in Needles marks 35th year
The Wagon Wheel Restaurant on Route 66 in Needles, Calif., marked its 35th anniversary on Aug. 1, according to the Needles Desert Star, although a restaurant has been on that site for longer than that. The restaurant used the day for various special meals and drinks to commemorate 35 years. Customers also could get added … Continue reading Wagon Wheel Restaurant in Needles marks 35th year
Mural artist creating Route 66 artwork in Needles
Robin Morrow, who already has painted Route 66-themed artwork on walls in Needles, Calif., also is offering to help businesses in town rejuvenate existing artwork, the Needles Desert Star reported. The newspaper also explained what is planned with the city's future mural projects: Morrow was hired by the Needles Economic Development Corporation to create a … Continue reading Mural artist creating Route 66 artwork in Needles
Three minutes with Bob Waldmire
Bob Hall, who worked at KFOR-TV in Oklahoma City, has been uploading some of his old reports to YouTube this week. Here's a well-produced one from 1989 about Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire. https://youtu.be/IDKDMWZ76WY Waldmire died in 2009 at age 64 from abdominal cancer. However, his legendary 1972 Volkswagen minibus still can be seen at … Continue reading Three minutes with Bob Waldmire
Route 66 made of Lego pieces
A few weeks ago, Kendall Yost announced he would make a reproduction of Route 66 made entirely of Lego pieces during the Ozark Empire Fair in Springfield, Mo. The Route 66 miniature is up, which you can see here with this video from the Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader: The Ozark Empire Fair runs through Aug. 3.
New miniature of the Bagdad Cafe
Take a close look at the above photos. Can you tell the real Bagdad Cafe near Newberry Springs, Calif., and the miniature replica? The second photo is the real McCoy. Willem Bor of the Netherlands has made amazingly detailed miniatures of Route 66 landmarks. The latest was the Bagdad Cafe, made famous by the European … Continue reading New miniature of the Bagdad Cafe
World Peace Monument apparently is back on track
Here's one of the oddest videos you'll see on this website. We'll let John Clanton, a Tulsa World photographer who made the clip, explain in an accompanying story: By his count, King Richard LéRoy has 1,613 used bowling balls. That’s 6,823 short of his goal. His real name is Richard Branaman, but he prefers to … Continue reading World Peace Monument apparently is back on track
Missouri town painting fire hydrants in a Route 66 theme
The Route 66 town of Sullivan, Mo., is embarking on an unusual art project where its fire hydrants are being repainted to commemorate a landmark or city along the Mother Road, reported the Sullivan Journal. Although the highway runs from Chicago to Santa Monica, Calif., the mural project will cover that distance from the city … Continue reading Missouri town painting fire hydrants in a Route 66 theme
A visit to Totem Pole Park
Lee Carter, a photojournalist based in Tulsa, took his family to the Ed Galloway's Totem Pole Park in nearby Foyil, Okla. The video provides a rare glimpse inside the big totem pole. Totem Pole Park from Lee Carter on Vimeo. Totem Pole Park lies a few miles east of Route 66, but it remains inextricably … Continue reading A visit to Totem Pole Park
El Trovatore Motel continues to add murals
Sam and Monica Frisher haven't quit improving his historic El Trovatore Motel in Kingman, Ariz., by restoring its neon signs, including a prominent one on a tower on a nearby hill. The latest additions are new murals on the grounds. According to the Kingman Daily Miner: The Frishers have invested about $7,000 so far in … Continue reading El Trovatore Motel continues to add murals