The Quay County Sun, based in Tucumcari, N.M., reports that construction has begun on the $7.4 million Glenrio Welcome Center on Interstate 40 near the Texas-New Mexico border. At a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday, March 21, state transportation and tourism officials unveiled plans for a hacienda-style center which will include a theater, wireless Internet service, … Continue reading Construction begins on Glenrio Welcome Center
Category: Attractions
Red Oak II reopens this summer
Partly buried in this Carthage (Mo.) Press article about a Japanese television crew filming Route 66 sights is intriguing news about the languishing Red Oak II complex northeast of town. The visit to Red Oak II comes at an exciting time as renovation work nears completion on the Black Hen Restaurant, which will reopen this … Continue reading Red Oak II reopens this summer
Right in time
This video, using the Rolling Stones' version of "Route 66" as accompaniment, manages the trick of showing footage of each town or state's attractions as the lyrics come up.
Pops of Arcadia documentary
Here's a short documentary about the building of the Pops convenience store on Route 66 in Arcadia, Okla., complete with a 66-foot-tall pop bottle. Interviewed are Route 66 historian Jim Ross, who lives near Arcadia, and Pops architect Rand Elliott of Oklahoma City. On a related note, I recently e-mailed Chesapeake Energy CEO Aubrey McClendon, … Continue reading Pops of Arcadia documentary
Construction begins on Avery Plaza
A couple of news items today from the Tulsa World have relevance to Route 66: Construction has begun on the Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza, which is at Southwest Boulevard and Riverside Drive in Tulsa. It eventually will be part of a Route 66 museum complex. Organizers of the Route 66 Marathon probably will tweak the … Continue reading Construction begins on Avery Plaza
The ugly truth
The Lope traveled to the Panhandle of Texas and shot this and several other photos of the "Rattlesnakes -- Exit Now" sign that was blown down by severe storms a few weeks ago. I saw a similar photo in the recently mailed Texas Old Route 66 Association's newsletter, so I mostly knew what the damage … Continue reading The ugly truth
Cozy Dog makes finals
The Cozy Dog Drive-In along Route 66 in Springfield, Ill., has advanced to the finals in the Central Division in the Seven Wonders of Illinois contest sponsored by the Illinois Department of Commerce. The Cozy Dog is going up against fellow finalist Allerton Park of Monticello. Strong lobbying by the Route 66 community helped the … Continue reading Cozy Dog makes finals
Joliet to launch Route 66 campaign
After seemingly much indifference to the Mother Road for years, the city of Joliet, Ill., is embracing Route 66 tourism in a big way when it launches its Joliet Kicks on Route 66 campaign on June 2. According to the Herald-News: The Joliet Area Historical Museum will have a bunch of interactive displays, including watching … Continue reading Joliet to launch Route 66 campaign
Illinois House passes police headquarters bill
The Illinois State Senate approved a bill Friday that would transfer ownership of the historic Illinois State Police District 6 building from the state to Livingston County for $1, reported the Bloomington Pantagraph. The Senate Bill 768 goes on to the House. The pistol-shaped building, built on Route 66 near Pontiac in 1941, was recently … Continue reading Illinois House passes police headquarters bill
Busy first day for Skywalk
Nearly 2,000 people visited the Grand Canyon Skywalk during its first day open to the public on Wednesday, according to a news release from Grand Canyon West. At a minimum of $25 a pop, Skywalk grossed at least $50,000 on its first day. Not bad. The release also gives some details about future plans at … Continue reading Busy first day for Skywalk