I attended the morning session of the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Council on Thursday in Oklahoma City. There, I heard some news tidbits that should be of interest to roadies: Reluctant El Vado Motel owner Richard Gonzales is up to his old tricks again. This time, he's filed for a demolition permit to raze the … Continue reading Scuttlebutt from the road
Category: Attractions
Route 66 Historic Park proposed in Carthage
The Kellogg Lake Group is proposing a Route 66 Historic Park as part of improvements to the Carthage, Mo., city park, according to the Carthage Press. The main projects proposed were an Environmental Overlook, Route 66 Historic Park, a playground area, more signage and permanent restrooms. The Environmental Overlook — at a potential cost of … Continue reading Route 66 Historic Park proposed in Carthage
Spraker Service Station endangered
The historic Spraker Service Station, located at 240 S. Wilson St., aka Route 66, in Vinita, Okla., may be demolished by the car dealership that owns it. The Spraker Service Station (pictured above) is a cottage-style Conoco station built in 1929. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. It sits … Continue reading Spraker Service Station endangered
Cadillac Ranch encounter
Pat Craig, a columnist for the Contra Costa (Calif.) Times, tells about his visit to the Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo, Texas, and its impact on him.
Bridge in Route 66 State Park closes
A Meramec River bridge leading to Route 66 State Park near Eureka, Mo., is closed for repairs, and it's not known for how long, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. However, the article provides helpful information on how to visit the park by other means: Park visitors can use an alternate route to the main … Continue reading Bridge in Route 66 State Park closes
A look at the Western Trail Trading Post
We've had the pleasure of talking to John Dunning several times at his Western Trail Trading Post in Oklahoma City. The antiques business, located on a more obscure alignment of Route 66 at 9100 N. Western Ave., has been around only five years, but he's a tireless champion of the Mother Road. The Daily Oklahoman … Continue reading A look at the Western Trail Trading Post
City-owned buffalo?
Yep. The herd of bison are owned by the Route 66 town of El Reno, Okla. The city wants a local American Indian tribe to place the herd on its land, according to a report in the Associated Press. A little factoid about the El Reno buffalo that I didn't know: The bison are descendants … Continue reading City-owned buffalo?
A look at Tulsa’s Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza
I was able to procure handout artist's renderings of the Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza planned near the Route 66 museum and interpretive center that's going to be built at 11th Street and Southwest Boulevard in Tulsa. It's all part of the Vision 2025 master plan for Route 66 in Tulsa County. The first image is … Continue reading A look at Tulsa’s Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza
A stroll across the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
Here's a clip from an old St. Louis public access television show called "World Wide Magazine," in which Vince and Marty stoll across the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge that once carried Route 66 from Madison, Ill., to north St. Louis. Vince and Marty are a coupla goofs, but the footage from the bridge is … Continue reading A stroll across the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
Get your kitsch
Helped by Brian and Sarah Butko and their 2005 book "Roadside Giants," USA Today lists the top 10 oversized roadside icons in America. One of them is the Gemini Giant, which is part of the Launching Pad Drive-In restaurant on Route 66 in Wilmington, Ill. Also, just a few miles from Route 66 in Inglewood, … Continue reading Get your kitsch