The city of Vinita, Oklahoma, received a $25,000 AARP Community Challenge Grant to help improve its downtown, including the Route 66 corridor. KSNF-TV reports about 1,600 towns applied for the grant, and only 129 won it. Here's what Vinita will do with the money: The Vinita Route 66 Breezeway Project will make the downtown area more … Continue reading Vinita wins $25,000 to help enhance its downtown
Category: Attractions
What is the capital of Route 66?
Tulsa World newspaper columnist John Klein a few days ago wrote an essay with this provocative title: "Tulsa is already the heart of Route 66. Soon it will also be the capital of the Mother Road." Klein lays out his case with quotes from Route 66 Alliance officers Michael Wallis and Ken Busby, who hope … Continue reading What is the capital of Route 66?
Angels on the Route operators resurface in nearby Galena
The operators of the closed Angels on the Route restaurant on Route 66 in Baxter Springs, Kansas, have resurfaced at an upcoming restaurant in nearby Galena, Kansas -- also on Route 66. On Monday, Alan and Cheri McCarney will open Sugar Creek Diner & Bakery at 300 W. Seventh St. (aka Route 66) in Galena, … Continue reading Angels on the Route operators resurface in nearby Galena
Gallup sees a big jump in tourism numbers
The Route 66 town of Gallup, New Mexico, has seen a 7 percent to 10 percent rise in tourist numbers -- the best in decades. According to an Associated Press report, city officials attribute the rise to more foreign travelers. Helping drive the interest in Native culture and grafts is a favorable exchange rate that … Continue reading Gallup sees a big jump in tourism numbers
Route 66 Road Ahead details progress so far, new projects ahead
The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership recently released a second-quarter report on its accomplishments and future projects, including a just-announced partnership with the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association. Much of the Route 66 Road Ahead's energies have concentrated on the Route 66 Centennial Commission Act and the Route 66 National Historic Trail Designation Act, … Continue reading Route 66 Road Ahead details progress so far, new projects ahead
“The Angel of Route 66”
Benjamin Hager, a multimedia journalist at the Las Vegas Review-Journal, over the weekend uploaded this nearly 4-minute video about Angel "The Guardian Angel of Route 66" Delgadillo of Seligman, Arizona. As you'll see, Delgadillo, even at age 91, remains a compelling figure. The Angel of Route 66 from Benjamin Hager on Vimeo. Delgadillo helped found … Continue reading “The Angel of Route 66”
Joliet sets up schedule for old prison tours
The city of Joliet, Illinois, in early August will begin offering guided tours to the historic but long-closed old prison. The Joliet Patch reported some details about the upcoming tours: The Joliet Area Historical Museum will transport tourists to and from the prison by bus, about a five-minute ride each way. Tours inside the old … Continue reading Joliet sets up schedule for old prison tours
‘World’s largest branding iron’ placed at Vega museum
A history museum in Vega, Texas, that sits a half-block off Route 66 recently placed what it calls the "world's largest branding iron" on its grounds. The Milburn-Price Culture Museum at 1005 Coke St. (map here) announced Monday in a Facebook post it placed a 22-foot-long, 3,000-pound branding iron with the XIT ranch logo. The … Continue reading ‘World’s largest branding iron’ placed at Vega museum
Owners, caretaker of Blue Whale named to Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame
The deceased former owners and a longtime caretaker of the Blue Whale of Catoosa, Oklahoma, were inducted into the 2018 Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame. The inductees were the Hugh and Zelta Davis, who owned the Route 66 landmark for years, and their son, Blaine Davis, a caretaker for the whale. The Oklahoma Route … Continue reading Owners, caretaker of Blue Whale named to Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame
Joliet may use $50,000 for old prison, reopen this month
The city of Joliet, Illinois, proposed an allocation of $50,000 to the Joliet Area Historical Museum to help cover expenses in reopening the historic Joliet prison. If funding goes through as expected, Greg Peerbolte, the museum's executive director, said it could start tours inside the old Joliet Correctional Center later this month. The Herald-News reported: The … Continue reading Joliet may use $50,000 for old prison, reopen this month