Ron Hart of the Missouri-based Route 66 Chamber of Commerce has launched a $5,000 GoFundMe campaign to help keep up its website and other activities benefiting the Mother Road. According to the crowdfunding site: With more than 100+ pages on our popular, ten-year-old Route 66 Chamber of Commerce website, it has become the largest Route … Continue reading Route 66 Chamber of Commerce launches GoFundMe campaign
Category: Attractions
Old Joliet prison to become haunted house this fall
The historic but long-abandoned Joliet Correctional Center in Joliet, Illinois, best known for the opening scene of "The Blues Brothers" movie, will become a haunted house in time for Halloween. The Joliet Patch reported this week Evil Intentions, which operates an acclaimed haunted house in nearby Elgin, Illinois, announced it will open a second site … Continue reading Old Joliet prison to become haunted house this fall
Pecos National Historical Park visitors center to receive an upgrade
The visitors center at Pecos National Historical Park in Pecos, New Mexico, soon will undergo a three-year, $1 million improvement plan. Becky Latanich, the park’s chief of interpretation and education, told the Albuquerque Journal she wants to make the visitors center more appealing to children and families. One of the most important changes for Latanich … Continue reading Pecos National Historical Park visitors center to receive an upgrade
Government shutdown closes several sites on or near Route 66
The ongoing shutdown by the U.S. federal government shuttered National Park Service sites on or near Route 66 this weekend, with no resolution in sight. An exception is Grand Canyon National Park, which remains accessible because of a partnership with the state of Arizona. Businesses there that include lodging, restaurants and retail stay open. Within … Continue reading Government shutdown closes several sites on or near Route 66
Route 66 Village Visitors Center in Tulsa may be finished by spring
The Route 66 Village Visitors Center under construction in southwest Tulsa probably will be finished by springtime, according to a report on a variety of Route 66 projects in Tulsa. Tulsa World columnist John Klein reported the visitors center, designed to look like a vintage gas station, should be finished in a few months. According … Continue reading Route 66 Village Visitors Center in Tulsa may be finished by spring
Premiere of “Breaking Bad” marks 10th anniversary
Ten years ago today, the first episode of the acclaimed AMC drama "Breaking Bad" aired. Although "Breaking Bad" -- now considered one of the best dramas in television history -- concluded its run more than four years ago, "Breaking Bad" fans continue to flock to Albuquerque to see its shooting sites, including a few on … Continue reading Premiere of “Breaking Bad” marks 10th anniversary
Joplin History Guide re-released and expanded
The Joplin (Missouri) Convention and Visitors Bureau expanded and re-released its Joplin History Guide -- the first update to that free publication in 15 years. According to the Joplin Globe newspaper: The guide is is not entirely new but is an enlarged version of one that was printed for the convention bureau in 2003. "It's … Continue reading Joplin History Guide re-released and expanded
Big Brutus named to National Register of Historic Places
Big Brutus, a gigantic electric coal shovel that's become a side trip for Route 66 travelers in Kansas, was designated to the National Register of Historic Places. According to an email from the National Park Service, the designation became effective Jan. 5. Big Brutus sits at 6509 NW 60th St. in West Mineral, Kansas, about … Continue reading Big Brutus named to National Register of Historic Places
Kingman considers gateway arch designs; budget concerns remain
Kingman, Arizona, is considering five designs of a gateway arch that would welcome visitors to its downtown, but all the options would cost more than what's been budgeted. A report in the Kingman Daily Miner newspaper provided details behind the arch options: Across Andy Devine Avenue (aka Route 66) at Locomotive Park. Cost: $170,000. Several … Continue reading Kingman considers gateway arch designs; budget concerns remain
Moving on to the Land of Enchantment
A note to readers: Stories here might be sparse in the next few days because, as of this writing, I'm moving west to the classic Route 66 town of Tucumcari, New Mexico. I'll approve comments periodically through my phone, but story-writing probably will take a back seat for a while. Cross-country moves tend to eat … Continue reading Moving on to the Land of Enchantment