For decades, locals of the tri-state area of Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas have talked about the so-called "Spook Light" phenomenon that occurs on a country road near the hamlet of Hornet, Missouri. It's been described as a flickering ball of light that would appear in the early evening, then would disappear if you attempted to … Continue reading Spook Light legend was debunked more than 70 years ago
Category: Books
Book review: “On Route 66 for the First Time”
If you live in Europe and are thinking of traveling Route 66, you might as well download the book "On Route 66 for the First Time." You literally have nothing to lose. That's because Marian Pavel's 221-page book is available for free here. It also comes versions of these languages -- English, French, Latin, German, … Continue reading Book review: “On Route 66 for the First Time”
Book review: “Main Street: The Lost Dream of Route 66”
A great many photography books about Route 66 over the years have been imbued with the gauze of 1950s nostalgia and hyper-saturated color. Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Edward Keating's "Main Street: The Lost Dream of Route 66," consciously or not, serves as the antithesis of those books and likely will prove polarizing among Route 66 advocates. … Continue reading Book review: “Main Street: The Lost Dream of Route 66”
Bill Geist 1991 segment on Route 66 finally goes online
Back in 1991, about the time the renaissance of Route 66 was starting, "CBS Sunday Morning" correspondent Bill Geist traveled a section of the Mother Road from Albuquerque westward for a nine-minute segment on the weekly program. Those nine minutes had never made it online -- until now. The occasion was prompted by Geist's retirement … Continue reading Bill Geist 1991 segment on Route 66 finally goes online
Book review: “66 on 66: A Photographer’s Journey”
Terrence Moore has documented Route 66 with his camera for more than 40 years, giving him a lot a props simply because you'll be hard-pressed to find anyone who's done it that long. The huge majority of photographers became drawn to the Mother Road after it was decertified during the 1980s, not before. But … Continue reading Book review: “66 on 66: A Photographer’s Journey”
Book review: “Brits on Route 66”
The new book "Brits on Route 66" (self-published, 86 pages, e-book, print version available Oct. 1), as you might expect from the title, is an engaging travelogue on the Mother Road from author Vicki Graves' British perspective. Subtitled "A Very British Guide to the World's Greatest Road Trip," the book also serves as a useful … Continue reading Book review: “Brits on Route 66”
Roadfood’s favorite Route 66 restaurants in Albuquerque
Jane and Michael Stern, who've championed regional restaurants for more than 40 years through 10 editions of their "Roadfood" books, recently published an online guide to seven restaurants on or near Route 66 in Albuquerque. This seven-minute video provides a nice introduction to each of their favored Duke City eateries:' https://youtu.be/nCeUb2gKBVc The Albuquerque restaurants listed -- … Continue reading Roadfood’s favorite Route 66 restaurants in Albuquerque
Michael Wallis’ “The Coming of Roads” speech
A few days ago, someone at the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training uploaded a video and transcript of Michael Wallis' keynote speech during the "Are We There Yet: Preservation of Roadside Architecture and Attractions" symposium in April in Tulsa. Wallis speech, "The Coming of Roads," contains several familiar themes from those who have … Continue reading Michael Wallis’ “The Coming of Roads” speech
Book review: “Pop 66”
"Pop 66," a collection of Wes Pope's black-and-white pinhole-camera images taken over a 20-year period on Route 66, contains plenty of intrigue. But it's Pope's text that elevates the book (hardcover, 115 pages, Press Syndication Group) into part travelogue, part family history.and part biography. Subtitled "A Dreamy Pop Can Odyssey Along Route 66," part of the … Continue reading Book review: “Pop 66”
Artist’s rendering unveiled for OKPOP museum in Tulsa
The Oklahoma Historical Society earlier this week unveiled an artist's rendering for the upcoming Oklahoma Museum of Pop Culture, aka OKPOP, in Tulsa, slated for a groundbreaking this fall. According to a news release: Nabholz Construction will construct OKPOP at 422 North Main Street in Tulsa, across the street from the Cain’s Ballroom, home of … Continue reading Artist’s rendering unveiled for OKPOP museum in Tulsa