The Route 66 Association of Kansas recently announced it will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of renovations to the century-old Marsh Arch Bridge (aka Rainbow Bridge) near Baxter Springs, Kansas. The ceremony will be at 1 p.m. that day. The association uploaded a bunch of before-and-after images of the refurbished bridge. The … Continue reading Ribbon-cutting to mark completion of renovations on Rainbow Bridge set for May 2
Category: Bridges
Gravesite of Grandpa Joad added to west side of Pony Bridge
I'm a bit surprised no one has done this before, but someone recently added a grave marker for Grandpa Joad from "The Grapes of Wrath" film at the west end of Route 66's landmark Pony Bridge near Bridgeport, Oklahoma. Jonathan Dobbs alerted the Historic Route 66 group on Facebook about the wooden grave marker, simply … Continue reading Gravesite of Grandpa Joad added to west side of Pony Bridge
County receives $25,000 grant to repaint Rainbow Bridge near Riverton
Cherokee County, Kansas, recently received a $25,000 Attraction Development grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce to help repaint the Rainbow Bridge, aka the Marsh Arch Bridge, near Riverton. According to the Route 66 Association of Kansas, Gearhead Curios owner and association Vice President Aaron Perry and association newsletter editor Machelle Smith approached the county … Continue reading County receives $25,000 grant to repaint Rainbow Bridge near Riverton
National Trust announces latest round of Preserve Route 66 grant recipients
The National Trust for Historic Preservation announced its latest grants from its Preserve Route 66 program totaling $135,835. Among the grants awarded are preservation work on an Albuquerque building where Microsoft started, funds to pursue a National Register of Historic Places listing for the Gasconade River Bridge near Hazelgreen, Missouri, and an educational program about … Continue reading National Trust announces latest round of Preserve Route 66 grant recipients
Oak Street Bridge, aka Whee Bridge, in Carthage may have only one year left before it’s closed
The historic Oak Street Bridge that carries Route 66 in Carthage, Missouri, badly needs repairs and may have to close within a year if it fails a state inspection. The bridge is also known as the Whee Bridge or Tickle Tummy Hill because of its steep apex. The Joplin Globe reported: Carthage Public Works Director … Continue reading Oak Street Bridge, aka Whee Bridge, in Carthage may have only one year left before it’s closed
Groundbreaking set for Feb. 6 for Hydro Route 66 Bridge Monument
The chamber of commerce of Hydro, Oklahoma, recently announced a groundbreaking for the Route 66 Bridge Monument project. The event will be at 11 a.m. on Feb. 6, where old Route 66 intersects with Highway 58 on the south side of town. The town will relocate and restore a decommissioned Route 66 bridge at the … Continue reading Groundbreaking set for Feb. 6 for Hydro Route 66 Bridge Monument
Remaining bridge over Bird Creek near Catoosa will be torn down
The other half of the Route 66 Twin Bridges that once stood near Catoosa, Oklahoma, will be torn down starting sometime next year. KJRH-TV in nearby Tulsa reported the Oklahoma Department of Transportation awarded a $7.2 million contract to replace the 1956 bridge on eastbound Route 66. The bridge replacement project is expected to begin … Continue reading Remaining bridge over Bird Creek near Catoosa will be torn down
Ida Red General Store in Tulsa is selling a Route 66 snow globe
Ida Red General Store, specializing in Oklahoma-made gifts, is selling a handpainted, Route 66-themed snow globe featuring several Route 66 landmarks in the Sooner State. Rhys Martin, president of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association who helped get clearances for the creation, showed the snow globe in a video: The landmarks I spotted in the snow … Continue reading Ida Red General Store in Tulsa is selling a Route 66 snow globe
Floodwaters inundate Route 66 village of Devils Elbow
Floodwaters have inundated the old Route 66 village of Devils Elbow, Missouri, for a second time this decade. Jax Welborn, a Route 66 advocate who lives nearby, posted these shocking photos of floodwaters from the swollen Big Piney River soaking numerous structures there, including the closed Elbow Inn and the historic bridge. The flooding has … Continue reading Floodwaters inundate Route 66 village of Devils Elbow
New video series spotlights Route 66 revitalization efforts in Oklahoma
The Oklahoma Department of Commerce recently launched a new video series that touts the agency's efforts to revitalize Route 66 before the highway's centennial in 2026. In late 2023, the agency launched the Route 66 grants program, allowing communities to apply for funding for municipalities, nonprofits and government entities on Route 66. To date, 24 projects have … Continue reading New video series spotlights Route 66 revitalization efforts in Oklahoma