A few months ago, we tracked down who had painted hundreds, perhaps thousands of distinctive signs along the Route 66 corridor from the western Texas Panhandle to eastern New Mexico. It was Rudolph Gonzales, who has crafted his work along the Mother Road since the mid-1950s and is one of the last to do so … Continue reading Here’s your sign
Category: Businesses
BBQ in Tucumcari
On a recent visit to Tucumcari, N.M., we noticed a battered pickup parked at the corner of Route 66 and Lake Street, with a sandwich-board sign on its bed advertising Watson's Bar-B-Que two blocks north. Tucumcari had long boasted good dining options, but barbecue was not one of them in the dozens of times in … Continue reading BBQ in Tucumcari
Needles’ only grocery likely will close
This is a fairly catastrophic situation for the Route 66 town of Needles, Calif. I'll let an excerpt of a report from the Whittier Daily News explain: Bashas', the only grocery store in this tiny Colorado River town on old Route 66 is closing for good in six weeks. Its owners made the announcement this … Continue reading Needles’ only grocery likely will close
Waynesville is hopping
This story in the Pulaski County Daily contains several interesting items that indicate the Route 66 town of Wayneville, Mo., is on the verge of an economic revival, if it isn't already. The city’s sales-tax revenue rose 7 percent last year -- a big contrast to many area towns that are seeing double-digit decreases. And … Continue reading Waynesville is hopping
Route 66 in miniature
Willem Bor of the Netherlands is a big Route 66 fan, and has decided to make models of landmarks along the Mother Road. The models are in 1/25 scale. Here's one of Lucille's near Hydro, Okla.: Here's one of the 66 Super Service Station near Alanreed, Texas: These amazingly intricate and accurate models are not … Continue reading Route 66 in miniature
Grants property nominated as historic site
Charlie's Radiator Service, a business that was established in the 1940s on Route 66 in Grants, N.M., was nominated as a state historic site, reported the Cibola County Beacon. The designation would make it eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. On the west end of Grants, Charles Diaz opened Charley's Automotive Service in … Continue reading Grants property nominated as historic site
Tulsa district proposes rules to allow rooftop signs
Tulsa's Blue Dome District, of which an older alignment of Route 66 goes through, wants a change in the city's ordinances that would allow rooftop signs in the district's restaurants and bars. Elliot Nelson, owner of McNellie's Public House and El Guapo Mexican Cantina in the district, says the rooftop signs would help those businesses … Continue reading Tulsa district proposes rules to allow rooftop signs
NIMBY, revisited
Newsweek has an interesting take today about Sen. Dianne Feinstein's proposed legislation that would create a Mojave Trails National Monument. The title of the magazine's piece is "Not in Anyone's Backyard." In short, Feinstein proposes to set aside hundreds of thousands of acres in the state's Mojave Desert along the Route 66 corridor and protect … Continue reading NIMBY, revisited
New bottles introduced for Route 66 Sodas
Today, the folks at Route 66 Sodas in Wilmington, Ill., sent the new bottles for its Route 66 Orange Soda, Route 66 Lime Soda and Route 66 Cream Soda. Each bottle has its own text and image on the back that pays tribute to certain historical landmarks on Route 66. The Orange Soda tells about … Continue reading New bottles introduced for Route 66 Sodas
Frankoma Pottery up for sale again
Frankoma Pottery, located on old Route 66 near Sapulpa, Okla., has been put up for sale again after a poor year, reported KJRH-TV in Tulsa. The company has had four different owners over the past 35 years. The new owner, Joe Bagosta, didn't want to do any on camera interviews, but he said the company's … Continue reading Frankoma Pottery up for sale again