Riding at Route 66

A couple of weeks ago while cruising the East 11th Street portion of Route 66 in rural Tulsa, we noticed a bunch of saddled horses on the old Brashear's "Rent a Horse to Ride" property. Seconds later, we spotted new signs on the fence around the property, advertising Route 66 Riding Stables and "Rent a … Continue reading Riding at Route 66

Pevely Dairy plant named to National Register

The old Pevely Dairy Plant, on the more-obscure Chouteau Avenue alignment of Route 66 in St. Louis, was named to the National Register of Historic Places effective Nov. 18, according to an e-mail from the National Park Service. Pevely Dairy, especially its ice cream, was a St. Louis institution for more than a century. But … Continue reading Pevely Dairy plant named to National Register

Notes from the road

I'm playing a bit of catch-up, ever since I left town this past weekend to see Bob Waldmire's Last Art Show. Here are a few things of interest to roadies ... -- The Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa this year was a doozy, with more than 7,000 runners participating, along with 60 classic cars and … Continue reading Notes from the road

St. Louis factory building named to National Register

The National Candy Company Factory building on the Gravois Avenue alignment of Route 66 in St. Louis was named to the National Register of Historic Places effective Nov. 5, according to an e-mail from the National Park Service. The building, at 4230 Gravois Ave., was built in 1928 when the National Candy Company was the … Continue reading St. Louis factory building named to National Register

“End of Trail” sign to be unveiled at Santa Monica Pier

Santa Monica Pier, the symbolic western terminus of Route 66, will be unveiling an "End of Trail" sign at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to Jim Conkle of the Route 66 Alliance. Across from the sign will the the 66 to Cali kiosk run by Dan Rice, who sells American-made apparel with a Route 66 theme. … Continue reading “End of Trail” sign to be unveiled at Santa Monica Pier

Weirding out

Borrowing a well-known slogan from Austin, Texas, a couple have stated their desire to "Make Sixth Street Weird" in Amarillo, reports the Amarillo Globe-News. From the story ... Ryan Koch and Kaylee Hamill are the founders of Make Sixth Street Weird, an effort aimed at promoting events and businesses on the historic thoroughfare, which is … Continue reading Weirding out

Tulsa’s fabulous Warehouse Market

The Journal Record published an excellent story about the historic Warehouse Market building, an art deco gem, on 11th Street (aka Route 66) in Tulsa. Built in 1929, the building was designed by B. Gaylord Nofstger with lots of terra cotta. Its entryway borrowed heavily from the famous patterns used with Chicago’s Commercial Building, mixing … Continue reading Tulsa’s fabulous Warehouse Market

New mural in Cuba

Cuba, Mo., which now is being called Mural City for good reason, sports a new mural at My Place Tires, at 1203 W. Washington St. (aka Route 66). According to the Cuba Free Press, the mural was painted by Missouri artist Ray Harvey. “The location on Route 66 and the attention the art will receive … Continue reading New mural in Cuba

A closer look at the Grand Canyon Railway

The Payson (Ariz.) Roundup published an interesting article about the history and features of the Grand Canyon Railway. Embarking from the Route 66 town of Williams, Ariz., it's a popular and scenic way to head to the Grand Canyon. A few interesting things about the railway that I didn't know: This year marks its 20th … Continue reading A closer look at the Grand Canyon Railway

Vintage gas station is the real thing

This isn't on Route 66, but it's so cool and unique that it's noteworthy. The town of La Grande, Ore., contains a 1959 Texaco gas station that actually works for its intended purpose. There are plenty of well-preserved vintage gas stations around the country, but this is the only one that I'm aware of that … Continue reading Vintage gas station is the real thing