In the time before a ceremony Thursday morning involving the restored Vickery Phillips 66 Station in downtown Tulsa, at least one question was perhaps inadvertantly answered. How many people can be crammed into a cottage-style station? Answer: at least 20. That's impressive, in that the Vickery Station's main building measures only 13 feet by 20 … Continue reading Vickery Station restoration is commemorated
Category: Businesses
Honest Abe gets his kicks on the yellow brick road
The Bloomington (Ill.) Pantagraph has a brief item about an intriguing, if odd, new business coming downtown: Chris and Rose Hotz already own the Davis Rose Inn Bed & Breakfast on Jefferson Street. Now the couple wants to open a book and gift store that emphasizes all things Bloomington, Chris Hotz said. For example, Abe … Continue reading Honest Abe gets his kicks on the yellow brick road
Fire destroys historic Albuquerque saloon
The Golden West Saloon, which was built on Albuquerque's Central Avenue in 1929, was destroyed by fire Thursday, reports the Albuquerque Journal. The fire also damaged the historic El Rey Theater next door, but the owner is optimistic it will reopen next weekend. The owner made a appeal to the community to revive the saloon, … Continue reading Fire destroys historic Albuquerque saloon
Victorville has a plan … sort of
This story in the Victorville (Calif.) Daily Press tells about the city's continuing purchases of Old Town properties in an effort to revitalize the neighborhood. However ... Nothing has yet been put to paper as to what the purchased properties will become. Metzler said they will be eliminating the existing plan for Old Town’s revitalization … Continue reading Victorville has a plan … sort of
Flagstaff bringing back parking meters
The Flagstaff City Council voted 5-2 this week to reintroduce parking meters to 400 spaces in the downtown area, which includes Route 66, reports the Arizona Daily Sun. I'm not necessarily against parking meters, especially if they stop those who squat on spaces for hours or even days at a time. But there's reason to … Continue reading Flagstaff bringing back parking meters
Tucumcari artists open B&B
Tucumcari, N.M., artists Doug and Sharon Quarles, best-known for their murals around the Route 66 town, have opened a bed-and-breakfast in a historic home at 307 E. High St. near downtown, according to the Quay County Sun. The Quarleses' original art gallery was in the downtown Sands-Dorsey Building, but it burned down last year. They … Continue reading Tucumcari artists open B&B
A visit to Meteor City
A videographer checks out Meteor City in Arizona, which features what purportedly is the world's longest map of Route 66. There's another long map of 66 in Winslow, Ariz. The Meteor City map was painted originally by Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire, but it was repainted some years later. You can see Waldmire's version here.
A special offer to Route 66 News readers
Readers of Route 66 News may remember a story about Vintage Roadside, an Oregon company that specializes in T-shirts featuring cool graphics of defunct roadside businesses from the 1930s to the '60s. Vintage Roadside recently started offering photographs, too. One of their apparel offerings featured a Route 66 business -- the B&B Rancho in Rialto, … Continue reading A special offer to Route 66 News readers
Applications being taken for preservation cost-share grants
The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program announced a few days ago that it is now accepting applications for cost-share grants that will be awarded later this year. According to an e-mail from deputy program manager Kaisa Barthuli: Applications may be submitted to the program office until April 11, 2008. Awards will be announced on or … Continue reading Applications being taken for preservation cost-share grants
Don’t pass us by
Stopping to chat with customers at 4 Women on the Route in Galena, Kan., Washington Post reporter Warren Brown laments what happened to towns along Route 66 that were bypassed by the interstate. Why did it happen? Brown concludes it was money -- or the lack of it: Modern interstates sped up the cross-country commute … Continue reading Don’t pass us by