The New York Times has an excellent article about the rebirth of the Route 66 town of Winslow, Ariz. When my wife and I first visited the town in 2001, it seemed a bit down on its luck. But the story indicates that things are looking up after a long decline. Empty storefronts still dot … Continue reading Winslow, such a fine sight to see
Category: Businesses
Drive-through window
The Painted Desert Trading Company along Route 66 in Flagstaff, Ariz., was damaged when a vehicle spun out of control during a traffic accident and went through the front window of the business, according to the Arizona Daily Sun. The link to the article has a photo of the damage. No injuries were reported, and … Continue reading Drive-through window
Exotic Animal Paradise will open under new name
According to a Marshfield (Mo.) Mail story posted today, the new owner of the land where the Exotic Animal Paradise once sat off Route 66 in Strafford is going to reopen the attraction as Animal Paradise Family Fun Park. The planned reopening is April 1, despite a recent ice storm that damaged many of the … Continue reading Exotic Animal Paradise will open under new name
A visit to Nob Hill in Albuquerque
The folks at TurnHere.com, a travel site about "cool places," have produced a three-minute video about the Nob Hill district along Route 66 in Albuquerque that captures the neighborhood's funkiness, eclecticism and home-grown vibe as well as anything I can think of. Check it out:
Kicks in Amarillo
This recent story in the entertainment section of the Amarillo Globe-News does a decent job of summing up the Route 66 attractions in the Texas Panhandle's largest city.
From brownfields to green
Jason Zasky of Failure magazine has updated us about Arizona's program of cleaning up leaking underground fuel tanks at abandoned gas stations along Route 66. Not only has the program rectified toxic "brownfields" along the Mother Road, but it has given local economies a shot in the arm. "A lot of businesses are starting to … Continue reading From brownfields to green
Country Store may close
(Sign hanging above the cash register at the Country Store) When the Country Store opened on 11th Street in Tulsa nearly 40 years ago, it was, in fact, in the country. Four decades of urban sprawl later, the Country Store's location on historic Route 66 is considered part of midtown Tulsa. Farmers are an endangered … Continue reading Country Store may close
Historic hotel won’t be taken over by city after all
A few weeks ago, we passed along a report by the Kankakee (Ill.) Daily Journal that said the city of Wilmington was going to take over the historic Eagle Hotel on Route 66 on Jan. 15 because its owner, William Scales, didn't have it operating as a business by a city-imposed five-year deadline. On Monday, … Continue reading Historic hotel won’t be taken over by city after all
Tropics restaurant continues to languish
This story in the Lincoln (Ill.) Courier tells about a situation that's common even in prosperous towns along the Mother Road -- a business district that is indeed busy, but still has a lot of vacancies. One of those vacancies is The Tropics restaurant: Tropics co-owner Tami Goodrich of Lincoln said last week she and … Continue reading Tropics restaurant continues to languish
Glenrio, Odeon added to National Register
According to an e-mail from the director of the National Park Service, Glenrio's historic district -- which comprises most of the Route 66 community straddling the border between Texas and New Mexico -- was added to the National Register of Historic Places on Jan. 17. Glenrio's location in two states (and two counties) at … Continue reading Glenrio, Odeon added to National Register