This is great news. The Bloomington Pantagraph is reporting that the long-closed general store near the railroad tracks in the Route 66 settlement of Funks Grove, Ill., will reopen this weekend as Anna Rey's at Funks Grove Country Store. The store, which opened in 1913, had been shuttered for about 30 years. It will be … Continue reading Funks Grove general store will reopen
Category: Businesses
The Art of Cars
My friend Jim Conkle of the Route 66 Preservation Foundation and Steve Maynes, who is spearheading the Route 66 festival that Albuquerque is hosting in June, were in Oklahoma this week to visit with Michael Wallis and the folks at the Will Rogers Memorial in Claremore about naming the Mother Road's annual MVP award (formerly … Continue reading The Art of Cars
Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame inductees announced
The inductees are the Willie Anderson Trucking Co. of Lexington, the now-closed Berghoff restaurant in Chicago, Scottie's roadhouse restaurant in Hamel, and former state trooper Leland Storm, reports the Bloomington Pantagraph. Marilyn and Durell Pritchard also were given the special ambassodor's award. Anderson’s company, which once operated 26 trucks, started in the late 1930s as … Continue reading Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame inductees announced
A place to cruise in for a beer
The $20: Lush Ladies blog on the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Web site weighs in about the Cruisin' Rte 66 bar at 7895 Watson Road (old Route 66). It used to be known as George's Route 66 Bar and Grill, but it's best-known for the big neon martini glass at the front of the building (which, … Continue reading A place to cruise in for a beer
Gallup rotosphere will be restored
The Gallup Independent has the photo above with the following information: Star Light: Hinckley Signs employees Danny Ellis, Gilbert Mexican, Dan Rudisill and Tamend Brown dismantle the star-shaped sphere after removing it from the top of the Downtown Plaza sign Monday in Gallup. The old sign, which is motorized and lit with neon lights, is … Continue reading Gallup rotosphere will be restored
Appeal on Horn Oil Co. decision
I received an e-mail from Steve Murrow of the Albuquerque Downtown Neighborhoods Association. The group is planning to appeal the decision by the city Environmental Planning Commission to raze part of the historic Horn Oil Co. property to make way for a multi-use development. The appeal hasn't been filed yet, but the group has 14 … Continue reading Appeal on Horn Oil Co. decision
Rose Bowl in Tulsa up for sale on eBay
Less than a month after it was purchased, the Rose Bowl on Route 66 in Tulsa is up for sale again -- this time on eBay. Starting bid is $499,000, with a "Buy It Now" price of $599,000. Owner Sam Baker also is selling the original wooden alleys for $3,500 apiece, according to the site. … Continue reading Rose Bowl in Tulsa up for sale on eBay
A real character of the road dies
I hadn't heard of Riley B. Thompson, who died at age 82 on Saturday. But I'm sure some of the old-timers of Route 66 in Southern California have. Check out the obituary in the Daily Press. After serving in the Marine Corps, Thompson moved to the High Desert in 1950 and worked providing vehicles and … Continue reading A real character of the road dies
New tavern coming to Tulsa’s Blue Dome District
I walked by this construction site the other day when we had lunch at the Blue Dome Cafe, formerly the Route 66 Diner. It turns out it will be a new branch of Dirty's Tavern, a popular watering hole in Stillwater. The new one, in the Blue Dome District of Tulsa along an old stretch … Continue reading New tavern coming to Tulsa’s Blue Dome District
Lauterbach Tire Man beheaded
No, al-Qaida insurgents from Iraq aren't responsible. The lopping off of the Lauterbach Tire Man's noggin on the 1926-34 alignment of Route 66 in Springfield, Ill., was caused by last week's severe thunderstorms. As you can see, the head was eventually found. Lauterbach Tire and Car Wash Service is at 1569 Wabash Ave. in Springfield. … Continue reading Lauterbach Tire Man beheaded