The Illinois Office of Tourism features Funks Grove Maple Sirup near Shirley, Illinois, as one of eight businesses in a new Illinois Made series. According to an article in the Bloomington Pantagraph, Illinois Office of Tourism director Cory Jobe said Illinois Made contains videos, exclusive web content and travel ideas. “Travelers really want to travel to a destination or … Continue reading Funks Grove Maple Sirup featured on Illinois Made series
Category: Businesses
Fire damages historic dance hall in Amarillo
A fire Saturday heavily damaged the Soul Town nightclub along old Route 66 in Amarillo, Texas, and the longtime owner is assessing how to rebuild it. Jimmy Dunn, 77, owns Soul Town, which before was the Crystal Pistol strip club, at 907 E. Amarillo Blvd., aka Route 66. The Amarillo Globe News reported: At 6:38 … Continue reading Fire damages historic dance hall in Amarillo
Route 66 businesses worry about effect of bridge projects
Detours for upcoming replacement of two bridges in Carthage, Missouri, has Route 66 businesses fretting that tourists will bypass their town. The Missouri Department of Transportation will start to replace two bridges on Highway 96 (aka Route 66) on the northeast side of town next spring. The projects won't be finished until fall 2017. The official detour when the … Continue reading Route 66 businesses worry about effect of bridge projects
Business seeks to help preserve Route 66 sites
A Minnesota-based artist recently launched Explore and Preserve, an apparel and gift website that aims to give part of its profits to endangered Route 66 sites, including the Meramec River Bridge in Missouri. The historic Meramec River Bridge near Eureka, Missouri, requires more than a half-million dollars by the end of the year or the Missouri Department of Transportation tears … Continue reading Business seeks to help preserve Route 66 sites
Pokemon Go can boost Route 66 businesses
You may have noticed a bunch of young people walking along the sidewalk, watching the screens of their smartphones intently. It's likely they were playing an augmented reality game, Pokemon Go, that Apple and Android recently released to their smartphone systems. It's caught on like wildfire. The Orlando Business Journal provided this nutshell description of the game: … Continue reading Pokemon Go can boost Route 66 businesses
Gallup district placed on National Register
The Gallup Commercial Historic District in Gallup, New Mexico, that includes parts of Route 66 recently was designated to the National Register of Historic Places. The designation became effective June 21, according to an email this week from the National Park Service. The boundaries of the Gallup Commercial Historic District are Route 66 to the north, South Seventh … Continue reading Gallup district placed on National Register
Building with vintage sign collection is for sale
A commercial building along Route 66 in Commerce, Oklahoma -- along with its treasure trove of vintage signs -- is for sale on Craigslist for $85,000. View the listing for the building at 711 Commerce Ave. (map) here. The 1959 building takes up a city block and features more than 10,000 square feet of space. According to the … Continue reading Building with vintage sign collection is for sale
Monrovia gas station designated as historic landmark
The city council of Monrovia, California, this week designated a former gas station along an early alignment of Route 66 as a historic landmark. The city's Historic Preservation Commission reviewed the property at 805 S. Shamrock Ave. (map here) and recommended the designation. The report about the property is here (PDF file), but here are some takeaways about it: --- It's one … Continue reading Monrovia gas station designated as historic landmark
Tulsa mayor creates Route 66 Commission
Tulsa's mayor on Friday announced the creation of a Route 66 Commission to promote tourism and economic development in the city. Mayor Dewey Bartlett announced the commission at the Soul City store, restaurant and nightclub on 11th Street (aka Route 66) in Tulsa. Bartlett chose it as the site of the announcement because it's a symbol of revitalization … Continue reading Tulsa mayor creates Route 66 Commission
Aubrey McClendon’s death ruled an accident
A medical examiner's report and an Oklahoma City Police investigation determined energy tycoon Aubrey McClendon's fatal crash in March was an accident and not suicide, as believed. McClendon was former CEO of Chesapeake Energy in Oklahoma City and built the popular Pops restaurant and convenience store on Route 66 in nearby Arcadia, Oklahoma. McClendon died in a fiery … Continue reading Aubrey McClendon’s death ruled an accident