KC Keefer continues his "Genuine Route 66 Life" video series with an interview of Rich Henry, owner of Henry's Rabbit Ranch on a stretch of old Route 66 in Staunton, Illinois. https://youtu.be/nCSM7wyOGoU It's good to see Henry breaking in a new bunny to greet tourists. He has to do that every few years because their life … Continue reading A visit with Rich Henry
Category: Businesses
A promotional video for Kansas Route 66
Check out this well-made, three-minute video for Kansas Route 66, made for Kansas Byways. Route 66 MASTER from Gizmo Pictures on Vimeo. The segment was produced by Gizmo Pictures, a film and video production company in Topeka, Kansas. (A scene from downtown Baxter Springs, Kansas, by Aaron Sumner via Flickr)
Will Oscar Mayer buy the World’s Largest Catsup Bottle?
Several media outlets in the St. Louis area reported the Oscar Mayer brand is interested in buying the World's Largest Catsup Bottle, which went up for sale earlier this month. However, at least one metro-east news website regarded the reports with skepticism. The speculation was fueled by Oscar Mayer's famous Wienermobile making an appearance at the … Continue reading Will Oscar Mayer buy the World’s Largest Catsup Bottle?
Fran Houser puts her Sunflower Station up for sale
Fran Houser, former owner of the Route 66 landmark Midpoint Cafe and Gift Shop in Adrian, Texas, has put her western-themed antiques and crafts store, Sunflower Station, up for sale so she can spend more time with family members out west. Houser started Sunflower Station two years ago after she sold the Midpoint to Dennis Purschwitz, … Continue reading Fran Houser puts her Sunflower Station up for sale
Tours offered of hard-to-access Route 66 sites in Arizona
The Petrified Forest National Park is allowing free, guided tours of hard-to-reach landmarks on a long-closed section of Route 66 on Aug. 8 and Aug. 10. The tours coincide with the Route 66 festival taking place that weekend in nearby Holbrook, Arizona. The Arizona Journal had a listing of the sites that will be included during … Continue reading Tours offered of hard-to-access Route 66 sites in Arizona
Owner of El Rancho Hotel in Gallup dies
Armand Ortega Sr., 86, savior of the historic El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, New Mexico, when it faced the wrecking ball during the 1980s, died Wednesday. An employee at the hotel said Ortega had been in failing health for about a year. His funeral was today at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Gallup, with burial at Sunset Cemetery. Ortega Family Enterprises, based in Santa Fe, owns … Continue reading Owner of El Rancho Hotel in Gallup dies
World’s Largest Catsup Bottle up for sale
The World's Largest Catsup Bottle, a landmark for decades in Collinsville, Illinois, has been put up for sale and faces a cloudy future, according to several St. Louis-area media outlets. KPLR-TV posted this story today (the video isn't embeddable). The Metro Independent, based in Collinsville, also had this report today: Bethel-Eckert Enterprises Inc., owners of the warehouse below … Continue reading World’s Largest Catsup Bottle up for sale
A chat with Melba Rigg
Melba Rigg, one of the original proprietors of 4 Women on the Route, now Cars on the Route, in Galena, Kansas, explains the region's Route 66 tie-ins to the Disney-Pixar "Cars" movie and makes some other observations. This video is part of KC Keefer's Genuine Route 66 Life video series. https://youtu.be/keOmEUPWo4E Rigg didn't always talk … Continue reading A chat with Melba Rigg
A new hill rises north of Galena
The bad news is Galena, Kansas, is home to a new hazardous waste dump north of town just off old Route 66. The good news is the hill of contaminated soil is covered with native grass, and people who have seen the finished product say it's not as ugly or as obtrusive as feared. Renee … Continue reading A new hill rises north of Galena
New Goodwill store in Tulsa doubles as a Route 66 souvenir shop
The new Goodwill Industries of Tulsa store on Southwest Boulevard (aka Route 66) in southwest Tulsa last week. The opening was a few weeks later than anticipated because of weather-related construction delays. As we previously reported, the Goodwill store's design takes a page from Route 66 and Tulsa history with a retro-looking sign in the … Continue reading New Goodwill store in Tulsa doubles as a Route 66 souvenir shop