The long-dark Western Trail Motel neon sign was recently restored and will be put on display at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The Billboard Museum reports the sign is on loan from the Oklahoma Historical Society and eventually will become part of a neon park at a yet-to-be-announced location. The … Continue reading Restored Western Trail Motel sign will be displayed at National Cowboy Museum show
Category: Events
Bloomington-Normal tourism bureau announces year-long Route 66 centennial events
The Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau recently announced a yearlong celebration of the centennial of Historic Route 66 in McLean County, Illinois. From Chenoa to McLean, special events along the Mother Road — including a two-day party weekend in June — will commemorate each community's connection to the most famous highway in America, hosted … Continue reading Bloomington-Normal tourism bureau announces year-long Route 66 centennial events
Ideastream Public Media features Route 66 photographer David Schwartz
Ideastream Public Media recently published and uploaded a story about Ohio photographer David Schwartz, whose images will be featured in forthcoming U.S. postage stamps about Route 66's centennial. Here's the seven-minute video documentary: https://youtu.be/gAJf50T5NM8?si=tal3xL3A8UiRq-G4 Schwartz said he's made over 40 trips on Route 66 over the past two decades to document the highway. In the … Continue reading Ideastream Public Media features Route 66 photographer David Schwartz
New Mexico Route 66 Centennial Speaker Series begins on Jan. 24
The New Mexico Route 66 Centennial Speaker Series is launching on Jan. 24 in the Albuquerque metro area and will continue throughout the year. The first day of the series will have a dozen speakers lined up, with additional ones each successive month. All events are free. The lectures repeat throughout the locations. In addition … Continue reading New Mexico Route 66 Centennial Speaker Series begins on Jan. 24
Historic Highway Hustle in Illinois features three 6.6K footraces this summer
This summer, the Historic Highway Hustle will commence, which is a series of three 6.6-kilometer footraces along Route 66 in northern Illinois. The Historic Highway Hustle kicks off with the Run the Rock 6.6K at the Old Joliet Prison on May 3. Participants will weave through the historic prison grounds where towering limestone walls echo with stories of … Continue reading Historic Highway Hustle in Illinois features three 6.6K footraces this summer
Balloon Museum in Albuquerque launches student art contest for Route 66 centennial show
The Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum is inviting K-12 students across the Albuquerque metro area to help bring the magic of hot air balloons to life as part of a special youth art exhibition celebrating the Route 66 centennial. Opening in June, the museum’s Route 66 exhibit will feature a black-and-white mural created by … Continue reading Balloon Museum in Albuquerque launches student art contest for Route 66 centennial show
University of Tulsa exhibition displays work of Afton photography studio
The University of Tulsa is hosting an exhibition, “Faces of the Mother Road: The Last Portraits of S.J. Tyler,” at 101 Archer for two months as part of the start of Route 66's centennial before it goes out on the road. The show features images from Sydney Joseph Tyler’s Photography Studio in Afton, Oklahoma, which … Continue reading University of Tulsa exhibition displays work of Afton photography studio
Route 66 Centennial Speaker Series to begin next month
Research Route 66 will kick off a Route 66 Centennial Speaker Series in January, when the first guest is David Dunaway, talking about "The Hidden Voices of Route 66." Throughout the series, participants will hear about diverse topics that highlight Route 66’s impact and legacy. Sessions will cover the history of foodways along the road, … Continue reading Route 66 Centennial Speaker Series to begin next month
Holiday leftovers
Here are a few items that have crossed the Route 66 News desk in recent weeks: --- The board of directors of the Route 66 Mother Road Festival distributed $10,000 to five local charities in the Springfield, Illinois, area. For the first time in the event’s history, funds generated by the festival were distributed to … Continue reading Holiday leftovers
Exhibition baseball game to be held behind walls of Old Joliet Prison
The Joliet Slammers independent baseball team will hold an exhibition game at 3:05 p.m. April 30 at the Old Joliet Prison in Joliet, Illinois, to celebrate Route 66's centennial. The Joliet Area Historical Museum and the City of Joliet announced the game, reported WGN-TV in Chicago. “‘The Big House Ballgame’ is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to … Continue reading Exhibition baseball game to be held behind walls of Old Joliet Prison