A ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday marked the completion of one of the Route 66 Gateways on the west side of Tulsa. The main Gateway structure had been finished for months, but the concrete kiosks that explain the region's history had been completed only a few days before. The other Route 66 Gateway in Tulsa is on … Continue reading Route 66 Gateway on Tulsa’s west side dedicated
Category: Events
Odell Station to host commemoration for Lenore Weiss
Odell Station in Odell, Illinois, will host a commemoration Saturday to the late Lenore Weiss, who was one-half of the couple instrumental in getting the historic Route 66 gas station restored, according to the Pontiac Daily Leader. The event at from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the station will be a fundraiser for … Continue reading Odell Station to host commemoration for Lenore Weiss
Scenes of the Arizona Route 66 Fun Run
Videos from the recently completed 28th edition of the Arizona Route 66 Fun Run in the western part of the state undoubtedly will be trickling in over the next few days. There are a couple, however, that have surfaced that are particularly noteworthy. One was made by the Route 66 Gift Shop in Seligman, Arizona, … Continue reading Scenes of the Arizona Route 66 Fun Run
The story behind the first Fun Run
Ryan Abella, a reporter for the Kingman Daily Miner in Kingman, Arizona, dug into the newspaper's archives for a story on the very first Arizona Route 66 Fun Run in 1988. The 28th edition of the Fun Run finishes today. Abella found some fascinating tidbits about the inaugural event: --- The Fun Run started not … Continue reading The story behind the first Fun Run
Another museum opens in Pontiac tomorrow
The long-planned Museum of Gilding Arts in downtown Pontiac, Illinois, opens to the public for the first time at 9 a.m. Saturday, according to a news release from Pontiac Tourism. The museum is at 217 N. Mill St. (map here) and will be near four other museums in Pontiac, including the Illinois Route 66 Hall of … Continue reading Another museum opens in Pontiac tomorrow
Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center opens
The Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center, a prominent new part of the McLean County Museum of History in downtown Bloomington, Illinois, opened to more than 300 guests in just three hours during its debut Saturday, according to the Bloomington Pantagraph. Spurred by the success of Pontiac, Illinois, playing up Route 66 tourism, Bloomington embarked on a major renovation … Continue reading Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center opens
Woman eats three 72-ounce steak dinners in 20 minutes
Molly Schuyler, the 120-pound Nebraska woman who ate two 72-ounce steak dinners in one 15-minute sitting at Amarillo's Big Texan Steak Ranch a year ago, devoured three 72-ounce steak dinners in a mere 20 minutes Sunday afternoon and broke a record, according to the Amarillo Globe-News. The crowd cheered as Schuyler, a Nebraska native who … Continue reading Woman eats three 72-ounce steak dinners in 20 minutes
Route 66 Alliance getting out of the festival business
A news release a few days ago reported the Route 66 Alliance and the National Historic Route 66 Federation had formalized their affiliation with each other and bring them under the umbrella of the fledgling U.S. 66 Highway Association. The merger between the two organizations was announced months ago, as was the revival of the … Continue reading Route 66 Alliance getting out of the festival business
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band to play at Birthplace of Route 66 Festival
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, along with special guest Pure Prairie League, will perform Aug. 14 at the historic Gillioz Theatre during the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival in Springfield, Missouri, according to the Springfield News-Leader. The country-rock band, which has been around for almost 50 years, is best-known for its cover of "Mr. Bojangles" … Continue reading Nitty Gritty Dirt Band to play at Birthplace of Route 66 Festival
Michael Wallis appears on C-SPAN
"Route 66: The Mother Road" author Michael Wallis talks about Cyrus Avery, Tulsa, and the history of Route 66 during a 14-minute segment on the C-SPAN cable channel. This segment was filmed just a few weeks ago in Tulsa. The video cannot be linked, so go to the link here so you can watch it … Continue reading Michael Wallis appears on C-SPAN