Wanted: A restorer of signs for Soulsby Station

The owner of the historic Soulsby Station along old Route 66 in Mount Olive, Illinois, is looking for a sign contractor who can do some restoration work on the main Shell sign in front of the station. We happened to be driving a few dozen miles of old 66 in Illinois on Sunday evening when … Continue reading Wanted: A restorer of signs for Soulsby Station

Artist will hold public unveiling of Gay Parita painting

Route 66 artist Jerry McClanahan will have a public unveiling of his newest painting of Gary Turner's Gay Parita gas station at the station near Halltown, Mo., on Saturday, May 17. According to a news release from the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, a meet-and-greet with hot dogs and soda will be at noon, with the official unveiling at … Continue reading Artist will hold public unveiling of Gay Parita painting

New office building goes up next to Lucille’s gas station

Ken Turmel of PostmarkArt fame recently was traveling old Route 66 in western Oklahoma and noted a new building had been constructed in place of the long-closed Hamons Court motel next to the historic Lucille's gas station near Hydro. He posted these photos of the new building on his Facebook page: From this photo by Carleta Latham in 2006, you … Continue reading New office building goes up next to Lucille’s gas station

More about the U-Drop Inn’s upcoming changes

A few weeks ago, we reported on some upcoming changes with the historic U-Drop Inn gas station and restaurant in Shamrock, Texas, plus more that were hinted. KFDA-TV in Amarillo filed a follow-up story. If the video doesn't embed properly just hit the link. KFDA - NewsChannel 10 / Amarillo News, Weather, Sports City officials … Continue reading More about the U-Drop Inn’s upcoming changes

Enhancements coming to U-Drop Inn

The historic U-Drop Inn gas station in Shamrock, Texas, will undergo some improvements before tourism season begins, according to a post Monday on its Facebook page. First, the gift shop has moved to the main area next to the café. This unites the two areas and gives us more room to expand, especially in the "Made … Continue reading Enhancements coming to U-Drop Inn

The amazing story of Joe Bauman

Famed sportswriter Joe Posnanski a few days ago wrote about Joe Bauman, who set a professional baseball record of 72 home runs in a season in 1954. That record stood until Barry Bonds hit 73 in 2001. The hot, dry air of the region and smallish ballparks of the Longhorn League undoubtedly helped Bauman set … Continue reading The amazing story of Joe Bauman

Southwest Missouri station puts Route 66 segments online

Years ago, KY3-TV reporter Ed Fillmer, a native of the Route 66 town of Marshfield, Mo., shot segments about Route 66 in Missouri. Yesterday, the Springfield, Mo., station put those segments online. The video cannot be embedded, but I've provided direct links and descriptions of them. Some of these videos date to the 1970s. I recommend … Continue reading Southwest Missouri station puts Route 66 segments online

Where are the surviving Green Book businesses?

A historian with the National Park Service is searching for surviving buildings once listed in the "Negro Motorist Green Book" travel directory from 1936 to 1964, and he's asking for roadies' help in finding them along Route 66. The Negro Motorist Green Book was an annual guidebook for black drivers during the Jim Crow era. … Continue reading Where are the surviving Green Book businesses?

U-Drop Inn neon lights are back on — in LED

The Facebook account of the historic U-Drop Inn gas station in Shamrock, Texas, recently announced the long-awaited installation of LED neon has been completed and the lights are on. According to the page, the neon will be on from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. nightly, although I'm certain the "lights on" time will be adjusted … Continue reading U-Drop Inn neon lights are back on — in LED

Sapulpa tourism advocate named Citizen of the Year

Russell Crosby of Sapulpa, Okla., on Thursday was named the city's 2013 Citizen of the Year for his work on the famed trolley car on Route 66 and other tourism attractions over the years, according to the Sapulpa Daily Herald. His list of accomplishments is impressive: His contributions in Sapulpa include the transformation of an … Continue reading Sapulpa tourism advocate named Citizen of the Year