Old gas stations being converted into trendy restaurants

Many old and abandoned gas stations in America are being converted into neighborhood restaurants, according to a story on CNN.com. And Route 66 is not immune to this trend. The report said: "Gas stations are almost always on corner sites, they have good visibility and great accessibility, so they make great locations for restaurants," said … Continue reading Old gas stations being converted into trendy restaurants

Oklahoma senator again criticizes Route 66 preservation program

U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) again targets the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program with his "Wastebook," an annual publication released Tuesday that cites alleged government waste. In the publication, Coburn criticized the $81,224 the program awarded in cost-share grants to restore the roof of the historic DeCamp Junction near Staunton, Ill., the climate-control system of … Continue reading Oklahoma senator again criticizes Route 66 preservation program

Bill Shea, owner of Shea’s 66 Gas Station Museum, dies at 91

Bill Shea, a longtime owner of a gas station in Springfield, Ill., and then curator of a gas-station museum on Route 66, died in his sleep today at age 91, according to a post on the Shea's Route 66 Museum Facebook page. Funeral arrangements will be announced later. Shea started in the gas-station business shortly … Continue reading Bill Shea, owner of Shea’s 66 Gas Station Museum, dies at 91

Pops store coming to Tulsa airport

If you're traveling by air to Tulsa or have a changeover at Tulsa International Airport, you'll soon have access to a taste of Route 66 while you're there. Pops, a convenience store and restaurant based on Route 66 in Arcadia, Okla., will open at the airport its third location. It will be inside the former … Continue reading Pops store coming to Tulsa airport

The true story about the ruins at Plano, Mo.

The Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader did a public service Wednesday, namely clearing up fact from fiction about the much-photographed limestone ruins at the ghost town of Plano, Mo., on Route 66. Among the wild claims -- no doubt fueled by the ruins' gothic appearance -- were the building once served as a casket factory or a … Continue reading The true story about the ruins at Plano, Mo.

Frontier Motel in Truxton soon will have a new owner

The historic Frontier Motel in Truxton, Ariz., with its adjoining cafe and nearby bar and gas station, are under contract to soon be owned by a tour operator from New Zealand. Sam Murray, owner of Gilligan's Wild West Tours, said during a telephone interview the transfer of licenses through Mohave County is the only holdup … Continue reading Frontier Motel in Truxton soon will have a new owner

How POPS picks its sodas

This video is essentially a plug for US Food's soda line. But it also gives a good overview of POPS on Route 66 in Arcadia, Okla. Artisan Sodas Route 66 from Hank Henry on Vimeo. UPDATE: I've been told that US Food has discontinued the sodas, and the video has been pulled.

A visit to Red River Steakhouse

KC Keefer Photography continues its "Genuine Route 66 Life" video series with a visit to the Red River Steakhouse in McLean, Texas. In the clip is an interview with proprietor Will Frost, who may be younger than you'd expect. https://youtu.be/wLmyqFuLWvU We've found the Red River Steakhouse to be an ideal stopping place if our schedule … Continue reading A visit to Red River Steakhouse

Work day set for Saturday at Sprague service station

John Weiss, a longtime preservationist with the Illinois Route 66 Association, has scheduled a work day at the historic Sprague Super Service station in Normal, Ill., starting at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 2. The Sprague station was built in 1931 on Route 66 by William Sprague. It was a unique in that it appears to … Continue reading Work day set for Saturday at Sprague service station

Vic Suhling / Gas For Less sign glows again after 40-plus years

The restoration of the historic Vic Suhling / Gas For Less neon sign was unveiled Saturday evening next to the Litchfield Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center in Litchfield, Ill. According to a news release, up to 200 people attended the event, including two of Suhling's daughters Bonnie and Bernice, one who traveled from Portland, … Continue reading Vic Suhling / Gas For Less sign glows again after 40-plus years