Vic Plunk has lived near the Rock Island railroad line and Route 66 at Grey's Corner, Texas, just west of Amarillo, for many years. Grey's Corner isn't listed on maps, but Vic's Happy Tracks Horse Motel is near Exit 60 of Interstate 40. In addition to telling his steam-engine memories, he points out the old, … Continue reading Oral history
Category: Highways
Heritage tourism
The New York Times took down its firewall several weeks ago that kept online readers from seeing much of its content. That means that you now can read "The Virtues of Avoiding Interstates," an August 2007 article about tourists who are avoiding the superslab and are seeking out the historic two-lane roads of America. The … Continue reading Heritage tourism
“Magic” superhighways
Here's a fascinating excerpt from "Magic Highway USA," a 1958 film from when Disney had its own TV show. It imagines what the nation's highway system might look like in the future. I saw this film as a child in the early 1970s, and it seemed overly fanciful even then. As the film fast approaches … Continue reading “Magic” superhighways
McKinley Bridge opens to traffic
For the first time in more than six years, the McKinley Bridge in Venice, Ill., on Monday reopened to vehicular traffic. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Venice Mayor Avery Ware was the first to drive across about 3 p.m. after more than $50 million was spent to rehabilitate the bridge that once connected Route … Continue reading McKinley Bridge opens to traffic
Miami will receive grants for Route 66 projects
The Joplin (Mo.) Globe reports that the Route 66 town of Miami, Okla., will shell out about $150,000 for historical markers and other projects along the Mother Road. About $120,000 of that will come from the National Scenic Byways program, while the rest will be provided by the city and tourism bureau. The projects are: … Continue reading Miami will receive grants for Route 66 projects
McKinley Bridge reopens to traffic Monday
If you want to finally drive Route 66 over the Mississippi River to St. Louis, you'll finally have your chance after about 3 p.m. Monday. The Belleville (Ill.) News-Democrat reports that the McKinley Bridge, which was closed since 2001 for much-needed repairs, will open at mid-afternoon Monday at the latest. The 1910 bridge carried an … Continue reading McKinley Bridge reopens to traffic Monday
Illinois Route 66 receives two grants
U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Ill., announced today that a series of grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation had been awarded to the Illinois Department of Transportation. Two of the grants included: $235,000 for implementation of the Marketing Program for Historic Route 66, which includes 421 miles in Illinois from Chicago to Metro East St. … Continue reading Illinois Route 66 receives two grants
Myth-busting about scenic byways
Talk about a public service: The Meramec Journal has appropriated the theme of the Discovery Channel's "Mythbusters" show and has sifted the fact from fiction regarding Missouri's scenic byways program. Route 66 is one of those byways. The newspaper contacted Monica Duncan, a scenic byway coordinator for Missouri and a resource management analyst for the … Continue reading Myth-busting about scenic byways
Mystery of the marker
Holy cow. I didn't even know the Los Angeles area even had one of these. The folks at Curbed LA wondered what this stone marker (photo can be seen on link) was in Pasadena. A city worker provided the answer: "You posted a while back about a 3' tall concrete marker on PCC property in … Continue reading Mystery of the marker
McKinley Bridge to open in mid-month
The McKinley Bridge, which held a reopening ceremony to much fanfare about two weeks ago, will open to traffic for real sometime in mid-December, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. About 10,000 motorists are expected to use the McKinley a day — the same number as used it before its closure in 2001. At that time, … Continue reading McKinley Bridge to open in mid-month