The Santa Monica Pier, the symbolic western end of Route 66, will hold concerts July 23 to pay tribute to its former La Monica Ballroom and celebrate the pier's centennial, according to a news release. La Monica Ballroom hosted ballroom dances from 1924 to 1961, when it closed. Entertainers at the July 23 show will … Continue reading Santa Monica Pier swing
Category: History
Abandoned but not forgotten
The folks who run the Abandoned Oklahoma site take a closer look at the long-defunct Conoco gas station on Route 66 near Arcadia. The station is particularly notable because of its notorious history: Back then, times were very hard and it was difficult to make a living. One day, about the time Al Capone was … Continue reading Abandoned but not forgotten
Downtown Miami named to National Register
The downtown district of Miami, Okla., has been named to the National Register of Historic Places, according to a weekly e-mail sent by the National Park Service on Friday. The district is roughly bounded by Main Street (aka Route 66), Central Avenue and SE A Street. That includes the block where the historic Coleman Theatre … Continue reading Downtown Miami named to National Register
Notes from the road
We learned Thursday that longtime roadie Jeff Meyer, aka the Route 66 Roadologist, is in the hospital after having health problems earlier in the week, and he is undergoing tests. Meyer has been exploring Route 66 for more than two decades, is a founding member of the Illinois Route 66 Association, and was given the … Continue reading Notes from the road
More about the historic stretch near Springfield
Route 66 News was the first to have this story a few days ago, but the Springfield (Ill.) Journal-Register has elaborated about an old stretch of Route 66 south of Lake Springfield being designated to the National Register of Historic Places. According to the nomination, the Springfield road was typical of two-lane, access highways in … Continue reading More about the historic stretch near Springfield
Chicago roadie wins writing awards
David G. Clark, aka the Windy City Road Warrior, earned two awards from the Mate E. Palmer Communications Contest during the Illinois Women’s Press Association's annual Spring Awards Luncheon. According to Clark's blog: In the Special Series category, Clark won the first place award for three of his articles that appeared in the Federation News, … Continue reading Chicago roadie wins writing awards
Route 66 Welcome Center
Here are some attractions at the new Route 66 Welcome Center off Interstate 44 near Conway, Mo. It was even better-conceived than I anticipated, especially the neon welcome sign that looks a lot like the Munger Moss Motel's in nearby Lebanon, Mo. The Missouri Department of Transportation is proud of it, and deserves to be.
Details released about Oklahoma Pop museum
A news conference on Tuesday revealed all of the details about a proposed Oklahoma Pop museum in Tulsa, devoted to the history of the state's music and its popular culture. You can read more about it here. It was mentioned a few days ago that Route 66 would be part of the museum. Bob Blackburn, … Continue reading Details released about Oklahoma Pop museum
Music museum will also feature Route 66
Well, this is interesting. From the Tulsa World: The Oklahoma Historical Society hopes to bring its first facility to Tulsa in the form of a $33 million museum of music and popular culture located in the Brady District. Plans for the museum, which will be half the size of the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma … Continue reading Music museum will also feature Route 66
Not just any festival
On Saturday, I decided to go to a festival right on Route 66 in downtown Bristow, Okla. At first glance, it looked like many small-town festivals in Oklahoma. I saw a store offering cowboy hats. I saw a Cowboys booth -- the Oklahoma State University Cowboys, that is. I saw a barbecue stand among the … Continue reading Not just any festival