Kathryn of Australia, a Route 66 veteran who's blogging about her current trip on the Mother Road, pointed out there is a new business in the Route 66 town of Seligman, Ariz. It's the Historic Seligman Sundries, which is a combination soda fountain, coffeehouse and gift shop that opened May 1. The building is one … Continue reading Coffeehouse opens in Seligman
Category: History
Italians on the Mother Road
The Rolla (Mo.) Daily News reports that a new book, "Searching for Italy in America's Rural Heartland," contains a chapter about Italians who settled in the Rolla, Rosati and St. James region of central Missouri. In the chapter about Rosati, Calvitto notes that a group of immigrants from Italy came to the United States and … Continue reading Italians on the Mother Road
Route 66, Iraq historical sites named most threatened
As threatened as Route 66's historical sites are, it at least it has one thing in its favor: The country in which they are located is not at war. The World Monuments Fund today included Iraq archaeological sites and Route 66 on its 2008 watch list of 100 threatened sites around the globe. The group … Continue reading Route 66, Iraq historical sites named most threatened
McKinley Bridge set to reopen this fall
Route 66 travelers going through the St. Louis area received good news over the weekend: The long-closed McKinley Bridge is set to reopen to traffic on Sept. 25, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The bridge, built in 1910 to link St. Louis to Venice, Ill., was closed in 2001 when it became too dangerously … Continue reading McKinley Bridge set to reopen this fall
The Blue Whale — inside and out
If you never visited the Blue Whale of Catoosa, Okla., this video provides the next-best thing to being there. The camera operator even provides a rare look inside the whale's second level, in the head. For more history about the Blue Whale, go here, here and here.
Memories of 66 — past and present
Max Nichols, a history columnist for the Daily Oklahoman, tells about the past and present attractions of Route 66 in Oklahoma before the National Route 66 Festival in Clinton in June.
Preserve those gas stations
The Joplin (Mo.) Globe has a story about how Route 66 communities in southwest Missouri, southeast Kansas and northeast Oklahoma are making greater efforts to restore their vintage gas stations. The story goes over territory that Route 66 News has already covered, but it does confirm that there indeed seems to be a movement afoot. … Continue reading Preserve those gas stations
Not just a “morgue”
Here's a story from The Oklahoman about the Saturday opening of the Route 66 Interpretive Center in Chandler, Okla. Choice excerpt: Anthony McDermid, principal designer at Tap Architecture of Oklahoma City, said they didn't want the center to be a morgue for old memorabilia. It was designed to complement other Route 66 stops, but be … Continue reading Not just a “morgue”
A sneak peek of the Route 66 Interpretive Center
The new Route 66 Interpretive Center in the old Armory building in Chandler, Okla., doesn't open to the public until 11 a.m. Saturday, and I'll be out of town because of a prior engagement. However, Howard Dickman, chairman of the Old Armory Restorers group, showed me around the building a couple of days ago. The … Continue reading A sneak peek of the Route 66 Interpretive Center
Mother Road notebook
A few brief news items from Route 66: Reviews of Grand Canyon Skywalk have become so bad, its operators have hired a lawyer to send letters that threaten legal action against critics, reports East Valley Living. A prominent First Amendment attorney has scoffed at Skywalk's alleged intimidation efforts. Money quote from a nearby landowner: "We … Continue reading Mother Road notebook