Justin Scarred of Randomland Adventures is a blabbermouth, but the surprisingly well-informed host explains the various western ends of Route 66 -- downtown Los Angeles, Olympic and Lincoln boulevards in Santa Monica and, finally, the traditional end at the Santa Monica Pier. https://youtu.be/84XY0JRCbEM A bit of news: A Mel's Drive-In at Lincoln and Olympic in … Continue reading An overview of the western ends of Route 66
Category: History
Inside The Donut Man shop in Glendora
NBC News this week posted a terrific article about The Donut Man, which is marking 45 years this year on Route 66 in Glendora, California. Here's the video about the shop and its owner, Jim Nakano: The written part of the story contains a lot of interesting nuggets, too: The shop's strawberry doughnut started when … Continue reading Inside The Donut Man shop in Glendora
A history of the Shaffer Spring Goldfish Bowl
Many people have visited the wondrous Shaffer Spring Goldfish Bowl on Oatman Road (aka Route 66) between Kingman and Oatman in western Arizona. However, many of you probably don't know about the history of this bowl fed by a natural spring from the side of a mountain. Herberta Schroeder, in a special article for the … Continue reading A history of the Shaffer Spring Goldfish Bowl
Photo deck dedicated for “Ship It on the Frisco” trestle
Shrewsbury, Missouri, last week dedicated a new photo deck so visitors can take a photograph of the historic "Ship It on the Frisco" train trestle that goes over Route 66 in the city. St. Louis Route 66 historian Norma Maret Bolin said the photo deck is in the lower Kenrick shopping center area and near the new Aldi's … Continue reading Photo deck dedicated for “Ship It on the Frisco” trestle
Bureau of Mines Building in Rolla named to National Register
A stately brick building along the main Route 66 corridor in Rolla, Missouri, recently was designated to the National Register of Historic Places. The headquarters of the Rolla Division of the Bureau of Mines, also known as the Bureau of Mines Building No. 1, earned the designation April 24, according to an email Thursday from the National … Continue reading Bureau of Mines Building in Rolla named to National Register
The Mill plays a role in solving a Lincoln mystery
The Mill restaurant in Lincoln, Illinois, which reopened this weekend as a museum, played an unlikely role in solving a mystery involving a local church and Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln long was rumored to have practiced law at the Lincoln Christian Church in Lincoln in the late 1850s when the local courthouse burned and the church was … Continue reading The Mill plays a role in solving a Lincoln mystery
The first episode of “Jim Hinckley’s America — A Trek Along Route 66”
Promote Kingman recently released the first in what will be a series of videos called "Jim Hinckley’s America -- A Trek Along Route 66." The video by MyMarketing Designs was screened a few weeks ago in Kingman, Arizona, and it recently was embedded on the Promote Kingman webpage. It features local author and Route 66 advocate Jim Hinckley … Continue reading The first episode of “Jim Hinckley’s America — A Trek Along Route 66”
Why Carlinville has so many Sears homes
I'd long known the Route 66 town of Carlinville, Illinois, had a high concentration of Sears homes. But I'd never known exactly how many and why. KSDK-TV in St. Louis recently posted this story about Sears homes and Carlinville. And here's the gist of the story that answered my questions: The Carlinville neighborhood is known as … Continue reading Why Carlinville has so many Sears homes
DVD review: “The California Promise: Historic Route 66”
Route 66 in the Mojave Desert may look barren, but its past brims with history and stories. That's the takeaway from Unoccupied Route 66's latest film, "The California Promise: Historic Route 66." The 37-minute documentary, again directed by KC Keefer, explores a 100-mile stretch of ghost towns that dotted Route 66 in Southern California's harsh desert. … Continue reading DVD review: “The California Promise: Historic Route 66”
Streetcar Diner also was target of Riviera Roadhouse fire
When a suspicious fire in 2010 burned down the historic Riviera Roadhouse restaurant in Gardner, Illinois, the arsonist also unsuccessfully targeted the nearby Streetcar Diner that night. That little-known fact was revealed in more than 200 pages of documents and dozens of photographs obtained through an open-records request for Illinois Fire Marshal's Office reports from the … Continue reading Streetcar Diner also was target of Riviera Roadhouse fire