A congressman from Illinois has introduced a Route 66 Centennial Commission Act, which directs the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to "prepare a plan on the preservation needs of Route 66" and other purposes. U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, a Republican from central Illinois, introduced H,R. 66 to the House of Representatives, and it was assigned to a transportation … Continue reading Congressman introduces national Route 66 centennial bill
Category: History
Painted Desert Community Complex named National Historic Landmark
A series of buildings called the Painted Desert Community Complex that greet travelers to the Petrified Forest National Park in eastern Arizona were among 24 National Historic Landmarks declared by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell. National Historic Landmarks are "historic properties of exceptional value to the nation and promotes the preservation efforts … Continue reading Painted Desert Community Complex named National Historic Landmark
‘The Founder’ movie tells story about the rise of McDonald’s
"The Founder" movie, which details the rise of longtime McDonald's restaurant magnate Ray Kroc, opens in U.S. theaters today. Oscar-nominated actor Michael Keaton stars in the film, who appears to put his intense, charismatic and fast-talking style to good use. Here's the trailer for "The Founder": https://youtu.be/N1adu1VkU_w The film earns an 80 percent "fresh" rating … Continue reading ‘The Founder’ movie tells story about the rise of McDonald’s
Route 66 Alliance working on Negro Motorist Green Book website project
The Route 66 Alliance and Mike McUsic are working on a website to help pass along photos, stories and video about Route 66 sites listed in editions of the Negro Motorist Green Books from 1936 to 1964, plus plenty of other of the usual road-trip material you might find. The Historypin website is meant to … Continue reading Route 66 Alliance working on Negro Motorist Green Book website project
Bad news, good news for Formosa Cafe in West Hollywood
Fans of the historic Formosa Cafe along Route 66 in West Hollywood, California, have endured a mix of good news and bad news this month. The bad news is the restaurant, which dates to 1925 at 7156 Santa Monica Blvd., closed abruptly not long after New Year's Day. However, the Formosa building remains protected by … Continue reading Bad news, good news for Formosa Cafe in West Hollywood
Missouri History Museum sees highest attendance since 1930s
The Missouri History Museum in St. Louis finished 2016 with its highest attendance in about 80 years, and a Route 66 exhibit is being partially credited for that. KSDK-TV in St. Louis reports the museum logged more than 500,000 visitors in the just-finished year. The station reported: "Most museums rely on one big exhibit, … Continue reading Missouri History Museum sees highest attendance since 1930s
Visits with Lillian Redman at the Blue Swallow Motel
Anthony Reichardt recently uploaded several more videos from Route 66 trips he took in the early to mid-1990s in a 1959 Cadillac. The highlight video of this bunch is several visits with Lillian Redman, longtime owner of the iconic Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico. It's the most extensive video I've seen of her. https://youtu.be/TS9fp-Tndq0 Reichardt's … Continue reading Visits with Lillian Redman at the Blue Swallow Motel
New firearms store / gun range using pieces of Hawkins Mill
A new firearms store and gun range is being built along Route 66 in Springfield, Missouri, at the old Hawkins Mill site and using pieces of it in its design. Cherokee Firearms of Springfield is building a new facility at Kansas Expressway and College Street (aka Route 66). The new place's resemblance to the historic … Continue reading New firearms store / gun range using pieces of Hawkins Mill
Memories of Times Beach persist more than 30 years later
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch recently published a story about Marilyn Leistner, who was the last mayor of Times Beach, Missouri, before the Route 66 town was deserted for good in 1983 because of dioxin contamination. Road contractor Russell Bliss used dioxin-laced oil to spread on dirt roads throughout the town. When the Meramec River flooded, … Continue reading Memories of Times Beach persist more than 30 years later
Wall Street Journal produces short video on Route 66
Taking note of Route 66's 90th birthday, the Wall Street Journal a couple of days ago produced this video -- virtually all of it in California's Mojave Desert -- about America's most famous highway: At 4 1/2 minutes, it conveys the road's history and the challenges it faces quite well. (Video-capture excerpt from Wall Street … Continue reading Wall Street Journal produces short video on Route 66