The Summit Inn, situated off old Route 66 on the top of Cajon Pass in southern California, will change hands after almost 50 years under ownership by C.A. Stevens. The Victorville Daily Press reports the Otto Recinos family of nearby Wrightwood, California, bought the Route 66 restaurant, motel, office and antique shop for about $1 million. Closing on … Continue reading Summit Inn ownership soon will change
Category: History
Route 66 exhibit at Missouri History Museum begins today
The Missouri History Museum in St. Louis begins today its "Route 66: Main Street Through St. Louis" exhibit through July 16, 2017. The museum sits at 5700 Lindell Blvd. (map here) in Forest Park. The Route 66 show has free admission. Here's one of the images displayed at the show, of the Chain of Rocks Bridge in 1929, shortly after it opened: The … Continue reading Route 66 exhibit at Missouri History Museum begins today
Monrovia gas station designated as historic landmark
The city council of Monrovia, California, this week designated a former gas station along an early alignment of Route 66 as a historic landmark. The city's Historic Preservation Commission reviewed the property at 805 S. Shamrock Ave. (map here) and recommended the designation. The report about the property is here (PDF file), but here are some takeaways about it: --- It's one … Continue reading Monrovia gas station designated as historic landmark
Mural being painted in Pacific, Missouri
Artist Ray Harvey is painting a detailed mural, titled "The Day the Train Came to Pacific," on the Route 66 corridor in Pacific, Missouri. The Washington Missourian reports Harvey is painting a 12-by-26-foot mural on a Pacific Plaza wall in the 500 block of East Osage Street. It's not the first time Harvey has plied his work along … Continue reading Mural being painted in Pacific, Missouri
“Ship It on the Frisco”
A song off The Bottle Rockets' new album, "Ship It on the Frisco," sent me down a rabbit hole researching a certain Route 66 overpass and the railroad that once traveled on it. The song (download MP3 here) is found on The Bottle Rockets' excellent album, "South Broadway Athletic Club" (the album's title comes from a historic place on South Broadway in … Continue reading “Ship It on the Frisco”
DVD review: “The Missouri Maze”
Unoccupied Route 66 continues its mix of history and atmospheric images of forlorn Route 66 sites in its latest documentary, "The Missouri Maze." The 26-minute film ($14.95 list, shipping included), directed by KC Keefer and hosted by Nick Gerlich, tells about a mid-Missouri area where Route 66 ended up realigned, realigned again, then abandoned by Interstate 44. Here's … Continue reading DVD review: “The Missouri Maze”
Middle-schoolers’ Route 66 presentation wins national contest
A group of middle-school students from rural Iowa captured a national title for their Route 66 presentation during the annual National History Day contest in Maryland last week. Jack Anderson, Jader Briggs, Megan Swancutt, Daytona Foley and Logan Smith of Akron-Westfield Community School in Akron, Iowa, finished first place in the Junior Group Performance division at nationals with … Continue reading Middle-schoolers’ Route 66 presentation wins national contest
“Boomtown: An American Journey” film nominated for an Emmy
The Tulsa history film "Boomtown: An American Journey" was nominated for an Emmy Award in the historical documentary group in the Heartland chapter. Russ Kirkpatrick, owner and producer of Kirkpatrick and Kinslow Productions that made the film, said in an email the Emmy announcement was made Thursday: As you may remember a component of the … Continue reading “Boomtown: An American Journey” film nominated for an Emmy
Women on the Mother Road website launched
Cinefemme and the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program announced Thursday the release of The Women on the Mother Road website and oral-history project. According to a news release from the corridor program: The Women On The Mother Road: Route 66 Web-site and Oral History Project, www.route66women.com, creates a public history record that sheds light on diverse women’s experiences … Continue reading Women on the Mother Road website launched
Route 66 featured on “PBS NewsHour”
The effort to preserve Route 66's historic landmarks is the focus of this seven-minute segment on "PBS NewsHour." It's a pretty good segment, but a few viewers already noted the old film footage of motorists traveling into Nevada and Utah was used in error -- Route 66 never went into those states. A podcast for … Continue reading Route 66 featured on “PBS NewsHour”