It seems a bit odd to call William Crook Jr.'s publication about his memories of the life of Bob Waldmire a book, as it's a slim 28 pages and staple-bound. Regardless, "Waldmire" (subtitled "An Artist's Life on Route 66") contains details about the hippie, environmentalist and Route 66 artist that might have escaped those who even … Continue reading Book review: “Waldmire”
Category: History
More 1993 footage from Route 66
Anthony Reichardt has posted more videos from a 1993 journey he took on Route 66 in a 1959 Cadillac. The first is a visit with the legendary Lucille Hamons at Lucille's near Hydro, Oklahoma, a few years before her death in 2000 and subsequent closure of the gas station. The station, built in 1929, remains … Continue reading More 1993 footage from Route 66
Booklet published on life of Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire
A friend of the late Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire has published a 28-page booklet, "Waldmire: An Artist's Life On Route 66." Springfield, Illinois, artist Bill Crook met Waldmire during the 1970s and wrote the book, according to the Springfield State Journal-Register. "Waldmire" includes reproductions of some of Waldmire's art, some of Crook's art, including … Continue reading Booklet published on life of Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire
More 1993 videos of a Route 66 trip
Anthony Reichardt of Santa Ana, California, has uploaded four more videos from 1993, when he and a friend drove a 1959 Cadillac down old Route 66. The first is Thelma White, longtime proprietor of Whitehall Mercantile in Halltown, Missouri. She also was a co-founder of the Route 66 Association of Missouri. She died in 2010, but … Continue reading More 1993 videos of a Route 66 trip
Cross-country driving a century ago
You have people who try to trace the paths of history. Then you have people who really try to re-create the entire experience from many decades ago. These images came a few days ago courtesy of Jim Hinckley of Kingman, Arizona, who explained in an email: In 1915, then 21-year old Edsel Ford and some … Continue reading Cross-country driving a century ago
Brooks Building in Arcadia soon will have a Route 66-friendly tenant
Joel Rayburn, owner of the Route 66-related GlassBoy Studios and Tourist Trap Tees, soon will move into the historic Brooks Building just a stone's throw from the Round Barn in Arcadia, Oklahoma. Rayburn told me in a text he should be ready to open the doors to those businesses there by early October. According to … Continue reading Brooks Building in Arcadia soon will have a Route 66-friendly tenant
Full inventory of Negro Motorist Green Book sites released
Here's another reason to go on a road trip: The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program has released a list of all the properties listed in the Negro Motorist Green Book from 1936 to 1964 during the Jim Crow era of rampant racial segregation. A full list of the properties and their statuses is here. Kaisa … Continue reading Full inventory of Negro Motorist Green Book sites released
More 1993 footage from a Route 66 trip
Anthony Reichardt has uploaded more videos from a Route 66 trip he took with a friend in August 1993 in a 1959 Cadillac. The first is a visit to Our Lady of the Highways Shrine near Raymond, Illinois. The shrine has changed little, but the footage contains a chat with longtime caretaker Francis Marten, who … Continue reading More 1993 footage from a Route 66 trip
New T-shirt features Whoopee Coaster
Tourist Trap Tees, based in Oklahoma, is releasing a new T-shirt featuring a Mother Road legend from Illinois. This one is the Whoopee Coaster of Lyons (also known as the Whoopie Coaster) -- a long wooden structure basically designed as a roller coaster for cars. Living History of Illinois has a nice summary of this short-lived … Continue reading New T-shirt features Whoopee Coaster
2015 cost-share grants for Route 66 announced
The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program announced four cost-share grants totaling more than $97,000 for 2015. Boots Court architectural neon restoration, Carthage, Missouri, $20,000 grant, $20,565 match: Built in 1939, the Boots Court Motel is an outstanding example of a mom-and-pop motor court built in the Streamline Moderne style. Once threatened with demolition, the owners … Continue reading 2015 cost-share grants for Route 66 announced