The city of Tulsa is reviewing the lone proposal for a long-planned Route 66 museum and commercial complex at Southwest Boulevard (aka Route 66) and Riverside Drive, reported the Tulsa World. Mayor Dewey Bartlett, during a splashy news conference at another Route 66 site in the city, announced in October the city would request proposals … Continue reading Tulsa reviewing proposal for Route 66 museum
Category: History
Bloomington lands a grant for new visitors center
As expected, the Illinois Office of Tourism officially pledged Wednesday to give Bloomington a $249,000 grant to help build a new visitors center downtown, according to WJBC radio. The museum will prominently feature Route 66 in its exhibits. Illinois Tourism director Jen Hoelzel said the grant coincides with the office's effort to bring more international tourists to Illinois. Hoelzel said … Continue reading Bloomington lands a grant for new visitors center
Will Oscar Mayer buy the World’s Largest Catsup Bottle?
Several media outlets in the St. Louis area reported the Oscar Mayer brand is interested in buying the World's Largest Catsup Bottle, which went up for sale earlier this month. However, at least one metro-east news website regarded the reports with skepticism. The speculation was fueled by Oscar Mayer's famous Wienermobile making an appearance at the … Continue reading Will Oscar Mayer buy the World’s Largest Catsup Bottle?
Strike up the Band-Box
Jo Ellis, a columnist for the Joplin Globe newspaper, reported about a sometimes-overlooked but cherished part of the history of Carthage, Missouri -- the rare Chicago Coin's Band-Box, also known as “Strike Up the Band," in the Pancake Hut restaurant along Route 66. The Band-Box is a coin-operated miniature, robotic big band that's been in … Continue reading Strike up the Band-Box
Tours offered of hard-to-access Route 66 sites in Arizona
The Petrified Forest National Park is allowing free, guided tours of hard-to-reach landmarks on a long-closed section of Route 66 on Aug. 8 and Aug. 10. The tours coincide with the Route 66 festival taking place that weekend in nearby Holbrook, Arizona. The Arizona Journal had a listing of the sites that will be included during … Continue reading Tours offered of hard-to-access Route 66 sites in Arizona
Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program announces 2014 grants
The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program on Thursday announced five cost-share grants totaling $77,000 for 2014, including one for an endangered bridge in Oklahoma. Here are the recipients: Rock Creek Bridge, Sapulpa, Oklahoma ($5,013 National Park Service grant, $5,013 match by recipient)– The bridge carried traffic on Route 66 from 1926 until 1952. The bridge, on the … Continue reading Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program announces 2014 grants
Road to Our Lady of the Highways Shrine will close for repairs this fall
A badly deteriorated section of Interstate 55 west frontage road between Farmersville and Raymond in Illinois -- best known as a section of Route 66 that passes in front of the historic Our Lady of the Highways Shrine -- will be closed for repairs for several weeks starting in late September, according a story in The … Continue reading Road to Our Lady of the Highways Shrine will close for repairs this fall
2014 inductees to Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame announced
Three inductees -- including a previously announced historic bar in Edwardsville -- were announced to the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame during the Illinois Route 66 Association's Motor Tour last month. Detail on the inductees may be read here. Here's a brief overview of each: Hi-Way Cafe and Tavern, Edwardsville -- Sicilian immigrants Frank and … Continue reading 2014 inductees to Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame announced
Film footage of two Route 66 landmarks during the 1980s
The Facebook page of the Dutch Route 66 Association recently uncovered some footage from the 1980s of two Route 66 landmarks. One is John's Modern Cabins, which had been abandoned for about 15 years and was already declining when the footage was shot. It was located east of Arlington, Missouri. https://youtu.be/bMJjW8HdfaQ We'd managed to uncover … Continue reading Film footage of two Route 66 landmarks during the 1980s
A history of Cadillac Ranch
On Sunday, the Amarillo Globe-News published a well-researched story about the history of the Cadillac Ranch art installation just off Route 66. Cadillac Ranch marked its 40th anniversary June 21 -- four days after owner Stanley Marsh 3 died at age 76. The story provides behind-the-scenes details about how Cadillac Ranch came about. I urge … Continue reading A history of Cadillac Ranch