The Bureau of Land Management and the California Historic Route 66 Association are scheduling two public hearings later this month about a proposed Route 66 Corridor Management Plan from the western edge of Barstow, Calif., to the Colorado River in Needles, Calif. All members of the public are invited to these meetings: Tuesday, Feb. 25, … Continue reading Public meetings set for California Route 66 management plan
Category: History
Fundraising goal reached for Route 66 roadside park
A Route 66-themed roadside park planned in Springfield, Mo., has more than reached its $15,000 fundraising goal with two days remaining, reported KOLR-TV in Springfield. Springfield-based CrowdIt.com, a crowd-funding online service, helped spur the campaign. Here's the station's report: The campaign included this very cool promotional video: Because the campaign raised extra money with two … Continue reading Fundraising goal reached for Route 66 roadside park
Museum seeks Route 66 postcards for exhibit
The Cibola Art Gallery and Artifacts Museum in Grants, N.M., is seeking vintage Route 66 postcards -- especially from west-central New Mexico -- for an upcoming exhibit, according to a letter to the editor in the Cibola County Beacon. The letter from the museum's staff says the exhibit will be titled "Postcards from Route 66." They … Continue reading Museum seeks Route 66 postcards for exhibit
A feature on Maldaner’s, one of Route 66’s oldest restaurants
The Springfield State Journal-Register in Springfield, Ill., soon will publish a section on area businesses that are at least 100 years old. One of them is Maldaner's Restaurant in downtown Springfield, which has operated since 1884. It sits on Sixth Street (aka Route 66), which makes it one of the rare still-operating restaurants that predate … Continue reading A feature on Maldaner’s, one of Route 66’s oldest restaurants
Pete Seeger, R.I.P.
Folk singer and social activist Pete Seeger died Monday night in New York City hospital at age 94, according to various media outlets. We'll let the Los Angeles Times and other newspapers report about Seeger's impact on music and America in general, his triumphs and his controversies. One should remember that in addition to writing the … Continue reading Pete Seeger, R.I.P.
Historic Bernalillo bar isn’t closed, but it’s for sale
The historic Silva's Saloon along old Route 66 in Bernalillo, N.M., isn't closed (contrary to rumor), but the owner confirmed to Albuquerque Business First the business indeed is for sale. Owner Denise Silva told the newspaper the bar will stay open until it sells "or until both of us die" -- referring to co-owner Felix … Continue reading Historic Bernalillo bar isn’t closed, but it’s for sale
Another sign painter with a long history on Route 66
A few years ago, I tracked down Rudy Gonzales of Tucumcari, N.M., who hand-painted signs along the Route 66 corridor in the Texas Panhandle and New Mexico for five decades. Another sign painter has operated along Route 66 for about as long in eastern Arizona. According to an article in the Arizona Journal, Severo Barela of … Continue reading Another sign painter with a long history on Route 66
Should Route 66 towns that were sundown towns apologize?
The above image is a postcard of the long-gone Royce Cafe along Route 66 in Edmond, Okla., from the 1930s or '40s. Do you see anything different about it? If you're not spotting it, here's a close-up the unusual part: The "6,000 Live Citizens -- No Negroes" part of the postcard was a symptom that … Continue reading Should Route 66 towns that were sundown towns apologize?
Case squad tackles unsolved murder on Route 66
The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office in northern Arizona has assembled a cold-case squad in an effort to solve about three dozen long-unsolved murders in the area, including one on Route 66 just east of Twin Arrows more than 40 years ago, reported the Arizona Daily Sun newspaper. A group of are criminal investigators and retired law … Continue reading Case squad tackles unsolved murder on Route 66
“American Giants,” Episode 8
Here is the eighth episode of Joel Baker's ongoing "American Giants" series about roadside fiberglass giants, also known as Muffler Men. https://youtu.be/nHZekubninc This episode covers the last of the Muffler Men in Chicago, including one extensively modified into a Frankenstein monster. Baker told me that the next episode will take place in Dodge City, Kan.