The Weekly Alibi, an alternative newspaper in Albuquerque, today uploaded this short documentary shot in 2001 about the Aztec Motel that once stood on Central Avenue (aka Route 66). https://youtu.be/FWFTG6lCPJw According to the Alibi, the film was screened at the 2001 Flicks on 66 Wild West Digital Shootout. Filmmakers were Kirsten Browne, Jen Lipow, Niels Dugan … Continue reading Memories of the Aztec Motel
Category: History
A trip through Cajon Pass
This speeded-up video by FreewayTitan shows Interstate 15 as it goes through Cajon Pass from San Bernardino to Hesperia in southern California. https://youtu.be/PC9gocVXMm8 The clip delves into a lot of the history of Cajon Pass, including Route 66.
A history of Ann’s Chicken Fry House
Here's a video interview of Al Burchett, longtime owner of Ann's Chicken Fry House in Oklahoma City. https://youtu.be/hGe3o0msb_w Al talks a lot about the restaurant's 40-year history, including its Route 66 connection. As he explains, he's one of the first in the region to use the Mother Road as a selling point.
Newberry Springs will receive a historical marker
The small Route 66 town of Newberry Springs, Calif., will receive a historical marker Sunday from a fraternal organization at The Barn on Route 66 bar, reported the Desert Dispatch newspaper of nearby Barstow. The members of E. Clampus Vitus, aka The Clampers, are building the monument. The fraternity, which consists of history buffs, has erected … Continue reading Newberry Springs will receive a historical marker
Illinois county may apply for grant to build visitors center at history museum
A committee for McLean County, Ill., supports applying for a half-million-dollar grant that would establish at visitors center at the McLean County Museum of History in Bloomington, reported the Bloomington Pantagraph. The $522,000 project moved to the front of the line when the Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced in March that it has $15 million available … Continue reading Illinois county may apply for grant to build visitors center at history museum
CBS News revisits Cadillac Ranch
Three weeks ago, I revisited a video in 1975 where CBS News correspondent Charles Kuralt investigated the Cadillac Ranch art installation, just off Route 66 near Amarillo, Texas. Here's that original Kuralt story. Cadillac Ranch was just a year old: Kuralt's story vaulted Cadillac Ranch into national prominence, and it's remained there since. Thirty-seven years … Continue reading CBS News revisits Cadillac Ranch
“The National Road in Illinois”
While poking around the Vimeo account of Pounds Media, I found this video about the history of the National Road in Illinois, which dates back more than two centuries. https://vimeo.com/32343992 It's a terrific video, and you'll find a number of parallels to Route 66. Also, an alignment of Route 66 overlaps the National Road in … Continue reading “The National Road in Illinois”
Notes from the Red Fork Revival
The Tulsa Young Professionals put on the Tulsa StreetCRED-Red Fork Revival in southwest Tulsa over the weekend. Like it attempted with the Pearl District east of downtown a year ago, it was designed to bring renewed interest and economic activity to an often-overlooked area. The event was spread out over the Route 66 Village, downtown Red … Continue reading Notes from the Red Fork Revival
Historic St. Louis-area tavern destroyed by fire
The Sports Attic Bar & Grill -- the latest incarnation of a series of taverns at that location since the 1920s -- in Brentwood, Mo., was destroyed by fire Friday, according to the Brentwood-Maplewood Patch. The fire was reported about 4 a.m. No cause was known, although the St. Louis Post-Dispatch said it may have … Continue reading Historic St. Louis-area tavern destroyed by fire
Kickstarter campaign launched for “The Motels of Route 66” film
Simon Cantlon, who we previously reported was creating a documentary film and book called "The Motels of Route 66," has just launched a fundraiser on Kickstarter to cover the some of the expenses of the project. The money raised will cover a month-long journey down Route 66 with a full four-man film crew (director, cameraman, … Continue reading Kickstarter campaign launched for “The Motels of Route 66” film