I stumbled today onto this story in the The Courier of Montgomery County, Texas, about a freak blizzard that struck the Plains of New Mexico and Texas on Feb. 4, 1956. The storm blanketed snow from Amarillo to the north, Tucumcari, N.M., to the west, and Wink to the south. Even El Paso got 5 … Continue reading The legendary blizzard of 1956
Category: History
Let’s make Route 66 a National Historic Trail
It's time for the Route 66 community to talk to congressmen about eventually designating the Mother Road as a National Historic Trail, under the auspices of the National Park Service. Of the eight states where the old highway traverses, six have attained Byways or All-American Road status for Route 66. A seventh -- California -- … Continue reading Let’s make Route 66 a National Historic Trail
Smithsonian magazine details Route 66’s revival
David Lamb of Smithsonian magazine has written an excellent article about Route 66's abandonment by the U.S. highway system and the Mother Road's eventual revival. It's in the February issue, but you can read it online here. The article focuses on Arizona -- Angel Delgadillo and the small Route 66 town of Seligman, La Posada … Continue reading Smithsonian magazine details Route 66’s revival
Springfield, Mo., discusses future of College Street
The City of Springfield, Mo., discussed ideas Wednesday on how to revitalize College Street west of downtown, which also served as the original Route 66. KSPR-TV filed this good video report: One person voiced concerns that are on the minds of many roadies. According to the Springfield News-Leader: Route 66 Association of Missouri President Tommy … Continue reading Springfield, Mo., discusses future of College Street
Was the cheeseburger invented on Route 66?
The Pasadena Sun newspaper investigates the claim that the cheeseburger was invented in a diner on Route 66 in Pasadena, Calif. It turns out the case is fairly strong: Legend has it that teenage short-order cook Lionel Clark Sternberger invented the cheeseburger one fateful day in the mid-1920s at a restaurant called “The Rite Spot” … Continue reading Was the cheeseburger invented on Route 66?
Tulsa’s Blue Dome District added to the National Register
Tulsa's Blue Dome District in the eastern part of downtown has been named to the National Register of Historic Places, according to an email Friday from the National Park Service. According to NPS, the listing was effective Dec. 13. The district includes Second Street, an alignment of Route 66 from 1926 to 1932. The approximate … Continue reading Tulsa’s Blue Dome District added to the National Register
Tulsa soon will beef up section of East 11th Street
The City of Tulsa has awarded a contract to build decorative streetscaping and a wayfinding sign on 11th Street between 89th East Avenue and Garnett Road area. Construction should begin by March 1, according to city planner Dennis Whitaker. Whitaker says the project should take about 120 days, which means a completion time of late … Continue reading Tulsa soon will beef up section of East 11th Street
How Michael Wallis ended up in Oklahoma
Michael Wallis, author of the best-selling and Pulitzer-nominated "Route 66: The Mother Road," gave a presentation Friday during Tulsa Town Hall. His speech covered a lot of ground on Oklahoma history, including mentions of Woody Guthrie and the infamous Tulsa Race Riot. But this part of the exemplary Tulsa World article is worth excerpting: His first real … Continue reading How Michael Wallis ended up in Oklahoma
The musical fruit of The Troubadour
This recent PBS "American Masters" documentary about Doug Weston's The Troubadour nightclub in West Hollywood, Calif., is one of the best things I've seen in a while. The Troubadour helped launch the careers of Carole King, James Taylor, and a horde of other singer-songwriters during the 1970s. And, yes, the Troubadour is right on the … Continue reading The musical fruit of The Troubadour
“My father taught me how to drive and dream”
This 13-minute film by Karla Berry from 2004 is well worth watching all the way through. But in particular it contains footage of the Coral Court Motel in St. Louis shortly before the bulldozers came. https://vimeo.com/34475388 The Coral Court footage begins around the 7 1/2-minute mark.