The New Mexico Legislature was set to give $325,000 to help revitalize the historic Ilfeld Warehouse in downtown Santa Rosa and create a Route 66 museum there, according to the town's newspaper. The Guadalupe County Communicator, in its print edition, reported that the legislation would "set aside the funds toward creation of a Route 66 … Continue reading State may provide grant for Santa Rosa warehouse
Category: History
Litchfield getting organized for its Route 66 museum
The group that's seeking to build a Litchfield Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center in Litchfield, Ill., seems to be fairly well-organized. According to a report in The Journal-News, based in nearby Hillsboro, the group has: Landed a general contractor, who pledges to use subcontractors and supplies entirely from Litchfield, except for the neon lighting. … Continue reading Litchfield getting organized for its Route 66 museum
Illinois Route 66 Hall of Famer dies
Former Illinois State Police Capt. Francis Mowery, who was inducted into the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame, died at age 99 last week, reported the Bloomington Pantagraph. The Illinois Route 66 Association reported Mowery's death today on its website. Mowery was among the very first members inducted into the Illinois Route 66 Hall of … Continue reading Illinois Route 66 Hall of Famer dies
Kickstarter campaign begun for U.S. 40 book
Frank Brusca, a longtime researcher of U.S. 40, has launched a Kickstarter campaign to help finish a book about the historic highway he's been working on for decades. This is a little off-topic, but Route 66 fans often are fans of other historic highways, including U.S. 40, aka the National Road. Brusca also has inspired … Continue reading Kickstarter campaign begun for U.S. 40 book
New history museum in Springfield, Mo., may open by 2013
The History Museum of Springfield-Greene County in Springfield, Mo., is running out of room, and it hopes to reopen in a former downtown department store sometime in 2013, reported KY3-TV in Springfield. The station said: Three years ago the museum bought the old Barth’s department store building on the northeast quadrant of Park Central Square. Construction … Continue reading New history museum in Springfield, Mo., may open by 2013
A small fact about Whitney Houston’s death
I sorta hate to bring this up, since it's a trivial fact in light of a tragedy. But the hotel where singing superstar Whitney Houston died on Saturday -- the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. -- sits next to Route 66. A reader alerted me to this today. The hotel lists its address as 9876 … Continue reading A small fact about Whitney Houston’s death
Nominations sought for Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame
Every two years, one living and one deceased person are chosen for the Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame. It is that time again. The Oklahoma Route 66 Association is seeking nominations for 2012. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be May 26 at the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton. Here's what's need … Continue reading Nominations sought for Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame
The latest Route 66 Village project
The Route 66 Village in southwest Tulsa contains an old steam locomotive, several rail cars, and a gigantic replica of an oil derrick. Here's the latest project that volunteers are working on, via KOTV:
Book review: “A Route 66 Companion”
Roadies leafing through David King Dunaway's "A Route 66 Companion" (University of Texas Press, soft cover, 162 pages) may get a jolt of bittersweet nostalgia. That's because the pages are sprinkled with intricate pen-and-ink drawings of Bob Waldmire, the beloved Route 66 artist and roving hippie who died of cancer in late 2009. Waldmire's artwork … Continue reading Book review: “A Route 66 Companion”
Survivor of Joplin hotel collapse dies
Alfred Summers, the lone survivor of a collapse in 1978 of a large motel along Route 66 in Joplin, Mo., died Friday at age 64, according to the Joplin Globe. Summers, part of demolition crew, was trapped in the rubble for more than three days before he was extricated. Two co-workers died in the unexpected … Continue reading Survivor of Joplin hotel collapse dies