A few days ago, Corkey Mayberry of Park Hills, Mo., wondered what happened to a Texas-shaped monument that greeted Route 66 travelers in the border town of Texola, Okla. Mayberry and his wife had their picture taken at the monument in 1955. On a Route 66 trip a few weeks ago, Mayberry tried to find … Continue reading Found: the Texola monument
Category: History
Book about ghosts along Missouri Route 66 will be published
Janice Tremeear of Springfield, Mo., is writing a book titled "Route 66 Hauntings in Missouri: The Show-Me State Ghosts of the Mother Road," which concentrates on ghost sightings and other mysteries along or near Route 66, according to a story in the Springfield News-Leader. Tremeear's book will list Springfield as the birthplace of Route 66 … Continue reading Book about ghosts along Missouri Route 66 will be published
Route 66 nearly 60 years ago
Route 66 enthusiast and author Joe Sonderman said he recently acquired a DVD from an Albuquerque man of home-movie footage during a Route 66 trip in 1953 from Chicago to Los Angeles. As Sonderman said on his Facebook account about the footage: "The Youtube quality doesn't do it justice and it could stand some editing. … Continue reading Route 66 nearly 60 years ago
A glimpse of the past
Here's a television commercial for the Spring River Inn, off old Route 66 in Riverton, Kan. The once-popular restaurant closed in 1996 and burned down in 1998. The only evidence of its existence is a now-decrepit neon sign near the former entrance.
What happened to the Texola monument?
A few days ago, I received an e-mail from Corkey Mayberry of Park Hills, Mo., asking me to solve a mystery. In September 1955, he and his wife were on a Route 66 trip. The couple stopped to have their picture taken at a sizable stone monument in Texola, Okla., marking the spot of the … Continue reading What happened to the Texola monument?
Notes from the road
Roadies who've explored Route 66 in Clinton, Okla., may remember the 15-foot-tall fiberglass American Indian mascot, aka Muffler Man, who graced the front of David Howe Motors for years. The Howe Indian disappeared after a recent ownership change. But we're pleased to report the mascot has turned up at Indian Trading Post and Art near … Continue reading Notes from the road
The story of the 11th Street Bridge
In less than two minutes, this video by the Journal-Record explains the history and significance of the 11th Street Bridge in Tulsa, now known as the Cyrus Avery Route 66 Memorial Bridge:
The lost Bob Waldmire interview
Route 66 enthusiast Ron Hart interviewed Mother Road hippie and artist Bob Waldmire for about 30 minutes during the National Route 66 Festival in Clinton, Okla., in 2007. Hart said he'd misplaced the video until recently, and decided to post it online this week. It's a fairly typical (if unpredictable) conversation with Bob that's sometimes … Continue reading The lost Bob Waldmire interview
Accounting the past to plan for the future
This story Monday by the Press-Enterprise explains as well as any the importance behind an ongoing comprehensive study of Route 66 in California. An excerpt: The report can then be used to help property owners apply for state and federal historic grants or listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Rather than each site … Continue reading Accounting the past to plan for the future
Book review: “Things to Look Out for on Route 66 in St. Louis”
It became apparent while reading Kip Welborn's self-published book that it's not just a guidebook about Route 66 in St. Louis. It's also a love letter to his city. It's that enthusiasm about the Mother Road and his town that lifts "Things to Look Out for on Route 66 in St. Louis" (60 pages, spiral-bound … Continue reading Book review: “Things to Look Out for on Route 66 in St. Louis”