Chris Epting of AOL News has a dynamite headline that accompanies his story about the Route 66 town of Oatman, Ariz. -- "Oatman: A Town That Rose from its Asses." Although the town boasts re-enacted gunfights, keeps an Old West flavor, and preserved the hotel where Carole Lombard and Clark Gable honeymooned in 1939, Epting … Continue reading Oatman gets kicks from its burros
Category: History
Filmmakers plan documentary on Benld’s Coliseum
Former schoolteachers Jim Marcacci and Bruce Logsdon have started planning a documentary about the history of the colorful Coliseum music venue in Benld, Ill., according to the Springfield State Journal-Register. The Coliseum, which sits on an early alignment of Route 66 and predates the road, now exists as a sprawling antiques mall. But vestiges of … Continue reading Filmmakers plan documentary on Benld’s Coliseum
An obscure alignment of Route 66 in Flagstaff
The Arizona Daily Sun today posted an article about the Mike's Pike street in Flagstaff, Ariz. -- a neighborhood which can boast itself of carrying an original alignment of the Mother Road. The Sun reports: It goes largely unnoticed by the thousands of motorists traveling along Milton Road, yet its history is hardly without lore. … Continue reading An obscure alignment of Route 66 in Flagstaff
A cruise through Hooker Cut
Here's something you don't see on YouTube all that often -- the 1940s Hooker Cut alignment of Route 66 near Devil's Elbow, Mo. The videographer says this four-lane alignment of Route 66 is "abandoned," although that's not true. It's still used by local motorists, although it certainly isn't seeing the traffic volume it saw 50 … Continue reading A cruise through Hooker Cut
Arizona historian wins prestigious award
Arizona historian Marshall Trimble recently won the 2010 Wild West History Association Award for lifetime contributions to the public interest, according to the Arizona Republic. Trimble, 71, was honored for for his "research, writings, speaking and multiple contributions to the history of the characters and events of Wild West History." Trimble has written more than … Continue reading Arizona historian wins prestigious award
Bye bye, bridge
The 81-year-old Pacific Electric Railway bridge that goes over Foothill Boulevard (aka Route 66) in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., will be dismantled starting Sunday, reported the Contra Costa Times. Two cranes will remove the bridge and place it on the north side of Foothill Boulevard, where workers will spend the next two weeks removing paint and … Continue reading Bye bye, bridge
Is the depot suitable for Joplin museum?
A story in the Joplin Globe this week shed light on why officials with the Joplin Museum Complex are hesitating to endorse an idea to renovate the city's historic railroad depot and move the museum there. [T]he existing interior space is less than the current museum’s, he said, based on his staff’s measurements of the … Continue reading Is the depot suitable for Joplin museum?
That’s re-certifiable
Kevin Klowden of the Milken Institute wrote in an opinion piece today on the Fox & Hounds Daily blog, proclaiming that one way to stimulate a flagging U.S. economy is to reinvest in Route 66 and thus boost tourism. That sounds good at first glance. But then Klowden veers in this direction -- he wants … Continue reading That’s re-certifiable
Notes from the road
A few weeks ago, while geocaching near Route 66 in Riverton, Kan., we found out about the strange story of May D. Knotts. According to a geocaching site, May D. Knotts was said to have been hanged from an old oak tree in 1904 after it was discovered that she was a witch. Knotts, who … Continue reading Notes from the road
Making tracks
Dave Bakke of the Springfield State Journal-Register takes a closer look at the set of turkey tracks that were left on a section of original Route 66 near Nilwood, Ill., between 1926 and 1930. Those turkey tracks wouldn’t be the attraction they are if not for Bob Donaldson. Bob moved into his house right on … Continue reading Making tracks