Urban Tulsa, an alternative weekly newspaper, published an interesting article about the longstanding rivalry between the Route 66 communities of Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Among the people interviewed was Michael Wallis, author of "Route 66: The Mother Road" and a longtime Tulsa resident. The story is long, but worth your time.
Category: History
Historic Mayo Hotel reopens in Tulsa
The iconic Mayo Hotel in downtown Tulsa, which had been shuttered for almost 30 years, held a limited "soft" opening Monday, reported the Tulsa World. The Mayo, at 115 W. Fifth St., is about two blocks from the downtown Route 66 alignment of Seventh Street. The Mayo dates to the 1920s, is listed on the … Continue reading Historic Mayo Hotel reopens in Tulsa
Route 66 display being installed in Carthage
A Route 66 historical display that mimics the original Boots Drive-In restaurant in Carthage, Mo., is being installed now at the iconic Jasper County Courthouse in Carthage, reports the Joplin Globe. At 18 feet wide and 13 feet tall, the display is a representation of the front of the former drive-in that will hold artifacts … Continue reading Route 66 display being installed in Carthage
Santa Monica Pier centennial
The Santa Monica Pier, the symbolic western end point of Route 66, will get a lot of attention this week when it marks its 100th anniversary on Wednesday. National Public Radio has an excellent story about the pier and its history, including this: Fishermen have been flocking to the pier's edge since its early days. … Continue reading Santa Monica Pier centennial
The sad story of Chavez Ravine
Most people know of Chavez Ravine, located just off the Arroyo Seco Parkway (aka Route 66), as the site of Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. But many don't know what was there before the baseball park. This video helps explain it. The saga inspired one of Ry Cooder's most-acclaimed albums, "Chavez Ravine."
Shuttered Winslow tavern is torn down
The long-closed Prairie Moon tavern in Winslow, Ariz., finally was torn down and the rubble hauled away a few days ago, reported AzJournal.com. Here's a photo of the bar before it was razed. According to several people quoted in the article, the Prairie Moon also was known for prostitution. Longtime Winslow resident Gabe Martinez grew … Continue reading Shuttered Winslow tavern is torn down
Route 66 exhibit begins week of festival
For you folks who plan to attend the Route 66 Festival in Flagstaff, Ariz., Northern Arizona University is hosting the "Route 66 in Arizona: Don't Forget Winona!" exhibit that opens that week. According to the Rim Country Gazette, the university's Cline Library will hold a reception from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Sept. 10. "The exhibit … Continue reading Route 66 exhibit begins week of festival
A brief history
Here's a video produced by the Arizona Office of Tourism. It uses the Powerhouse Visitors Center in Kingman as a jumping-off point about the history of Route 66.
Route 66 documentary in the works
California-based Waterline Entertainment is producing a historical documentary about Route 66 that is tentatively slated to be released sometime in 2011. Geoff Foley, a writer and producer at Waterline, and I recently made connections through my Twitter account. He said the working title of the film is "Route 66: America's Main Street." His partner on … Continue reading Route 66 documentary in the works
Madonna of the Trail
Larry Harnisch, who writes a history blog, The Daily Mirror, for the Los Angeles Times, has an interesting post about the Madonna of the Trail monument that was erected in 1929 on Foothill Boulevard, aka Route 66, in Upland, Calif. Harnisch writes: These monumental statues were meant to venerate the pioneer spirit, but today, some … Continue reading Madonna of the Trail