Today, the Illinois Route 66 Association announced its annual Hall of Fame inductees and the winner of the Tom Teague Ambassador Award. First, the inductees, as described by the association: The Crossroads Diner in Mount Olive, Ill. The Route 66 diner the Crossroads is a favorite place to stop and eat while traveling Route 66 … Continue reading Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame inductees announced
Category: History
New museum opens next month in Santa Fe
The new New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe, N.M., that is slated to open May 24 should be of interest to roadies. According to the Salt Lake Tribune: The museum explores how the West's various cultures clashed and blended over 400 years of written and spoken memory. It starts with new Mexico's native inhabitants … Continue reading New museum opens next month in Santa Fe
A visit to the Joads’ hometown
Rafael Rachael Alvarez, a contributor to the Christian Science Monitor, pays a visit to Sallisaw, Okla., the home base for the fictional Joad family in the John Steinbeck novel that takes place on Route 66, "The Grapes of Wrath." The first striking observation that Alvarez makes is the recession hasn't hit Oklahoma as hard as … Continue reading A visit to the Joads’ hometown
New murals at the Blue Swallow
Bill Kinder, co-owner of the Blue Swallow Motel on Route 66 in Tucumcari, N.M., showed us new murals that recently were painted by a traveling artist. These murals are painted inside the garages that are next to the rooms. The murals really bring vibrant color in an unexpected place.
Grand Canyon Park marks 90th anniversary
The Associated Press has a story about the Grand Canyon celebrating its 90th anniversary as a national park. Some highlights of the article: The park was declared several years before Arizona became a state. About 44,000 visited it the first year. Now, 4.5 million visit annually. The Grand Canyon isn't on Route 66, but is … Continue reading Grand Canyon Park marks 90th anniversary
Roads to Lincoln
A lot of people are going to explore Illinois this year because this is the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth. During a recent presentation, Chicago Route 66 expert David G. Clark explained how to get the most mileage out checking historical sites within the Land of Lincoln, according to Shopper Source Online: By following Route … Continue reading Roads to Lincoln
Smithsonian takes a dour look at the Mother Road
Megan Gambino in the March issue of Smithsonian magazine takes a somewhat dour look at the Mother Road. Here's an excerpt: Writing about the Joad family's journey from the Dust Bowl of Oklahoma to the promised land of California in The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck famously called Route 66 the "mother road." But today … Continue reading Smithsonian takes a dour look at the Mother Road
Film footage of Route 66 from the 1950s
Here's a find: film footage of Route 66 during the 1950s. You'll see a lot of stuff that's changed or gone in those two minutes. It's owned by FootageWorld.com, which specializes in stock footage for license for telecasts, film and the like. More footage can be seen here (QuickTime is required to view). It's a … Continue reading Film footage of Route 66 from the 1950s
Boots Drive-In featured in Route 66 display
The former Boots Drive-In restaurant will be re-created in a Route 66 display in the Jasper County Courthouse in Carthage, Mo., reports the Joplin Globe. A replica of the building front is just starting to take shape at a workshop in Carthage. When finished, it will occupy space in the main floor of the historic … Continue reading Boots Drive-In featured in Route 66 display
Motel history
David Wilkening at Hotel Interactive has a pretty good article about historic motels along Route 66. Not only does Wilkening talk to longtime roadies Johnnie Meier and Jim Conkle, but he speaks with the owners of the Motel Safari in Tucumcari, N.M.; the Rodeway Inn in Williams, Ariz., Wild West Junction of Williams; and the … Continue reading Motel history