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
Category: History
Nothing minor about it
Llewellyn Toulmin has a story in The Sentinal Newspapers about a trip on Route 66, with most of the material taking place in Illinois and Missouri. Then there's this passage: The history of Route 66 is fascinating but complicated. It was not envisioned as a major road at first, as witnessed by its number. In … Continue reading Nothing minor about it
A Muffler Man primer
Carrie Steinweg, a correspondent for The Times in Munster, Ind., has an excellent overview of the significance and history of Muffler Men -- the fiberglass giants that were (and still are) used by businesses to get the attention of potential customers. Many of the statues were purchased by muffler shops -- hence, the Muffler Man … Continue reading A Muffler Man primer
Remembering RoVal’s
The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin uncovered a story from Route 66's past about the long-gone RoVal's steak house in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., at 11871 Foothill Blvd. (aka Route 66). The restaurant's namesake, RoVal Jones, died at age 89 last week. RoVal's first restaurant was on Ninth Street in Rancho Cucamonga. But its second location on … Continue reading Remembering RoVal’s
Rock ‘n’ roll landmarks on Route 66
I just finished Chris Epting's 2007 book, "Led Zeppelin Crashed Here," subtitled "The Rock and Roll Landmarks of North America." It's the most comprehensive book I've read that lists famous rock history sites, venues of noteworthy concerts, where rock musicians died, their burial sites, locations of famous album covers, and rock-inspired museums. Epting's book will … Continue reading Rock ‘n’ roll landmarks on Route 66
“In Sight It Must Be Right”
Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic Roger Ebert waxes ecstatic about the Steak 'n Shake restaurant chain and his memories of the restaurant growing up in Urbana, Ill. Ebert's whole blog entry is worth reading (as are the comments and his replies). But here is a choice excerpt, of which many roadies will concur: If I were … Continue reading “In Sight It Must Be Right”
A big hole in the ground
The International Herald Tribune has an excellent article about meteor impact sites and other natural holes around Arizona, including the big Meteor Crater off Route 66 east of Flagstaff. Some interesting facts about Meteor Crater: If a football game were played at the bottom, the crater's walls would hold 2 million spectators. The 4,100-foot-wide crater … Continue reading A big hole in the ground
My, how times have changed
Today, "Route 66 Backroads" author Jim Hinckley sent me a link to a 1949 edition of the Negro Motorist Green Book. The guidebook says it provides a "list of hotels, boarding houses, restaurants, beauty shops, barber shops and various other services can most certainly help solve your travel problems. It was the idea of Victor … Continue reading My, how times have changed
“I have a dream”
NOTE: I posted this two years ago. Now, with a black man about to become president of the United States, it's worth looking at again. This is the full version of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963. So what does King have to do with Route 66? Well, there's this … Continue reading “I have a dream”
“House of the Rising Sun” in Baxter Springs?
The answer to the question: Sort of. The story behind this is complicated. So bear with me. I just finished reading Ted Anthony's excellent 2007 book, "Chasing the Rising Sun," which traces the tangled and twisted origins of the famous song, "House of the Rising Sun." It's nearly certain that you've heard the tune. But … Continue reading “House of the Rising Sun” in Baxter Springs?