The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is reporting that a group called the Illinois Barn Alliance is trying to preserve what's left of the state's historic barns. The group is encountering two problems. One, it's not sure how many old barns are even left in Illinois. Second, farmers tend to be a practical lot and often tear … Continue reading A new preservation target — barns
Category: History
A history through postcards
The Alibi, which is an alternative newspaper in Albuquerque, reports that there is a "Route 66 Through Albuquerque: A Postcard History" exhibit at the Special Collections Library at 423 Central Ave. NE through Aug. 26. Alibi staffer Steven Robert Allen writes: The highlight is a display of vintage Albuquerque postcards mounted beside captions explaining their … Continue reading A history through postcards
Tucumcari theater nominated for National Register
The Odeon Theatre of Tucumcari, N.M., which is just a few blocks north of Route 66, has been one of six theaters in New Mexico nominated to the State Register of Cultural Properties and the National Register of Historic Places, according to the Quay County Sun. In his nomination of the theater, historian David Kammer … Continue reading Tucumcari theater nominated for National Register
Memories from the Mother Road
Hank Billings' column in the Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader usually contains a few gems about old, often-defunct businesses along Route 66. Monday's column was no exception. It contains items from readers about the Gillioz Theatre, Red's Giant Hamburg, and a gas-station owner who encountered John Dillinger.
Dining & driving on Route 66 in the Midwest
Chicago Sun-Times writer Dave Hoekstra, a longtime supporter of Route 66, tells about some of the Mother Road's favorite dining haunts from Chicago to St. Louis. Hoekstra focuses first on Scotty's Route 66 Restaurant and Bar in Hamel, Ill. But he also gives detailed shout-outs to Lou Mitchell's in Chicago, Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket in … Continue reading Dining & driving on Route 66 in the Midwest
Tulsa’s retro guide to cool
Urban Tulsa, which is that city's alternative weekly, points out some of the best ways to keep cool in Oklahoma's notorious summer heat with a 1950s and '60s flair. Many of these escapes are on old Route 66. For movie-watching, there is the circa 1951 Admiral Twin Drive-In and the restored, circa 1928 Circle Cinema. … Continue reading Tulsa’s retro guide to cool
Tulsa Monument Co. building is safe
There was some fear when a monument company that occupied that historic, Art Deco-designed Tulsa Monument Co. building at 1735 E. 11th St., aka Route 66, moved out a few weeks ago at the behest of the landlord. What would be the future of that landmark building? Not to fear -- the building is safe. … Continue reading Tulsa Monument Co. building is safe
Farm disappears; Magic Lamp Inn keeps going
The Inland Press-Enterprise has a story about Anthony Vernola, owner of the landmark Magic Lamp Inn along Route 66 in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. The Vernola family is having a shopping development in Mira Loma named after them. Anthony Vernola's father ran a farm in that area; the farm, like many others, is now long-gone because … Continue reading Farm disappears; Magic Lamp Inn keeps going
DVD shows Route 66 from different era
A new Route 66 documentary, "Old-Fashioned Fun on Route 66," contains familiar sights and sounds of the current Mother Road. But what's remarkable about it is it also contains rare film footage from the road's golden era. In the 1940s and '50s, Patricia and Judy Larry's family had an 8mm motion-picture camera and used it. … Continue reading DVD shows Route 66 from different era
Write to help the Southwest Museum
The Southwest Museum of the American Indian is just off Route 66 and is the oldest museum in Los Angeles, dating to 1913. Some controlling interests want to move the museum's contents to another site; American Indians and other museum advocates want the artifacts to stay where they are. For more background on this complicated … Continue reading Write to help the Southwest Museum