If the landmark Joe & Aggie's Cafe in Holbrook, Arizona, ever reopens, it probably won't be as a restaurant. That means folks who dined there in the fall of 2020 might have enjoyed among the last meals served in Holbrook's oldest restaurant before it quietly closed. According to Joe & Aggie's long-dormant Facebook page, the … Continue reading Joe & Aggie’s Cafe faces uncertain future after closing, death of its longtime owner
Category: History
David Clark, a foremost expert on Route 66 in the Chicago area, dies
David Clark, for decades the premier expert on Route 66 in Chicagoland known as the Windy City Road Warrior, died Tuesday, according to his stepson. Clark was scheduled Thursday night to lead a Zoom videoconference, "Myths on 66: Misinformation on the Mother Road." On Friday afternoon, Charles Aldarondo stated in a Facebook post that Clark, … Continue reading David Clark, a foremost expert on Route 66 in the Chicago area, dies
Commercial Club building in downtown Los Angeles designated to National Register
The nearly century-old Commercial Club tower, now the site of a boutique hotel, in downtown Los Angeles was named to the National Register of Historic Places. The National Park Service, which oversees the register, made the announcement through its weekly email Monday. The building at 1100 S. Broadway sits just a few blocks from the … Continue reading Commercial Club building in downtown Los Angeles designated to National Register
Curator of San Miguel Chapel in Santa Fe wants it designated a World Heritage Site
The curator of the San Miguel Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico, wants the centuries-old church declared a World Heritage Site, and she making efforts to raise its profile. The Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper this week published a profile on the chapel, which is the oldest church in the United States, and its curator, … Continue reading Curator of San Miguel Chapel in Santa Fe wants it designated a World Heritage Site
Illinois State Museum seeking Route 66 items to bolster its collection
The Illinois State Museum in Springfield put out a call this week for historic items relating to Route 66 in the Land of Lincoln so it can be ready for the highway's centennial in 2026. It already has landed a bunch of memorabilia from late Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire. The museum launched the collecting … Continue reading Illinois State Museum seeking Route 66 items to bolster its collection
Doc’s Soda Fountain in Girard lands new owners
The 130-year-old Doc's Soda Fountain site in downtown Girard, Illinois, has landed new owners, and one of them has ties to the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway. Steve and Casey Claypool of nearby Chatham, Illinois, closed on the purchase Friday. They plan to reopen it sometime in April after some interior renovations. Casey also is … Continue reading Doc’s Soda Fountain in Girard lands new owners
Renovations begin at Hotel Brunswick in Kingman
A major renovation project began a few days ago at the century-old Hotel Brunswick along Route 66 in downtown Kingman, Arizona, according to several social media posts. The Bee, a media outlet in the region, posted a photo on Facebook of the renovations being done on the back of the property and stated: The project … Continue reading Renovations begin at Hotel Brunswick in Kingman
More about the historic Whirl-A-Whip restaurant in Girard
The Virden (Illinois) Chamber of Commerce this month posted on Facebook a Spotlight Business of the Month with the Whirl-A-Whip restaurant in nearby Girard, Illinois. Snippets of information about the eatery, which is off the 1926-1932 alignment of Route 66 before the highway was moved to the east: The restaurant current is owned by Brent … Continue reading More about the historic Whirl-A-Whip restaurant in Girard
Real-life gang fight in San Bernardino inspired “West Side Story”
The play and film "West Side Story" is well known as the story of a fictional turf war between white and Puerto Rican street gangs in Manhattan. However, "West Side Story" was inspired by a real-life gang fight in 1955 in San Bernardino, California, about a half-mile north of Route 66. The historic Mitla Cafe … Continue reading Real-life gang fight in San Bernardino inspired “West Side Story”
The man behind the Charley’s Automobile Service building in Grants
Blue Miller of the well-researched Never Quite Lost blog recently wrote about Charley Diaz, longtime operator of the Charley's Automotive Service, aka Charley's Radiator Shop, in Grants, New Mexico. The long-closed complex of five buildings included a restaurant, Star Cafe, at 1308-1310 W. Santa Fe Ave. (aka Route 66). It was designated to the National … Continue reading The man behind the Charley’s Automobile Service building in Grants