If you have about 45 minutes to kill, I encourage you to watch this new video about the known history of the massive Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site near Collinsville, Illinois. https://youtu.be/iciOvaIm51M The Ancient Americas channel on YouTube produced the video, which was uploaded just a few weeks ago. It's as good of an encapsulation … Continue reading New video gives a good overview of Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site near Collinsville
Category: History
El Rancho Hotel in Gallup undergoing $6 million in renovations
El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, New Mexico, is getting a $6 million makeover where the establishment's owner is carefully considering how well the face-lift work matches the hotel's historic character. Details of the work being done on the historic Route 66 hotel are in the current print issue of New Mexico Magazine. (The story should … Continue reading El Rancho Hotel in Gallup undergoing $6 million in renovations
Fire reported at abandoned Morning Star Motel, aka Ranchotel, in Amarillo
Firefighters put out a blaze at the abandoned Morning Star Motel in Amarillo, Texas, that was believed to have been started by homeless people. The motel also is known as the Ranchotel or Ranch-O-Tel. According to several local media outlets, including the Amarillo Globe-News, fire from one of the rooms of the motel at 2501 … Continue reading Fire reported at abandoned Morning Star Motel, aka Ranchotel, in Amarillo
1939 newspaper article shows one big reason Tucumcari became a neon-sign haven
Tucumcari, New Mexico, never was a huge town. Its population never surpassed 9,000, according to the U.S. Census records. Regardless, Tucumcari during its heyday was home to dozens of neon signs, especially along its Route 66 corridor. Even now, about 25 neon signs still exist along the historic highway, in various states of repair. Several … Continue reading 1939 newspaper article shows one big reason Tucumcari became a neon-sign haven
Key organization launches Route 66 Black Experiences Grant Program
The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership, along with the U.S. Route 66 Centennial Commission, a few days ago announced they are launching a Route 66 Black Experiences Grant Program as part of the highway's centennial celebrations culminating in 2026. According to a news release from the partnership: The Road Ahead was awarded a $250,000 grant … Continue reading Key organization launches Route 66 Black Experiences Grant Program
Jim Ross’ Deep Tracks Route 66 project is going entirely online on his new website
Route 66 historian Jim Ross put his sprawling, long-gestating Deep Tracks project that details all known Route 66 alignments onto his newly launched JimRoss66.com website. JimRoss66.com also serves as an overview of a career that includes the database from the Route 66 bridges project that was turned into the "Route 66 Crossings" book, Ozark Trail … Continue reading Jim Ross’ Deep Tracks Route 66 project is going entirely online on his new website
Desecration of petroglyphs probably means La Bajada access won’t be reopened anytime soon
Don't anticipate the primitive La Bajada Hill alignment of Route 66 southwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico, to be reopened to off-roaders or hikers anytime soon. A pueblo group recently accused the U.S. Bureau of Land Management of not doing enough to protect sacred sites in the Caja del Rio Plateau area (aka La Bajada) … Continue reading Desecration of petroglyphs probably means La Bajada access won’t be reopened anytime soon
Federal legislation would designate Chisholm Trail a national historic trail
The 19th-century Chisholm Trail, which crosses Route 66 in western Oklahoma, is being considered by Congress for national historic trail designation, according to the state's lieutenant governor. Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who leads the state's tourism department, stated in a Facebook post a few days ago: No state can match Oklahoma’s heritage and history, … Continue reading Federal legislation would designate Chisholm Trail a national historic trail
Route 66 matchbook cover database is looking for more submissions
A group of Route 66 enthusiasts has amassed an online image collection of about 650 matchbox covers from businesses in Texas that existed along the Mother Road, and they now looking for submissions from the other seven states. Phil Gordon stated in an email that contributors who scanned and uploaded images of the matchcovers have … Continue reading Route 66 matchbook cover database is looking for more submissions
Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway awards $4,000 in grants for varying projects
The Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway this week announced it awarded a total of $4,000 in grants to four byway members, including one that has created the Largest Tire on Route 66. It is the second round of grant awards from the byway. According to a news release: Byway Project Funds are to support events, … Continue reading Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway awards $4,000 in grants for varying projects