A new website is offering self-guided tours of historic landmarks in Tulsa, including Route 66. Root Tulsa Historic Tours offers tours of the Greenwood District and Route 66 through the website directly or by scanning a QR code with a smartphone, according to a report from KTUL in Tulsa. It's a partnership between Root Tulsa … Continue reading New website offers self-guided tours of Route 66 in Tulsa
Category: History
Old State Capitol in Springfield reopens to tours
The Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois, where a young politician named Abraham Lincoln served in the state Legislature and delivered his "House Divided" speech, reopened to tours last week after months of interior renovations. The Associated Press reports exterior work on the Capitol's dome is continuing, but indoor work on plaster and painting was … Continue reading Old State Capitol in Springfield reopens to tours
Ed Debevic’s diner reopens at a new location in Chicago
Ed Debevic's restaurant, famous for its 1950s decor and theatrically surly waitstaff, has reopened in the Streeterville area of Chicago after its previous River North location was closed and demolished about six years ago. The old Ed Debevic's was north of Route 66 but provided such a unique experience that many Route 66 travelers included … Continue reading Ed Debevic’s diner reopens at a new location in Chicago
London Bridge marks 50 years in Lake Havasu City
The relocated and reconstructed London Bridge today is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the opening of that historic span in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. According to a recent newsletter of the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, the bridge reopened on Oct. 10, 1971, on the Colorado River. Lake Havasu City is about 30 miles … Continue reading London Bridge marks 50 years in Lake Havasu City
Asleep At the Wheel releases new version of “Route 66” for 50th-anniversary album
Western swing band Asleep At the Wheel last week released an album that marks its 50th anniversary, "Half of a Hundred Years," that includes a new version of "Route 66." The new cut of "Route 66" includes guest vocalists Leroy Preston and Johnny Nicholas to accompany the band's longtime lead singer, Ray Benson. Preston was … Continue reading Asleep At the Wheel releases new version of “Route 66” for 50th-anniversary album
Red Fork Train Depot in Tulsa will hold its grand opening Oct. 24
The Red Fork Train Depot, a replica of the original depot in the Route 66 Historical Village complex in southwest Tulsa, will hold its grand opening celebration on Oct. 24. According to Tulsa People magazine, the sold-out grand opening will feature guest speakers that include Mayor G.T. Bynum. The depot will be open to the … Continue reading Red Fork Train Depot in Tulsa will hold its grand opening Oct. 24
Gillioz Theatre in Springfield marks its 95th year
The Gillioz Theatre in downtown Springfield, Missouri, is marking its 95th anniversary its month, surviving all sorts of upheaval and trends, including COVID-19. According to the KY3 station in Springfield, coming through the pandemic was no small feat: Throughout the years, the theatre has survived the depression, World War II, and most recently the pandemic. … Continue reading Gillioz Theatre in Springfield marks its 95th year
Historic log home to be moved to Sappington House museum in Crestwood
A log home more than 200 years old in Affton, Missouri, soon will be disassembled, moved and reassembled at the Historic Thomas Sappington House Museum in nearby Crestwood, Missouri. The two-story Joseph Sappington house in Affton, Missouri. Moving the log house, once owned by Joseph Sappington, to the museum grounds at 1015 Sapplingtor Road was … Continue reading Historic log home to be moved to Sappington House museum in Crestwood
New U.S. 81 Rock Island Bridge that pays tribute to Route 66 opens in El Reno
State and local officials on Friday held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the opening of a new U.S. 81 Rock Island Bridge in El Reno, Oklahoma, that pays tribute to the original span's Route 66 history. According to the El Reno Tribune, the ceremony for the new $10 million bridge included a performance by the … Continue reading New U.S. 81 Rock Island Bridge that pays tribute to Route 66 opens in El Reno
Edward Keating, Pulitzer-winning and photographer of Route 66, dies
Edward Keating, a winner of the Pulitzer Prize in photography who spent years documenting Route 66, died Sunday. He was 65. His wife, Carrie, broke the news about Keating's passing Monday on Facebook. She did not disclose his cause of death. His brother-in-law said Keating's wife and two daughters were by his side when he … Continue reading Edward Keating, Pulitzer-winning and photographer of Route 66, dies