Gary Warner of the Orange County (Calif.) Register takes a closer look at the three remaining Wigwam Motels in the United States, two of which are on Route 66. The third is in Cave City, Ky. All of the motels are praiseworthy. But the one that receives the most accolades is the Wigwam in San … Continue reading Saviors of the Wigwam Motel
Category: Motels
Gallop to Gallup
Because The Huffington Post is primarily serves as a political site, I ordinarily don't surf there. But this decidedly nonpartisan post by travel writer Karen Tina Harrison serves as good overview of the Route 66 town of Gallup, N.M. It contains plenty of photos, and shout-outs to El Rancho Hotel and Richardson's trading post. Harrison … Continue reading Gallop to Gallup
Lincoln Motel sign gets face-lift next weekend
Volunteers with the Oklahoma Route 66 Association will put a new coat of paint on the historic Lincoln Motel's neon sign in Chandler, Okla., on Sept. 11-12, and you're invited to join the effort. Repainting will begin from about 8 a.m. and end at dark each day, weather permitting, at the motel at 740 E. … Continue reading Lincoln Motel sign gets face-lift next weekend
Route 66 cost-share grants announced
The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program on Friday announced in its quarterly newsletter its annual cost-share grants for historic Route 66 businesses and landmarks. Most of the information comes from the newsletter or news release, except where I added links and other information. The recipients are: Historic Seligman Sundries, Seligman, Ariz. -- With its distinct false front, … Continue reading Route 66 cost-share grants announced
Blue Swallow Motel put up for sale
Bill Kinder, co-owner and operator of the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, N.M., for the past four years, has decided to place the historic Route 66 landmark for sale because of a recurrence of cancer. Kinder and his wife Terri purchased the Blue Swallow in 2006. He was diagnosed with cancer shortly after, about the same time … Continue reading Blue Swallow Motel put up for sale
Springfield applies for grant for Bel-Aire Motel rehab
The City of Springfield, Ill., is applying for a grant to repair the long-declining Bel-Aire Motel and eventually convert it into a Route 66 museum, reported the Springfield State Journal-Register. The grant sought for the Bel-Aire is $1 million from the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program. The city plans to cover the other $600,000 for the … Continue reading Springfield applies for grant for Bel-Aire Motel rehab
Notes from the road
The documentary "Route 66: Ten Years Later" will have its debut at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 9 at the Portage Theater in Chicago. Writer Tim Steil and photographer Jim Luning collaborated on their "Route 66" book during a Mother Road trip in 1999. A decade later, they decided to revisit the places they saw and see … Continue reading Notes from the road
El Vado finally safeguarded by city of Albuquerque
The city of Albuquerque finally has gained ownership of the historic El Vado Motel along Route 66, and city officials are exploring ideas on what to do with it now, reports the Albuquerque Journal. Among the ideas are converting the property to a Route 66 neon museum, an artists' colony space, or even as a … Continue reading El Vado finally safeguarded by city of Albuquerque
Railroad quiet zone idea gathers steam in Kingman
Earlier this year, the city of Kingman, Ariz., looked into the possibility of a railroad quiet zone to keep trains from sounding their horns when passing through town. The City Council demurred and asked to see whether a similar quiet-zone program in Flagstaff is working. According to a report in the Kingman Daily Miner, the … Continue reading Railroad quiet zone idea gathers steam in Kingman
The evolution of roadside lodging
Delbert Trew, a Route 66 advocate and rancher in the Texas Panhandle, wrote an article today in the Amarillo Globe-News about how we've progressed as a nation in the overnight lodging industry. An excerpt: Stalls in sheds were first partitioned off with wagon canvas allowing just enough space to undress and lie on a single … Continue reading The evolution of roadside lodging