This time of year, a number of Route 66 businesses reduce their hours or even close because revenues become too sluggish to justify staying open. It's also an opportunity for these owners to make repairs or get some R&R. One example is Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in St. Louis, which closes in January. It's common … Continue reading Closed for the winter
Category: Motels
Councilor thinks El Vado will be preserved
The Albuquerque Tribune published a story today about the city council's meeting Monday on whether to again designate El Vado Motel a city landmark, thus protecting it from destruction. One councilor is confident the council will follow the Landmarks and Urban Conservation Commission's unanimous recommendation and grant the designation. Councilor Isaac Benton said he expects … Continue reading Councilor thinks El Vado will be preserved
Join discussion about El Vado
I'm a member of the Duke City Fix blog collective based in Albuquerque, and I posted the latest news about El Vado Motel. Considering it's iffy on whether El Vado can return as a motel if it's saved, I asked for suggestions on other ways El Vado can be re-used, yet keep its historic look. … Continue reading Join discussion about El Vado
City Council will decide on El Vado on Jan. 7
A few weeks ago, Albuquerque's Landmarks and Urban Conservation Commission unanimously recommended that the historic El Vado Motel on Route 66 be designated a city landmark to protect it from demolition. Today, I learned the Albuquerque City Council will decide whether to officially designate El Vado as a city landmark during its Jan. 7 meeting. … Continue reading City Council will decide on El Vado on Jan. 7
The rise of the Patels
This article from Express Hospitality describes how Asian-Americans -- many of them with the Patel surname -- have become dominant players in the United States lodging industry in just a few decades. They overcame language barriers, culture differences, hurdles from banks and insurers, and old-fashioned bigotry. Now, Asian-Americans control more than 50 percent of America's … Continue reading The rise of the Patels
Book review: “The Big Book of Car Culture”
Disclosure: I'm not a big car nut. Sure, I learned during my years on the farm to change the oil, keep an eye on the gauges and how to use starter fluid into cold diesel engines. But if someone talked about a Gremlin, I'd relate to the little monsters in the Steven Spielberg film, not … Continue reading Book review: “The Big Book of Car Culture”
“Just fallen brick … and broken glass”
This is Son Volt singer Jay Farrar, performing an acoustic version of the country-rock band's song, "Way Down Watson." It is based on the demolition of the Coral Court Motel on Watson Road, aka Route 66, in St. Louis in 1995. It's a bit hard to hear the words, so here are the song's lyrics … Continue reading “Just fallen brick … and broken glass”
Putting back the neon
Dwayne of New Zealand posted a bunch of videos weeks ago from his summer Route 66 trip, but I missed this one. Here, he talks to Bill Kinder, co-owner of the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, N.M., as he's about to install new neon lighting in July. The previous neon was destroyed by a severe … Continue reading Putting back the neon
Art inspired by Route 66 motels
Artist Victoria Taylor-Gore shows pastels from her "Route 66 series" in a slide show on YouTube. These works are inspired by motels from the 1940s to 1960s. Music is by jazz legend John Coltrane.
Route 66 as a teaching tool
It's already been reported here, but Central Connecticut State University published an article about two sociology professors, John Mitrano and Bruce Day, who earned a $2,775 grant from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program to help schools and universities incorporate Route 66 as a teaching tool. A few tidbits from the article: “Each year we … Continue reading Route 66 as a teaching tool