Emily, who is in charge of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association's preservation committee, supervised the preservation project during the past weekend's National Route 66 Festival in Clinton, Okla. The mission: To pretty up the long-closed Ray's Motel in Clinton over a three-day period. More than two dozen volunteers showed up. Emily has more details and … Continue reading Preservation in action
Category: Motels
Motel gets a lift from tourism
This story by the Edwardsville (Ill.) Journal is a case study about how the surge of Route 66 tourism, beginning in the 1990s, has probably helped keep alive many old motels. The motel in question is the Apple Valley Motel in nearby Mitchell, Ill., which dates to the 1940s or '50s and has just 17 … Continue reading Motel gets a lift from tourism
Barstow may restore old Route 66 signs
The City of Barstow, Calif., may restore nine old neon signs along Route 66, reports the Desert Dispatch of nearby Victorville, in an effort to boost tourism. The total cost of the project will be an estimated $180,000, with half expected from a grant by the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. The article doesn't provide … Continue reading Barstow may restore old Route 66 signs
Rain stops, preservation project begins
It was looking grim Friday morning before the scheduled start of the preservation project for the closed Ray's Motel in Clinton, Okla., as part of activities with the National Route 66 Festival. Heavy rain had fallen, and according to radar, a storm system appeared parked over Clinton. However, shortly before the project's 11 a.m. start, … Continue reading Rain stops, preservation project begins
The perils of fast money and Route 66
Vince Scott bought the Boots Motel in Carthage, Mo., a few years ago with the sole purpose of quickly selling it again to Walgreens for a quick buck. However, Route 66 preservationists protested the impending deal, and Walgreens moved to greener pastures. Scott still has the motel, and admits the 1930s landmark could be a … Continue reading The perils of fast money and Route 66
Sunrise Motel torn down
We've known about this for a couple of weeks, but today we nailed down the details why: The Sunrise Motel at 805 N. Service Road in Sullivan, Mo., has been razed to make way for an improved overpass over Interstate 44. I'm not aware whether the Sunrise was ever on old Route 66 itself, but … Continue reading Sunrise Motel torn down
Show some pride
Daily Oklahoman writer Steve Lackmeyer traveled Route 66 in Oklahoma, and he thinks, if anything, that the Mother Road isn't getting enough attention in the state. Go read it. Lackmeyer also has a blog about his Route 66 trip. Here also is a slide show of Route 66 in Miami, Okla., and Afton, Okla. The … Continue reading Show some pride
Project manager moves onto El Garces site
Now, this is what we call hands-on restoration. According to this story in the Mohave Daily News, artist and sculptor Dan Lutzick has been hired as project manager for the restoration of El Garces, a former Harvey House, in Needles, Calif. And he's not just dropping by the site every week or so: In April, … Continue reading Project manager moves onto El Garces site
Aztec Hotel will undergo renovations
The historic Aztec Hotel in Monrovia, Calif., is set to have a bunch of renovations in the coming weeks, including the renaming of its Elephant Bar, reported the Pasadena Star-News. The building has an extensive Mayan theme, and the work done will better reflect that. The hotel is receiving a $50,000 grant from the California … Continue reading Aztec Hotel will undergo renovations
“Cars” the movie — one year later
On June 9, 2006, Disney/Pixar released the animated movie, "Cars." It became the second-biggest box-office hit of that year, grossing more than $400 million worldwide. Its four-wheeled characters in the lonely desert town of Radiator Springs earned many millions of dollars for Mattel and other toy companies. It earned two Golden Globes and was nominated … Continue reading “Cars” the movie — one year later