From eyesore to eyeful

The Tulsa World today provided a sneak preview of what the renovation of the Campbell Hotel in Tulsa looks like. It also told how close the historic property came to the wrecking ball just a few years ago: No way it could be restored. That's what the gentleman told local architect Tom Neal in the … Continue reading From eyesore to eyeful

“Get your hit on Route 66”

I wish I could take credit for that headline. Instead, the commendation goes to the Arizona Daily Sun in Flagstaff, which reports that the owner of the Arrowhead Lodge wishes to convert his former Route 66 motel into a medical marijuana dispensary. Owner Tom Schwerin says he saw friends with chronic back problems benefit from the … Continue reading “Get your hit on Route 66”

Vincent Video posts Tucumcari clips

Vincent Video has posted two videos from its visit to Tucumcari, N.M. This is from a trip on Route 66 that Vincent and Holly Cricchio took last summer. From the videos, you may discover a few things about Tucumcari that you didn't know: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-mtt6wZ63E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ8gRZmEBgk The videos are part of "America Travels Historic Route 66," … Continue reading Vincent Video posts Tucumcari clips

A development plan we’d like to see

A bunch of Drury University architecture students unveiled a preliminary development plan for the city of Carthage, Mo., that emphasizes its past, including historic Route 66, reported the Joplin Globe. Recommendations for the downtown area included eliminating parking around the square and replacing it with a multilevel parking structure to the south that would be … Continue reading A development plan we’d like to see

Boots Motel back up for sale

The historic Boots Motel in Carthage, Mo., which nearly saw the wrecking ball after a developer bought it, is for sale for $225,000, according to a new listing by a Joplin-based real-estate company. Pro 100 Realtors is listing the property here. Jim Hunter of Pro 100 said in an e-mail: "I hope it can go … Continue reading Boots Motel back up for sale

Historic Manor Hotel being renovated

The historic Manor Hotel in Channahon, Ill., located on a later alignment of Route 66, is undergoing extensive renovations in the coming months, according to the Channahon-Minooka Patch. According to the article, the stoutly constructed hotel was built in 1954 by masonry contractor Walt Anderson, who ran it until the late 1970s. Prakash Silveri is now the … Continue reading Historic Manor Hotel being renovated

La Posada chef receives prestigious nomination

John Sharpe, chef of the Turquoise Room restaurant in the historic La Posada hotel in Winslow, Ariz., received a nomination as one of the country's best chefs by the James Beard Foundation, according to the Arizona Republic. Sharpe is one of the 20 semifinalists -- including those in Aspen, Santa Fe, and Las Vegas -- … Continue reading La Posada chef receives prestigious nomination

A geocache of bad publicity

The Nevada Department of Transportation, citing highway safety concerns, removed an estimated 1,000 geocache locations along the Extraterrestrial Highway about two weeks ago, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist Adrienne Packer. The agency's action has irked geocache fans and the small Nevada towns, hotels and restaurants who depended on their business during the tourism off-season. The … Continue reading A geocache of bad publicity

A new classic

It's apparent the folks that own the Campbell Hotel, aka former Casa Loma Motel in Tulsa, are getting close to opening when they put up this retro-looking neon sign on the side of that historic building. I shot these photos in the early evening today. The hotel, which was closed for many years, is at … Continue reading A new classic