Martha Jackson, a key figure in the construction of the Litchfield Museum and Route 66 Visitors Center in Litchfield, Illinois, died last week after an extended illness. She was 87. Jackson had been in a nursing home in nearby Gillespie, Illinois. Her visitation and funeral will be next week. Here's the key excerpt from the … Continue reading Matriarch of Litchfield Museum and Route 66 Visitors Center dies
Category: Museums
Markley Shovel, a predecessor to Big Brutus, is dedicated
A century-old coal-mining shovel that served as a much-smaller predecessor of the Big Brutus shovel was dedicated Saturday at the Big Brutus Visitors Center in West Mineral, Kansas. According to an Associated Press article, Perry Markley designed and built by hand the smaller shovel in the early 1900s using junkyard parts. The machine was one … Continue reading Markley Shovel, a predecessor to Big Brutus, is dedicated
Afton Station will be auctioned June 29
Afton Station, a closed landmark along Route 66 in Afton, Oklahoma, and its remaining contents will be auctioned June 29 after its co-owners died within a period of less than two years. The Oklahoma Route 66 Association on Thursday announced the auction on Facebook. The auction will begin that day at 10 a.m. at the station … Continue reading Afton Station will be auctioned June 29
Radio station gets preview of History Museum on the Square renovations
A local radio station recently received a sneak preview of renovations at the History Museum on the Square in downtown Springfield, Missouri, that will give visitors a more interactive and immersive experience later this summer, including of Route 66. KSMU radio reported on the elaborate $12 million project that was paid for with grants, donations … Continue reading Radio station gets preview of History Museum on the Square renovations
Decades of Wheels Museum in Baxter Springs holds grand opening
The museum of the Decades of Wheels complex in downtown Baxter Springs, Kansas, held its grand opening Saturday that included a parade and tours of the complex's Little Brick Inn bed-and-breakfast. According to a story in the Pittsburg Morning Sun, that morning was scheduled to include a car parade and a ribbon-cutting by city officials … Continue reading Decades of Wheels Museum in Baxter Springs holds grand opening
The Mill to mark 90th anniversary during new festival
The Mill in Lincoln, Illinois, will mark its 90th anniversary with a variety of activities June 7-9 during the first annual Route 66 Weekend in that city. The Mill, which opened as a restaurant along Route 66 in 1929, is beginning its third year as a museum highlighting the Mother Road and local history. The … Continue reading The Mill to mark 90th anniversary during new festival
Classical Gas Museum owner makes new pitch for Route 66 museum in Santa Rosa
Johnnie Meier, owner of the Classical Gas Museum and a longtime Route 66 advocate, presented a new set of ideas for establishing a Route 66 museum in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. According to the May 16 print edition of The Communicator newspaper in Santa Rosa, the city recently took control of the refurbished and century-old … Continue reading Classical Gas Museum owner makes new pitch for Route 66 museum in Santa Rosa
Midwest Classics on 66 Car Museum abruptly closes
The Midwest Classics on 66 Car Museum in Wilmington, Illinois, abruptly closed last week less than a year after it opened. Marian Pavel, one of the developers of the Route 66 Navigation app, posted this on Facebook: On the museum's website, this message was posted: "Sorry for the inconvenience, we are closed until further notice." … Continue reading Midwest Classics on 66 Car Museum abruptly closes
Site announced for Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66
Organizers for the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66 announced they have acquired a building in downtown Joliet, with the hopes of opening it by next year. According to the Joliet Patch, the museum's organizers bought a three-story building at 9 W. Cass St. (seen above) that dates to the 1920s. The structure … Continue reading Site announced for Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66
Route 66 Museum and Visitor Center in Los Lunas comes more into focus
The purpose and scope of a long-proposed Route 66 Museum and Visitor Center in Los Lunas, New Mexico, became clearer after hearing opinions from residents during a recent meeting. The museum will be west of the historic Luna Mansion on Main Street on a 1926 to 1937 alignment of Route 66 that went south from … Continue reading Route 66 Museum and Visitor Center in Los Lunas comes more into focus