A group of volunteers on Friday repaired the blade at The Mill Museum in Lincoln, Illinois, that broke off during high winds a few months ago. High winds in December snapped off one of the faux blades of the windmill structure of the former Route 66 restaurant. According to the National Weather Service, gusts of … Continue reading Volunteers replace broken blade at The Mill in Lincoln
Category: Museums
Vacuum Cleaner Museum in St. James to close for good Friday
Citing a "decline in physical attendance," the Vacuum Cleaner Museum in St. James, Missouri, announced Tuesday it will close its doors permanently Friday. The Facebook page for the museum put out this message Tuesday: The post does not elaborate on what will happen to the extensive vacuum collection. The museum at 3 Industrial Drive in … Continue reading Vacuum Cleaner Museum in St. James to close for good Friday
Manager chosen for future Albuquerque Route 66 Visitors Center
Bernalillo County recently chose a manager to run its eventual $5.5 million Route 66 Visitors Center on Albuquerque's west side. According to an article by the Associated Press, the county chose West Central Community Development Group to operate and manage the center on Nine Mile Hill. A perusal of the county's agenda packet reveals these … Continue reading Manager chosen for future Albuquerque Route 66 Visitors Center
Southwest Museum in Los Angeles put up for sale
The historic Southwest Museum in Los Angeles officially was put up for sale by the Autry Museum of the American West 16 years after its merger. According to LAist, the Autry spent about $20 million on renovations and upkeep since acquiring the property in 2003. "The future has arrived," Autry president and CEO W. Richard … Continue reading Southwest Museum in Los Angeles put up for sale
Springfield History Museum’s new exhibits will be ‘spectacular’
A longtime columnist at the daily newspaper in Springfield, Missouri, proclaimed the History Museum on the Square's upcoming new exhibits -- including Route 66 -- this summer will be "spectacular." Steve Pokin, the Answer Man at the Springfield News-Leader, received a sneak peek of the exhibits under construction at the downtown museum from its executive … Continue reading Springfield History Museum’s new exhibits will be ‘spectacular’
Route 66 Experience Hub unveiled in downtown Bloomington
Local officials on Monday unveiled a 9-foot-tall Route 66 Experience Hub at Main and Jefferson streets in downtown Bloomington, Illinois, in an effort to boost tourism there. The interactive kiosk is designed to help point out to visitors Route 66 attractions in the city and region, reported the Bloomington Pantagraph: The hub — the 14th experience … Continue reading Route 66 Experience Hub unveiled in downtown Bloomington
Public floats ideas for Red Cedar Inn building
The city of Pacific, Missouri, has hired an architect to renovate the former Red Cedar Inn restaurant along old Route 66. What exactly the architect will do with it remains an open question. Patterhn Ives will be paid $33,690, plus reimbursable expenses up to $4,500, to draft a renovation design and provide a cost estimate. … Continue reading Public floats ideas for Red Cedar Inn building
Decades of Wheels complex in Baxter Springs should be fully open by May
The half-block-long Decades of Wheels complex in downtown Baxter Springs, Kansas, should be fully operational by May, according to an event coordinator there. Decades of Wheels held a grand opening celebration in October that included concerts from high-profile music arts, including the final concert of Steppenwolf founder John Kay before his announced retirement. However, many … Continue reading Decades of Wheels complex in Baxter Springs should be fully open by May
Tulsa Route 66 group advocates repairing, reopening 11th Street Bridge
While a lot of talk percolated about it in recent years, the Tulsa Route 66 Commission recently made it official -- it wants to reopen the historic but long-closed 11th Street Bridge, at least to pedestrian traffic. Several reasons exist for the group to become bigger bridge advocates. Next year, the city is scheduled to … Continue reading Tulsa Route 66 group advocates repairing, reopening 11th Street Bridge
Group pulls plug on Illinois basketball museum in Pontiac
The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association announced it is ending its pursuit of a Basketball Museum of Illinois in Pontiac because it fell short on fundraising. The museum was supposed to be in a vacant Kmart building in Vermillion Square in Pontiac, next to old Route 66 on the city's southwest edge. The museum also was planned … Continue reading Group pulls plug on Illinois basketball museum in Pontiac