The Santa Monica (Calif.) Daily Press reports that construction has started on a new home for the Santa Monica History Museum at Seventh Street and Santa Monica Boulevard, aka Route 66. Hands-on interactive displays will include a Douglas DC-3 aircraft, Whirlwind Dipper roller coaster (where with the touch of a button visitors can be transported … Continue reading Santa Monica building a new history museum
Category: Museums
Wildwood group secures site for history museum
Newsmagazine Network, which serves the west suburbs of St. Louis, reports that the Wildwood (Mo.) Historical Society has bought a five-acre tract known as "The Hencken Place" and seeks to establish a historical museum and theater there. The land is located directly off Hwy. 100, just 1/8 mile west of Stovall’s Grove Saloon. Nearly 7,000 … Continue reading Wildwood group secures site for history museum
First class inducted into Oklahoma Law Enforcement Hall of Fame
The Oklahoma Law Enforcement Hall of Fame eventually will open on Route 66 of Chandler, Okla. Recently, the first seven members of the Hall of Fame were announced, and they will be inducted at the Route 66 Interpretive Center in town on Dec. 6. The seven inductees will be: Bill Tilghman, Heck Thomas and Chris … Continue reading First class inducted into Oklahoma Law Enforcement Hall of Fame
Notes from the road
I'm playing a bit of catch-up, ever since I left town this past weekend to see Bob Waldmire's Last Art Show. Here are a few things of interest to roadies ... -- The Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa this year was a doozy, with more than 7,000 runners participating, along with 60 classic cars and … Continue reading Notes from the road
A look at California’s Route 66 museums
Claudia Heller, writing for the Pasadena Star-News, takes a gander at California's two Route 66 museums in Barstow and Victorville. This is Part 2 of Heller's ongoing series about Route 66. Part 1 is here. Both Route 66 museums are worthwhile. But, honestly, the best way to see the Mother Road's artifacts and history is … Continue reading A look at California’s Route 66 museums
Kansas visitors center lauded
The Baxter Springs Route 66 Visitors Center in Baxter Springs, Kan., was recognized Friday by the National Park Service as "a place that matters," according to a report by the Joplin (Mo.) Globe. Kaisa Barthuli of the NPS' Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program noted that volunteers used 1,200 hours to restore the 1930 gas station … Continue reading Kansas visitors center lauded
Powerhouse earns federal grant
The Powerhouse Visitors Center on Route 66 in Kingman, Ariz., earned a $220,241 federal grant to renovate and reorganize the facility, reports the Kingman Daily Miner. Another $55,000 will come from the local Economic Tourism and Development Commission and the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona for the project. These changes include moving the visitors' … Continue reading Powerhouse earns federal grant
More on the Alliance and museum
This new article in Urban Tulsa neatly encapsulates what's been going on recently with the Route 66 Alliance and a related, still-in-progress project, the Route 66 Experience in Tulsa. Perhaps the most noteworthy item in the article is that the Experience building -- a combination of a museum, restaurant and headquarters for the Alliance -- … Continue reading More on the Alliance and museum
Steve McQueen’s Oklahoma connection
I always wondered how Route 66 Vintage Iron in Miami, Okla., managed to acquire one of movie star Steve McQueen's motorcycles. McQueen's bio has him in Missouri, Indiana and California, but not the Sooner State. NWAOnline answers the question: McQueen, who starred in films like "The Magnificent Seven," "Hell is for Heroes" and "Bullitt," had … Continue reading Steve McQueen’s Oklahoma connection
National Park Service launches Route 66 site
The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program is already under the auspices of the National Park Service. But the NPS recently launched a Route 66 "Discover Our Shared Heritage" travel itinerary site that should prove useful to novice travelers and be informative to researchers. Funded in part by American Express and the World Monuments Fund, the … Continue reading National Park Service launches Route 66 site