The Munger Moss Motel, a Route 66 landmark in Lebanon, Mo. since 1946, has been put up for sale by longtime owners Bob and Ramona Lehman. The Lehmans, who are retiring, will continue to run the motel at 1336 East Route 66& until it is sold. "We're not leaving until someone gets it lock, stock, … Continue reading Munger Moss Motel put up for sale
Category: People
How “Cars” changed the life of the Midpoint Cafe’s owner
The 2006 Disney-Pixar film "Cars" profoundly changed the life of the Midpoint Cafe's former owner, the Orange County Register said in a report about the Cars Land theme park opening this week. The first few paragraphs: Fran Houser will never forget the day when the Cadillacs with the steer horns attached to their hoods pulled up … Continue reading How “Cars” changed the life of the Midpoint Cafe’s owner
A visit with Bill Shea and his gas-station museum
A few films about Bill Shea's Gas Station Museum in Springfield, Ill., have made it to the Internet over the years. But this one by Josh Hester is the best I've seen: Shea's Route 66 Gas Station Museum from Josh Hester on Vimeo. The thing that makes this film different is it concentrates more on … Continue reading A visit with Bill Shea and his gas-station museum
A quilt four years in the making
Joyree of Oklahoma started work on a Route 66 quilt in June 2008. Yesterday, she finished it. The quilt is huge, and it's fairly elaborate. She explains: https://youtu.be/rhHP_3oxK7M Joyree is enthusiastic about getting it done; her effervescence makes this long-ish video a lot more entertaining that you'd expect. Verlinda Magby at Oklahoma Quiltworks designed it. … Continue reading A quilt four years in the making
Henry’s Rabbit Ranch among Illinois Hall of Fame inductees
https://youtu.be/lh_uI2hDmZA Henry's Rabbit Ranch in Staunton, Ill., is among the inductees into the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame for 2012, according to a story today in the Bloomington Pantagraph. The other honorees are Elmo and Eula Quinn of Quinn's Shell station in Bloomington, gas station owner Samuel Reichert Sr. of Plainfield, and Roger Gray of Gray’s … Continue reading Henry’s Rabbit Ranch among Illinois Hall of Fame inductees
Route 66 stories from Betty Estes
Here's the latest in a series of videos created for Illinois Route 66. This one's an interview with Betty Estes, who was instrumental in landing the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum in Pontiac and has been honored for her hospitality to Route 66 tourists. https://youtu.be/AqpgZTqjumY
Impressive authors and artists list at Tucumcari festival
A few days ago, Kevin and Nancy Mueller at the Blue Swallow Motel asked me to check out the list of authors and artists slated to appear at the inaugural Wheels on 66 festival on June 7-9 in Tucumcari, N.M. I have to admit, for a first-year event, the list is pretty darned impressive: Christopher Robleski, … Continue reading Impressive authors and artists list at Tucumcari festival
Founder of Mazzio’s pizza chain dies
Ken Selby, who started what turned into the Mazzio's pizza chain in 1961 on Route 66 in Tulsa, died of lung cancer Saturday at age 73, according to several Tulsa media sources, including the Tulsa World. Selby opened his first pizza restaurant at 11th Street (aka Route 66) near Harvard Avenue in Tulsa. It soon … Continue reading Founder of Mazzio’s pizza chain dies
A history of Ann’s Chicken Fry House
Here's a video interview of Al Burchett, longtime owner of Ann's Chicken Fry House in Oklahoma City. https://youtu.be/hGe3o0msb_w Al talks a lot about the restaurant's 40-year history, including its Route 66 connection. As he explains, he's one of the first in the region to use the Mother Road as a selling point.
War veterans suddenly in spotlight on Route 66
Here's something eerie -- two different stories about war veterans on Route 66 were posted on the Internet today within an hour of each other. The Pontiac Daily Leader in Pontiac, Ill., reported on Tom Skinner cycling on much of Route 66 to raise awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder -- an ailment which dogged him for … Continue reading War veterans suddenly in spotlight on Route 66