Harold E. Armstrong, longtime co-owner of the historic Wagon Wheel Motel on old Route 66 in Cuba, Mo., died Saturday at age 81, according to Britton Funeral Home in Cuba. Armstrong and his wife of 20 years, Pauline, owned the motel that's best-known for its distinctive stone cabins, neon sign and its $17-a-night rooms. Pauline … Continue reading Owner of Wagon Wheel Motel dies
Category: People
Palm Springs Follies opens Route 66-themed season
The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies opened its "Get Your Kicks!" season on Tuesday. The entire season (through mid-May) uses the music and history of Route 66 as its inspiration. The Desert Sun in Palm Springs, Calif., interviewed Route 66 advocate and Follies technical adviser Jim Conkle about the production and the Mother Road. Some excerpts: … Continue reading Palm Springs Follies opens Route 66-themed season
It’s an election year …
... so the presidential candidates both were on Route 66 in the same town on the same day. Democratic candidate Barack Obama held a rally at the University of New Mexico on Saturday evening. Earlier that morning, Republican candidate John McCain held a rally at the New Mexico fairgrounds. Both are right on Central Avenue, … Continue reading It’s an election year …
Running Phil update
The Hillsboro (Ill.) Journal-News ran into Phil Rosenstein, the man who's running across the country for the Mario Lemieux Foundation, as he trodded into central Illinois last week. Rosenstein made it into Chicago, the eastern end of Route 66, on Wednesday. But the journey doesn't end there. He hopes to run into Atlantic City, N.J., … Continue reading Running Phil update
Preservation Conference tour heads into Kansas
The Joplin (Mo.) Globe ran into a group from the National Preservation Conference in Tulsa that was touring Oklahoma's eastern end of Route 66, plus the Mother Road in Kansas. Among the sights taken in were the Blue Whale of Catoosa, Okla.; Afton Station in Afton, Okla.; a stretch of the old 9-foot-wide highway, the … Continue reading Preservation Conference tour heads into Kansas
Preservationist wins Oprah leadership contest
Route 66 preservationist Anne Dodge, of Cambridge, Mass., was one of 80 women who won a contest to be named to the O White House Leadership Project by O, The Oprah Magazine. Dodge was selected for her work in developing "a program encouraging historic preservation and economic development along Route 66 by connecting motel owners … Continue reading Preservationist wins Oprah leadership contest
Roy Rogers’ old ranch is up for sale
Movie star and singer Roy Rogers' old Double R Bar Ranch off old Route 66 in Oro Grande, Calif., is on the block, according to RIS Media. It can be yours for $12.5 million. From the news release: Roy Rogers owned the ranch up to his death on July 6, 1998. Shortly thereafter, Roy Rogers … Continue reading Roy Rogers’ old ranch is up for sale
Route 66 expeditions for 2009
The year isn't close to being over, but two people are already planning on personal expeditions on Route 66 in 2009. Megan Carter is planning on going from Lawton, Okla., to Chicago by horseback, which is about 1,000 miles. She and her ride will latch on to Route 66 at Chandler, Okla. The trip starts … Continue reading Route 66 expeditions for 2009
Still running
The Rolla (Mo.) Daily News caught up with Phil Rosenstein, who's running across the country, including Route 66, to help raise money or awareness of the Mario Lemieux Foundation. Rosenstein's online entries can be found here, although it's updated sporadically.
It’s an election year …
... so TV networks are fanning across the country, including Route 66, to hear the people's voices about the presidential candidates. One is France 24, which ends up in the Route 66 towns of Rolla and Devil's Elbow to talk to an organizer of "Rednecks for Obama" and bikers at the Elbow Inn (great barbecue … Continue reading It’s an election year …