I loathe to speak ill of the dead, except for the biggest scoundrels. Lady Bird Johnson, the wife of President Lyndon Johnson who died at age 94 on Wednesday, certainly wasn't a scoundrel. But the Highway Beautification Act of 1965, which restricted billboards along our nation's highways, proved to be damaging to Route 66 businesses … Continue reading Lady Bird’s mixed legacy for Route 66
Category: People
Rory Schepisi advances to top three in series
Rory Schepisi, the former "Popularity Contest" reality TV series contest who's about to open a new restaurant on Route 66 in Vega, Texas, advanced to the final three of another reality series, "The Next Food Network Star." Tune-in on Sunday, July 15th, at 9pm ET/PT as the remaining three finalists test their media skills when … Continue reading Rory Schepisi advances to top three in series
Living link to Route 66’s early history
The Portales News-Tribune in New Mexico scored an interview with a man who actually helped build Route 66. The man is Elmer Jones. He is 95 years old. He is the only member left from Portales' Class of 1931. As a young man in Childress, Texas, Jones, with his brother Allen, drove a team and … Continue reading Living link to Route 66’s early history
Miss Goodwrench
Here's a rarity: a full-service gas station. This one, Groneman's Service Center, is on Route 66 in Vega, Texas. Here's a bigger rarity: a girl who works at a full-service station. Heather Newton, 16, a soon-to-be junior at the local high school, is employed at Groneman's. Here's an excerpt from a story by the Amarillo … Continue reading Miss Goodwrench
Illinois bridge being restored
John and Lenore Weiss are at it again. The two Illinois Route 66 preservationists are restoring the original appearance of the Division Street Bridge in Pontiac, which carried the original Illinois Highway 4 and the first alignment of Route 66 in the state during the 1920s, according to the Pontiac Daily Leader. Their work on … Continue reading Illinois bridge being restored
Gunfight at Oatman
OK, not really. But every day at 1:30 p.m., Old West gunfighters do a show on Route 66 in Oatman, Ariz. As this video shows, it's all pretty tongue-in-cheek and done for entertainment instead of historical re-enactment. The sound quality of the video is erratic, but it's almost as good as being there if you … Continue reading Gunfight at Oatman
Hear Michael Wallis’ keynote speech
If you missed author Michael Wallis' keynote speech at the National Route 66 Festival in Clinton, Okla., last week, you can listen to it on this page. The QuickTime sound file is about 33 minutes. Rod Harsh at Route66TVonline.com and Visit66.com recorded it. Harsh also has a bunch of photos from the festival.
A talk with the Sheriff
The Daily Oklahoman concludes its week-long coverage of Route 66 and the National Route 66 Festival in Clinton, Okla., with an interview with Michael Wallis, author of "Route 66: The Mother Road" and the voice of the Sheriff of Radiator Springs in the movie "Cars." The linked page includes an audio file of Wallis' distinctive … Continue reading A talk with the Sheriff
Scenes from the festival
On Saturday afternoon, I took a walk at downtown Clinton, Okla., to check on the activity during the National Route 66 Festival. Inside the Frisco Center, Delbert Trew, who won the Route 66 Lifetime Achievement Award with his wife Ruth on Friday, is displaying one of the letters salvaged from "Rattlesnakes -- Exit Now" sign … Continue reading Scenes from the festival
Oklahoma dominates Will Rogers Awards
Representatives from Oklahoma took home four of the top six honors during the Will Rogers Awards Evening in the Frisco Center on Friday night at the National Route 66 Festival in Clinton, Okla. Author and actor Michael Wallis of Tulsa was given the Will Rogers Award, the group that restored the Old Armory in Chandler, … Continue reading Oklahoma dominates Will Rogers Awards