The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership announced this week its International Advisory Group will undertake a comprehensive International Route 66 Travelers Survey, with its first test at next month's European Route 66 Festival in Zlin, Czech Republic. The festival in the Czech Republic will take place Aug. 10-12. The inaugural European Route 66 Festival took … Continue reading Route 66 group soon will survey foreign travelers
Category: People
Owners, caretaker of Blue Whale named to Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame
The deceased former owners and a longtime caretaker of the Blue Whale of Catoosa, Oklahoma, were inducted into the 2018 Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame. The inductees were the Hugh and Zelta Davis, who owned the Route 66 landmark for years, and their son, Blaine Davis, a caretaker for the whale. The Oklahoma Route … Continue reading Owners, caretaker of Blue Whale named to Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame
Claremore museum plans new statue of Andy Payne
The Claremore Museum of History in Claremore, Oklahoma, plans to place a life-size statue of local athlete Andy Payne at Lynn Riggs Park, also known as Gazebo Park, a few blocks east of Route 66. The Claremore Daily Progress reported a new exhibit, "The Andy Payne Family Collection," donated by Payne’s daughter, will be shown in the … Continue reading Claremore museum plans new statue of Andy Payne
National Trust group to begins Route 66 tour today
A team from the National Trust of Historic Preservation -- including five young "Route 66 Roadies" -- will start a month-long tour of Route 66 to publicize the historic highway and lobby Congress to name it a National Historic Trail. The Preserve Route 66 journey began today in Chicago and concludes Aug. 3 in California. … Continue reading National Trust group to begins Route 66 tour today
Search fails to turn up missing woman at Amboy Crater
A sheriff's department search over the weekend for a woman who went missing at Amboy Crater near Amboy, California, failed to turn up any signs of her. The remains of the woman's husband were found in the area June 13 -- about 10 days after the couple went missing. Susan Schmeirer, 65, and William Schmeirer, … Continue reading Search fails to turn up missing woman at Amboy Crater
Music documentary about Springfield premieres this week
"The Center of Nowhere," a full-length documentary produced by roadie Dave Hoekstra about the rich musical history of Springfield, Missouri, will premiere at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Fox Theatre in downtown Springfield. Hoekstra, a former writer at the Chicago Sun-Times who's traveled and written about Route 66 extensively, told Ozarks Alive that Springfield's central location, relative … Continue reading Music documentary about Springfield premieres this week
Couple goes missing near Amboy Crater; man’s body found
A couple from Virginia that went missing at Amboy Crater near Amboy, California, in recent weeks is feared dead after the remains of a man's body was found near the site last weekend. Another search for the missing woman will begin this weekend. It would be the fifth fatality at Amboy Crater in less than … Continue reading Couple goes missing near Amboy Crater; man’s body found
The man behind many of Tucumcari’s murals
The Route 66 town of Tucumcari, New Mexico, boasts so much public artwork, it's proclaimed itself the "City of Murals" in one of its \brochures. What many don't realize is one man -- Doug Quarles -- was responsible for creating about 85 percent of those murals. And he will create more murals in Tucumcari in … Continue reading The man behind many of Tucumcari’s murals
J.J. Cale mural at Soul City Gastropub lightly vandalized
Someone lightly vandalized the large mural depicting late Tulsa musician J.J. Cale on the side of Soul City Gastropub & Music House in Tulsa, but the owner may not press charges against the offender. The offense probably should be described as "light" because it's not obvious. Someone wrote messages on the strings and sound hole … Continue reading J.J. Cale mural at Soul City Gastropub lightly vandalized
Longtime owner of Jamil’s restaurant in Tulsa dies
Tyrone Elias, owner of the landmark Jamil's restaurant in Tulsa for about 40 years, died Friday after a short illness. He was 80. Jamil's, which sits off Interstate 44 (aka Oklahoma 66) in Tulsa, boasted other ties to the Mother Road during its history. According to an obituary in the Tulsa World: Elias was born … Continue reading Longtime owner of Jamil’s restaurant in Tulsa dies