WEHOville.com this week started a promising series, "Tales from Historic Route 66," about the Mother Road through West Hollywood, California. The first entry was about rock legend Little Richard, who nearly died in a West Hollywood car crash in 1985. Little Richard lived in Room 319 in the Continental Hyatt Hotel -- now the Andaz -- in the 1980s and '90s. He was … Continue reading Little Richard nearly died on Route 66
Category: People
Gay Parita memorial garden nearly finished
Barbara Turner's memorial garden for her late parents is nearly finished several months after she took over the Gay Parita gas-station site west of Halltown, Missouri. Barbara Turner announced her intentions to build the garden that would contain her parents' cremains shortly after taking over the property in April. During the early 2000s, Gary Turner … Continue reading Gay Parita memorial garden nearly finished
Man skateboarding Route 66 for foundation
Australian celebrity athlete Damien Rider seeks to skateboard the 2,300 miles of Route 66 to raise money for his Rider Foundation that combats child abuse and post-traumatic stress syndrome. He began his journey with a skateboarding partner June 27 in Chicago and likely will be in Oklahoma soon. A survivor of child abuse and PTSD himself, Rider set … Continue reading Man skateboarding Route 66 for foundation
Jim Jones honored by Illinois Route 66 Association
Jim Jones, a longtime volunteer at the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum with a longtime personal history with Route 66 in Odell, Illinois, recently was honored with the President's Award by the Illinois Route 66 Association. According to this news release from Ellie Alexander, director of tourism in Pontiac, Illinois: In making the … Continue reading Jim Jones honored by Illinois Route 66 Association
Museum of the American Military Family soon will open in Tijeras
The Museum of the American Military Family, which once existed only online, opens next month along Route 66 in Tijeras, New Mexico, east of Albuquerque. The museum's founder and executive director, Circe Olson Woessner, told the Rio Rancho Observer it plans a grand opening at 3:30 p.m. July 9. After being an online-only entity, it set up a … Continue reading Museum of the American Military Family soon will open in Tijeras
Lowell Davis creates new sculpture on Route 66 in Carthage
Famous folk artist Lowell Davis recently unveiled a new sculpture on the northeast side of Carthage, Missouri, along Route 66. The Carthage Press reported the sculpture is at 125 N. River St., near Missouri 96 (aka Route 66): The creation includes a road grader from the late 1800s with a pair of signature Lowell Davis … Continue reading Lowell Davis creates new sculpture on Route 66 in Carthage
Middle-schoolers’ Route 66 presentation wins national contest
A group of middle-school students from rural Iowa captured a national title for their Route 66 presentation during the annual National History Day contest in Maryland last week. Jack Anderson, Jader Briggs, Megan Swancutt, Daytona Foley and Logan Smith of Akron-Westfield Community School in Akron, Iowa, finished first place in the Junior Group Performance division at nationals with … Continue reading Middle-schoolers’ Route 66 presentation wins national contest
Aubrey McClendon’s death ruled an accident
A medical examiner's report and an Oklahoma City Police investigation determined energy tycoon Aubrey McClendon's fatal crash in March was an accident and not suicide, as believed. McClendon was former CEO of Chesapeake Energy in Oklahoma City and built the popular Pops restaurant and convenience store on Route 66 in nearby Arcadia, Oklahoma. McClendon died in a fiery … Continue reading Aubrey McClendon’s death ruled an accident
One of the Whiting Brothers dies
Mickey Whiting, one of the men who helped run Whiting Bros. gas stations along Route 66 and the West for several decades and co-founder of Kaibab Industries, died at age 87 on June 2 at his home in Phoenix. An obituary in several newspapers contained this nugget of information: In 1952, Mickey was there at the very beginning, … Continue reading One of the Whiting Brothers dies
Michael Wallis to give “state of the road” speech at Vinita festival
Michael Wallis, writer of the best-selling "Route 66: The Mother Road" and more than a dozen other books, will give a "State of the Mother Road" speech June 18 during the Vinita Route 66 Festival in Vinita, Oklahoma. Wallis long was known for his fiery "state of the road" speeches with his big, baritone voice during … Continue reading Michael Wallis to give “state of the road” speech at Vinita festival