Artist and western historian Bob Boze Bell was interviewed for about 13 minutes by a PBS television station at Arizona State University about his new biography, “The 66 Kid: Raised on the Mother Road," that deals primarily with his childhood in the Route 66 town of Kingman, Arizona. https://youtu.be/2OfK_nB1SFc?t=12m10s I've embedded the video so it … Continue reading Interview with “The 66 Kid” author
Category: People
Widow of Bill Shea dies
Helen Shea, the widow of Shea's Route 66 Museum owner Bill Shea Sr., died Monday at a hospice in Springfield, Illinois, according to an obituary from Butler Funeral Homes. She was 96. A Springfield native, she worked at Sangamo Electric and helped run Shea's gas-station museum in Springfield. Bill Shea converted a Marathon station on Route 66 into a museum … Continue reading Widow of Bill Shea dies
Will Rogers Museum will promote Route 66 in 2015
The Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore, Oklahoma, will include the promotion of Route 66, aka the Will Rogers Memorial Highway, during a series of changes for the upcoming year, according to a news release published in the Tulsa World. The museums, which also includes the Rogers' Birthplace Ranch in Oologah, Oklahoma, also are planning: … Continue reading Will Rogers Museum will promote Route 66 in 2015
Rocky Drake dies
Longtime roadies who traveled the Texas Panhandle may remember Rocky Drake, who died suddenly at age 58 on Friday. Drake was the husband of former Oldham County Chamber of Commerce director Linda Drake, who were based in Vega, Texas, for years. Linda, who survives, was heavily involved in promoting in Route 66, and she and Rocky often showed … Continue reading Rocky Drake dies
A video Christmas card from the Kocevars
Frank and Lynne Kocevar sold Historic Seligman Sundries in Seligman, Arizona, a few months ago, but that hasn't prevented them from visiting folks on Route 66 and putting together their annual video Christmas card with scenes from Arizona. Here's their well-wishes for the holidays in 2014. A scene around the 1:40 mark will probably get … Continue reading A video Christmas card from the Kocevars
Three people try to make Route 66 more interesting
In recent days, newspapers have profiled three people hundreds of miles apart who are doing their part to try to dress up old stretches of Route 66. West of Needles, California, the Needles Desert Star reports Jim Nickel -- originally from Oregon -- has built several monuments to the branches of the U.S. military from … Continue reading Three people try to make Route 66 more interesting
“Eternal Route 66” DVD produced
Chuck Williams, who parlayed his Christian faith and enthusiasm for Route 66 into two editions of his "Eternal Route 66" book, recently announced he's created an "Eternal Route 66" DVD filmed on the Mother Road. Here's a trailer for the project. You'll probably recognize a few Route 66 landmarks in the background: https://youtu.be/U4rRckjxqvE A description … Continue reading “Eternal Route 66” DVD produced
Fundraiser launched for Route 66 barber shops documentary
A fellow that readers may recognize by the nickname of Haircut Harry is launching an Indiegogo fundraiser to make a documentary film about barber shops along Route 66. Titled "Zen and the Art of Barbering," Harry wants to raise $5,000 to cover travel expenses for the film. As of Thursday night, he'd raised more than … Continue reading Fundraiser launched for Route 66 barber shops documentary
Pulitzer winner documented Route 66
Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Edward Keating documented Route 66 beginning about 15 years ago in black-and-white images that often recalled the bleak Depression-era images of Dorothea Lange. Keating won the Pulitzer in 2002 for his photo coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City. He also spent 11 years on the Mother Road, documenting … Continue reading Pulitzer winner documented Route 66
Michael Wallis busy touting Route 66
Those who are familiar with "Route 66: The Mother Road" author and speaker Michael Wallis know that he cites the allure of Route 66 pretty regularly. However, in the past week or so, he has given the ol' Mother Road considerable publicity by even his standards. First, this poster will go up in libraries across Oklahoma … Continue reading Michael Wallis busy touting Route 66