The Navajo community is criticizing a campaign in Gallup, New Mexico, that discourages tourists -- including those on Route 66 -- from giving money to panhandlers, reported Indian Country Today. In April, a coalition of city officials, church, business, and community groups rolled out the 90-day “Change In My Heart, Not In My Pocket”campaign to encourage people … Continue reading Gallup’s anti-panhandling campaign comes under fire
Category: People
Rock Cafe is no longer for sale
Rock Cafe owner Dawn Welch announced on her blog Saturday she has removed the "For Sale" signs for her iconic Route 66 restaurant in Stroud, Oklahoma. The announcement came on the 75th anniversary of the restaurant and her 21st year as owner. After almost two years of a lot of traveling while the Rock Cafe … Continue reading Rock Cafe is no longer for sale
Longtime Route 66 museum curator Wanda Queenan dies
Wanda Queenan, 91, longtime currator of the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City, Oklahoma, and co-owner of the now-closed Queenan's Indian Trading Post on Route 66 on the edge of town, has died, according to her daughter. Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home in Clinton, Oklahoma, is in charge of arrangements. I'll post more information about the funeral … Continue reading Longtime Route 66 museum curator Wanda Queenan dies
St. Louis cemetery named to National Historic Register
Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis, which dates to 1849, was listed to the National Register of Historic Places effective July 3, according to an email a few days ago from the National Park Service. Ironically, the cemetery contains several gravesites or mausoleums -- including the Louis Sullivan-designed Wainwright Tomb -- that already were listed on … Continue reading St. Louis cemetery named to National Historic Register
BLM wants man to remove veterans memorial
A man who finished a small memorial to U.S. veterans three years ago just off Oatman Road (aka Route 66) near Oatman, Arizona, has been ordered to remove it by an official with the Bureau of Land Management, reported the Mohave Valley Daily News. The veterans’ memorial is reached by a series of stone stairs … Continue reading BLM wants man to remove veterans memorial
A visit to the Snow Cap Drive-In
Here's a recent visit to the historic Snow Cap Drive-In restaurant that's graced Route 66 in Seligman, Arizona, for more than 60 years. Founder Juan Delgadillo died 10 years ago, but it's apparent from this clip his family is keeping it going quite well. https://youtu.be/_Sz7ySgzvFA For those who never met Juan, here he is in … Continue reading A visit to the Snow Cap Drive-In
A profile of the Wigwam Motel’s Kumar Patel
The Asian American Hotel Owners Association recently posted a feature about Kumar Patel, the operator of the historic Wigwam Motel in San Bernardino, California. Most stories focus on the motel, which was built along Route 66 in 1949 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. But this one focuses more about Patel himself. … Continue reading A profile of the Wigwam Motel’s Kumar Patel
Conferences at Route 66 festival will be streamed live
A series of speeches for a two-day conference called "Route 66 Crossroads of the Past and Future" will be streamed over the Internet live on Friday and Saturday during the International Route 66 Festival in Kingman, Arizona, it was announced Wednesday. The video stream will be on Mohave County's official channel on YouTube. In addition, … Continue reading Conferences at Route 66 festival will be streamed live
A visit with Rich Henry
KC Keefer continues his "Genuine Route 66 Life" video series with an interview of Rich Henry, owner of Henry's Rabbit Ranch on a stretch of old Route 66 in Staunton, Illinois. https://youtu.be/nCSM7wyOGoU It's good to see Henry breaking in a new bunny to greet tourists. He has to do that every few years because their life … Continue reading A visit with Rich Henry
The man behind Waylan’s Ku-Ku
The Joplin Globe published a profile on Gene Waylan, the longtime owner and grill operator of the Waylan's Ku-Ku Burger restaurant along Route 66 in Miami, Oklahoma. What many people don't know is the Ku-Ku is the last one of a chain that once boasted 200 restaurants across the Midwest during the 1960s. And the primary … Continue reading The man behind Waylan’s Ku-Ku