Descendants of the family that ran the Threatt Filling Station near Luther, Oklahoma, want to reopen the Route 66 landmark as a visitors center and museum, but they first must resolve a land dispute involving the property. Built by Allen Threatt in 1915, the gas station remains one of the few surviving African-American-owned businesses along … Continue reading Land dispute may hold up restoration of Threatt Filling Station
Category: Preservation
MoDOT seeks new owners for Gasconade River Bridge
The Missouri Department of Transportation announced Monday it would seek a new owner for the closed Gasconade River Bridge near Hazelgreen after a preservation organization backed out of the project last month. MoDOT stated it would accept proposals through March 15, 2019, from those interested in maintaining the former Route 66 bridge. Those interested should … Continue reading MoDOT seeks new owners for Gasconade River Bridge
Trail of Tears Memorial in Missouri to reopen April 22
The Trail of Tears Memorial and Herbal Garden near Jerome, Missouri, will hold its grand reopening at 1 p.m. April 22, which is Earth Day. The Facebook page for the garden announced the event Tuesday. A ribbon-cutting will occur in front of the grounds' famed entrance arch that day, before the artwork-festooned trail opens to … Continue reading Trail of Tears Memorial in Missouri to reopen April 22
Pump stolen from historic gas station in Miami
A nearly 100-year-old gas pump worth $5,000 recently was stolen from the historic Marathon Oil Co. gas station along old Route 66 in Miami, Oklahoma. The theft prompted the station's owner to remove the other two gas pumps for safekeeping, reported the Miami News-Record. According to the police report, an unknown suspect removed one of … Continue reading Pump stolen from historic gas station in Miami
El Vado Motel restoration ‘a few weeks’ from completion
The long process of restoring the historic El Vado Motel in Albuquerque is just a few weeks from reaching the finish line, according to the president of the project's developer. Last year, officials hoped for a late summer opening. That date got pushed to December. KOB-TV in Albuquerque found out why the project took longer … Continue reading El Vado Motel restoration ‘a few weeks’ from completion
Signs at Paradise Motel in Tucumcari removed
The signs at the Paradise Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico, were removed this week after the long-abandoned property suffered two fires in less than six months -- including one in February. Vanessa Miller, service manager the Clovis Sign Services in Clovis, New Mexico, confirmed by phone Wednesday she had possession of both signs, including the … Continue reading Signs at Paradise Motel in Tucumcari removed
Long to-do list for Route 66: The Road Ahead group
The Route 66: The Road Ahead Partnership exited its second annual board of directors meeting Feb. 15-17 in Tulsa with a lengthy to-do list -- including a Route 66 navigational app and funding for preservation project -- for the months ahead. In addition to approving a 2018 budget and a five-year budget, the group approved … Continue reading Long to-do list for Route 66: The Road Ahead group
Owl Court in Oklahoma City changes owners
A group of investors has acquired the historic Owl Court motel in Oklahoma City and pledges to revive the property into at least one new business. The Oklahoman reported the group thinks the area, known as the town of Britton before being annexed into Oklahoma City during the 1950s, is ripe for revival: Owl Court … Continue reading Owl Court in Oklahoma City changes owners
Launching Pad Drive-In may partially reopen in May
The couple that recently purchased the long-closed Launching Pad Drive-In in Wilmington, Illinois, said they likely would partly reopen the Route 66 restaurant in May, with a full reopening sometime in 2019. The restaurant is most famous for its one-of-a-kind 30-foot-tall Gemini Giant fiberglass statue. Holly Barker and Tully Garrett, who bought the Launching Pad … Continue reading Launching Pad Drive-In may partially reopen in May
Gasconade River Bridge Guardians set plan for coming months
The Route 66 Gasconade River Bridge Guardians met Sunday in Leasburg, Missouri, to set a plan for the coming months, including fundraising to pay for an engineering assessment of the historic structure's condition and an estimate of repair costs to keep it safe for bicycle and light traffic. The Guardians gathered only a few days … Continue reading Gasconade River Bridge Guardians set plan for coming months