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
Category: Preservation
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
Wilder’s Steakhouse rooftop sign removed for restoration
The rooftop neon sign at Wilder's Steakhouse in Joplin, Missouri, was removed Friday for restoration. A relighting ceremony for the sign is scheduled for dusk April 14. According to a news release, the animated neon sign has not operated for least 25 years. The restaurant at 1216 Main St. landed a $24,000 cost-share grant from … Continue reading Wilder’s Steakhouse rooftop sign removed for restoration
Workin’ Bridges withdraws from Gasconade River Bridge preservation effort
The Workin' Bridges nonprofit organization this week withdrew from its efforts to raise money to preserve the closed Gasconade River Bridge near Hazelgreen, Missouri, after several Route 66 enthusiasts questioned the group's plans and its transparency. Julie Bowers, executive director of the Iowa-based Workin' Bridges, said in a phone interview Thursday she was "bullied" online … Continue reading Workin’ Bridges withdraws from Gasconade River Bridge preservation effort
Old Joliet prison to become haunted house this fall
The historic but long-abandoned Joliet Correctional Center in Joliet, Illinois, best known for the opening scene of "The Blues Brothers" movie, will become a haunted house in time for Halloween. The Joliet Patch reported this week Evil Intentions, which operates an acclaimed haunted house in nearby Elgin, Illinois, announced it will open a second site … Continue reading Old Joliet prison to become haunted house this fall
Volunteer crew aims to have Santa Fe 2926 steaming again by 2019
A group of volunteers in Albuquerque has labored for years to restore a Santa Fe 2926 steam locomotive that hasn't rolled down a set of tracks in 65 years. With more work and a bit of luck, the locomotive will chug into Las Vegas, New Mexico, about the time the long-closed Castaneda Hotel there reopens … Continue reading Volunteer crew aims to have Santa Fe 2926 steaming again by 2019
Pecos National Historical Park visitors center to receive an upgrade
The visitors center at Pecos National Historical Park in Pecos, New Mexico, soon will undergo a three-year, $1 million improvement plan. Becky Latanich, the park’s chief of interpretation and education, told the Albuquerque Journal she wants to make the visitors center more appealing to children and families. One of the most important changes for Latanich … Continue reading Pecos National Historical Park visitors center to receive an upgrade