Developers of the historic but long-closed De Anza Motor Lodge in Albuquerque on Tuesday showed off artist's renderings of the upcoming project, which is expected to break ground in October and take about a year to complete. According to the Albuquerque Journal, the Route 66 motel will be demolished and rebuilt as a hotel, apartments, … Continue reading Developers unveil De Anza Motor Lodge renderings in Albuquerque
Category: Preservation
Sprague’s Super Service station in Normal will open in August
The Sprague's Super Service station is scheduled to open to the public next month as a Route 66 visitors center after the city of Normal, Illinois, finishes its rehabilitation. The Bloomington Pantagraph reported: "We’re definitely going to be ready to open the doors this summer, possibly a soft opening early next month with a ribbon … Continue reading Sprague’s Super Service station in Normal will open in August
Plan would demolish Oklahoma City’s Classen Circle
A chain restaurant submitted plans to the city of Oklahoma City to tear down all the buildings in Classen Circle, which includes Classen Grill and other historic businesses. OKCTalk.com broke the news Wednesday. Braum's Ice Cream and Dairy Stores, a popular chain in Oklahoma, wants to build a store there. They have filed to rezone .48 … Continue reading Plan would demolish Oklahoma City’s Classen Circle
Restoration of Front Street Bridge in Galena completed
The restoration of the historic Front Street Bridge in Galena, Kansas, recently was finished, and the city will hold a dedication ceremony at 6 p.m. July 22 to mark the occasion. City and county officials talked to the Joplin Globe newspaper about the project, also known as the Galena Viaduct: “It’s a piece of history, … Continue reading Restoration of Front Street Bridge in Galena completed
Palomino Motel in Tucumcari gets a new owner
The Palomino Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico, quietly underwent an ownership change, and many improvements are planned at the historic Route 66 property in the coming months. The change in owners was announced in a Facebook post June 30 on the Tucumcari and Quay County Then and Now page. The deal closed May 5. New … Continue reading Palomino Motel in Tucumcari gets a new owner
Restored Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket neon sign is dedicated
The newly restored neon sign for Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket restaurant along old Route 66 in Willowbrook, Illinois, was dedicated Monday afternoon with a relighting ceremony. About 200 people attended the event, which included a car show, live music and commemorative T-shirts. Below is an image of the restored sign at night: The ceremony … Continue reading Restored Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket neon sign is dedicated
Restoration of Boots Court architectural neon to begin soon
Repairs to the hail-damaged architectural neon lighting at the Boots Court motel in Carthage, Missouri, will begin by mid-July after Route 66 enthusiasts donated more than $4,100 for the project. Ron Hart of the Route 66 Chamber of Commerce on Friday presented a check for $4,113.41, representing the proceeds of a GoFundMe campaign after a … Continue reading Restoration of Boots Court architectural neon to begin soon
Grand Canyon Cafe in Flagstaff reopens
The historic Grand Canyon Cafe in downtown Flagstaff, Arizona, reopened this weekend after a lengthy renovation following an ownership change. Here's a post on Instagram on Friday: A post shared by Alissa Marquess (@alissamarquess) on Jun 30, 2017 at 10:54am PDT Alissa Marquess wrote in the photograph: The Wong Family had this restaurant for over … Continue reading Grand Canyon Cafe in Flagstaff reopens
Restoration begins on The Tropics sign
The fabled neon sign for the now-closed The Tropics restaurant in Lincoln, Illinois, this week was moved to a shop for restoration work for the next six months. The Lincoln Courier reported the sign was moved Tuesday to Ace Sign Co. in nearby Springfield, where the company will undergo restoration work on it through late … Continue reading Restoration begins on The Tropics sign
Route 66 has spawned many “new” places
A reader over the weekend asked me what are some of the "new" businesses or attractions on Route 66 in the past 10 years or so. Naturally, this sort of question sent me down a rabbit hole of research for hours. I set the "new" criteria as the post-"Cars" era -- since the 2006 release … Continue reading Route 66 has spawned many “new” places