Kaisa Barthuli, a director for the National Park Service's Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program for more than two decades, stepped down last week, and its grant program has been suspended. Barthuli sent an email on March 8, stating that with "sadness and deep gratitude" she was "leaving federal service" that day. Barely a week before, … Continue reading Longtime Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program director resigns; grants suspended
Category: Preservation
El Don Motel in Albuquerque to undergo an extensive renovation
The El Don Motel along Albuquerque's Route 66 corridor soon will undergo an extensive renovation that will convert it from long-term rentals into a boutique motel. KRQE-TV in Albuquerque reported that native resident Randy Bowen recently acquired the 24-unit property at 2222 Central Ave. (aka Route 66). “So the plan for it right now is … Continue reading El Don Motel in Albuquerque to undergo an extensive renovation
Old Courthouse in St. Louis will reopen on May 3 after a two-year renovation
The Old Courthouse, a landmark in downtown St. Louis, will reopen on May 3 after undergoing two years of renovations. Officials with Gateway Arch National Park and the nonprofit Gateway Arch Park Foundation announced the reopening date last week, reported the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The courthouse is part of the national park. The $27.5 million … Continue reading Old Courthouse in St. Louis will reopen on May 3 after a two-year renovation
Route 66 Postcard Road Trip named as finalist in StoryMaps competition
The National Trust for Historic Preservation's Route 66 Postcard Road Trip has been selected as one of 11 finalists in the Humanities category for the 2024 ArcGIS StoryMaps competition. The Route 66 Postcard Road Trip was selected from over 570 submissions from student and professional storytellers invited to “build stories about the world they want to see.” … Continue reading Route 66 Postcard Road Trip named as finalist in StoryMaps competition
Plans unveiled for Route 66 Research Center at UNM in Albuquerque
An award-winning architect recently unveiled plans for the federally funded Route 66 Research Center at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. The center, part of UNM's library system and its Center for Southwest Research, will be housed in a former Cadillac dealership. Architect Mark Baker is behind the plans. Among his numerous award-winning projects … Continue reading Plans unveiled for Route 66 Research Center at UNM in Albuquerque
County receives $25,000 grant to repaint Rainbow Bridge near Riverton
Cherokee County, Kansas, recently received a $25,000 Attraction Development grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce to help repaint the Rainbow Bridge, aka the Marsh Arch Bridge, near Riverton. According to the Route 66 Association of Kansas, Gearhead Curios owner and association Vice President Aaron Perry and association newsletter editor Machelle Smith approached the county … Continue reading County receives $25,000 grant to repaint Rainbow Bridge near Riverton
National Trust announces latest round of Preserve Route 66 grant recipients
The National Trust for Historic Preservation announced its latest grants from its Preserve Route 66 program totaling $135,835. Among the grants awarded are preservation work on an Albuquerque building where Microsoft started, funds to pursue a National Register of Historic Places listing for the Gasconade River Bridge near Hazelgreen, Missouri, and an educational program about … Continue reading National Trust announces latest round of Preserve Route 66 grant recipients
Gemini Giant will remain in Wilmington for the next 20 years
The mayor of Wilmington, Illinois, announced the landmark Gemini Giant will remain in the city for at least the next 20 years. Mayor Ben Dietz stated in a Facebook post that the loan of the Gemini Giant from the Joliet Area Historical Museum has been extended through 2045. The city council approved the loan pact … Continue reading Gemini Giant will remain in Wilmington for the next 20 years
Oak Street Bridge, aka Whee Bridge, in Carthage may have only one year left before it’s closed
The historic Oak Street Bridge that carries Route 66 in Carthage, Missouri, badly needs repairs and may have to close within a year if it fails a state inspection. The bridge is also known as the Whee Bridge or Tickle Tummy Hill because of its steep apex. The Joplin Globe reported: Carthage Public Works Director … Continue reading Oak Street Bridge, aka Whee Bridge, in Carthage may have only one year left before it’s closed
Friends of the Orphan Signs in Albuquerque wins $20,000 National Endowment for the Arts grant
Friends of the Orphan Signs, a nonprofit organization that repurposes abandoned signs into art along Route 66 in Albuquerque, recently received a $20,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper, which reported on the award, said it was one of 19 organizations in New Mexico that received the … Continue reading Friends of the Orphan Signs in Albuquerque wins $20,000 National Endowment for the Arts grant