A few days ago, the World Monuments Fund uploaded this eight-minute video that summarizes the "Route 66: The Road Ahead" conference that took place in November at a hotel near Disney's Cars Land in California. You'll probably see a few familiar faces from Route 66, including Dawn Welch at the Rock Cafe, Kevin Mueller at … Continue reading Video summarizes “Route 66: The Road Ahead” conference
Category: Preservation
A visit to Enchanted Trails RV Park
KC Keefer with his ongoing "Genuine Route 66 Life" video series interviews Vickie Ashcraft at the Enchanted Trails RV Park west of Albuquerque. The interview also serves as a brief tour of a couple of the vintage travel trailers that Ashcraft rents out to overnight guests. If you'd like to stay in one, go here. … Continue reading A visit to Enchanted Trails RV Park
Owner of El Rancho Hotel in Gallup dies
Armand Ortega Sr., 86, savior of the historic El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, New Mexico, when it faced the wrecking ball during the 1980s, died Wednesday. An employee at the hotel said Ortega had been in failing health for about a year. His funeral was today at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Gallup, with burial at Sunset Cemetery. Ortega Family Enterprises, based in Santa Fe, owns … Continue reading Owner of El Rancho Hotel in Gallup dies
Outdoor concert will benefit Sprague’s station
An outdoor benefit concert by a local country-music band for the Sprague's Super Service station in Normal, Illinois, will be coupled with free tours of the historic facility Sunday by owner Terri Ryburn, reported WJBC radio. Sprague's Super Service 305 E. Pine St. in Normal is hosting an outdoor concert from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday. … Continue reading Outdoor concert will benefit Sprague’s station
Front Street Garage in Galena will be renovated
The long-closed Front Street Garage in Galena, Kansas, has a new roadie owner, and his long-term plans are renovating it into a Ford Model A museum, according to KODE-TV. The garage, also known as the Bradshaw Garage, is directly across the street, aka Route 66, from Cars on the Route -- known as the home … Continue reading Front Street Garage in Galena will be renovated
World’s Largest Catsup Bottle up for sale
The World's Largest Catsup Bottle, a landmark for decades in Collinsville, Illinois, has been put up for sale and faces a cloudy future, according to several St. Louis-area media outlets. KPLR-TV posted this story today (the video isn't embeddable). The Metro Independent, based in Collinsville, also had this report today: Bethel-Eckert Enterprises Inc., owners of the warehouse below … Continue reading World’s Largest Catsup Bottle up for sale
The miracle of the Coleman Theatre’s restoration
The history and eventual revitalization of the historic Coleman Theatre in Miami, Oklahoma, is one of the most inspiring and interesting stories you'll hear on Route 66. It continues to amaze how a town of just 13,000 people with nominal funding could return an opulent theater back to its old glory. And who better to … Continue reading The miracle of the Coleman Theatre’s restoration
Cowboy sign returns to Big Texan after one-month hiatus
The 90-foot-tall landmark cowboy sign at the Big Texan Steak Ranch returned Friday after being removed for about a month when a wind storm damaged it, reported the Amarillo Globe-News. The newspaper reported about the saga of Bull, the name of the cowboy figure on the sign: Strong winds in late June damaged the sign to the … Continue reading Cowboy sign returns to Big Texan after one-month hiatus
Joplin motor court will be restored
A historic motel along an alignment of Route 66 in Joplin, Missouri, will be refurbished and reopened as a tourist court again, according to Joplin Globe columnist Wally Kennedy. The Westport Lodge (shown above during the 1950s) at North Main Street and Fountain Road, which was on an alternate Route 66 alignment from 1934 to … Continue reading Joplin motor court will be restored
Federal historic tax credit put on National Trust’s watch list
Each year, the National Trust for Historic Preservation releases its list of the 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. No Route 66 property made the 2014 list. However, what made the watch list should be of interest to Route 66ers -- and all preservationists in general. Take note of the last item (you can skip ahead … Continue reading Federal historic tax credit put on National Trust’s watch list