The Ritz Theater, a former movie house on Route 66 in Baxter Springs, Kansas, has been nominated to the National Register of Historic Places, according to a news release from the Kansas Historical Society. The building is at 1145 N. Military Ave. (aka Route 66). The theater's inclusion is all but assured, because the National … Continue reading Baxter Springs theater nominated to National Register
Category: Preservation
Cuba adds five sites to National Historic Register
The town of Cuba, Missouri, recently had big news to announce -- five sites were added in one week to the National Register of Historic Places, including two on Route 66. Cuba's new additions to the National Register were revealed in an email from the National Park Service on Thursday. The National Register listings were … Continue reading Cuba adds five sites to National Historic Register
City of Pacific may buy scenic lookout
The City of Pacific, Missouri, moved to enter into a contract to buy the Lookout on Jensen's Point off Route 66, reported the Washington Missourian. The owner, Wayne Winchester, has set a price of $300,000 for the iconic stone structure of the lookout, 2 1/2 acres and a nearby parking lot. The city hopes to … Continue reading City of Pacific may buy scenic lookout
Albuquerque adopts Route 66 Action Plan
The Albuquerque City Council unanimously ratified Mayor Richard Berry's Route 66 Action Plan for a 15-mile stretch of Central Avenue in the city, reported the Associated Press and other media outlets. The plan comes with infrastructure improvements, tourism additions and historical preservation, among other things. You can read a summary of the plan here, but … Continue reading Albuquerque adopts Route 66 Action Plan
Website needs more data on New Deal projects
The good news is someone has put together an interactive map of New Deal sites that were built beginning in the 1930s and are still standing. The bad news is the listings on the map are incomplete. Carthage, Missouri, for instance, has a few such sites that aren't listed. However, you can offer listings to … Continue reading Website needs more data on New Deal projects
Senator may urge Obama to make Mojave a monument
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) may ask President Obama to create two national monuments in California's Mojave Desert, including one that includes a stretch of Route 66, reported the Los Angeles Times. Feinstein said Monday she wants to break a logjam of interests that stalled two previous bills to create the two protected zones, the largest … Continue reading Senator may urge Obama to make Mojave a monument
Building in Springfield, Missouri, added to National Register
The McDaniel Building in downtown Springfield, Missouri, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places effective Oct. 22, according to an email Friday from the National Park Service. The six-story building, built in 1914, was around when Cyrus Avery and John Woodruff worked on details during meetings in Springfield about what became the fledgling … Continue reading Building in Springfield, Missouri, added to National Register
Quentin Tarantino backs out of Rialto deal
Oscar-winning movie director Quentin Tarantino recently withdrew an offer to buy the closed Rialto Theatre in South Pasadena, California, reported the South Pasadena Review. According to South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce President Scott Feldmann, Tarantino agreed to a contract for a short period of time, before pulling back on his offer prior to closing the … Continue reading Quentin Tarantino backs out of Rialto deal
Anthony Quinn mural in downtown L.A. to be restored
The nearly 30-year-old mural of actor Anthony Quinn on the side of the Victor Clothing Co. building in downtown Los Angeles will be restored, according to several media outlets. Titled "The Pope of Broadway," the 70-foot-tall mural at 242 S. Broadway shows Quinn with his arms outstretched, a la a scene from the 1964 film … Continue reading Anthony Quinn mural in downtown L.A. to be restored
Group seeks to restore old schoolhouse in Phelps
A nonprofit group is raising money to shore up and restore a long-abandoned, century-old Phelps School in the tiny Route 66 hamlet of Phelps, Missouri, reported the Joplin Globe. According to the article, Phelps School was finished in 1889 until it and other one-room schools in the region were consolidated into the Miller School District … Continue reading Group seeks to restore old schoolhouse in Phelps