U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) again targets the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program with his "Wastebook," an annual publication released Tuesday that cites alleged government waste. In the publication, Coburn criticized the $81,224 the program awarded in cost-share grants to restore the roof of the historic DeCamp Junction near Staunton, Ill., the climate-control system of … Continue reading Oklahoma senator again criticizes Route 66 preservation program
Category: Preservation
Santa returns to Catsup Bottle after a long hiatus
A decorative Santa Claus figure on the lower structure of the historic World's Largest Catsup Bottle in Collinsville, Ill., has returned after a more than a 10-year hiatus, according to a news release from the landmark's preservation group. From the news release: The 12-foot-tall, 400-pound Santa figure is wrapped in lights and colorful garland and … Continue reading Santa returns to Catsup Bottle after a long hiatus
Route 66 Alliance and Federation may merge
Looking over the emails and posts that trickled in from the recent "Route 66: The Road Ahead" roundtable, it seems the most newsworthy thing from it is a possible merger of the Route 66 Alliance and the National Historic Route 66 Federation. A merger may take months of talks. Or it may not happen at … Continue reading Route 66 Alliance and Federation may merge
Albuquerque OKs redevelopment plan centered around El Vado Motel
The Albuquerque City Council on Monday approved a redevelopment plan centered around the long-closed El Vado Motel and Casa Grande restaurant, reported Albuquerque Business First. The move called for the area of Central Avenue (aka Route 66) west of downtown to the Rio Grande declared as "blighted." However, that isn't necessarily a bad thing for what … Continue reading Albuquerque OKs redevelopment plan centered around El Vado Motel
Senator wants to abolish Route 66 Corridor Program
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma) is pushing for the dismantling of the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program in a publication about alleged government waste in the National Park System, "Parked! How Congress' Misplaced Priorities are Trashing Our National Treasures" (PDF file). In a section titled "Get Your Pork Fix on Route 66," the report says: The National … Continue reading Senator wants to abolish Route 66 Corridor Program
Frontier Motel in Truxton soon will have a new owner
The historic Frontier Motel in Truxton, Ariz., with its adjoining cafe and nearby bar and gas station, are under contract to soon be owned by a tour operator from New Zealand. Sam Murray, owner of Gilligan's Wild West Tours, said during a telephone interview the transfer of licenses through Mohave County is the only holdup … Continue reading Frontier Motel in Truxton soon will have a new owner
Gillioz Theatre has a new owner
The historic Gillioz Theatre in downtown Springfield, Mo., has a new owner, and it's not the local community college, as expected. According to the Springfield News-Leader, Springfield resident Robert Low, owner of the Prime Inc. trucking company, purchased the theater that sits on an old alignment of Route 66. Low also signed a lease agreement … Continue reading Gillioz Theatre has a new owner
Gillioz Theatre auction postponed; agreement reached
An auction planned Friday for the financially troubled Gillioz Theatre in downtown Springfield, Mo., was postponed at least a week amid a pending agreement. According to the Springfield News-Leader reported Friday: “The Board of the Springfield Landmarks Preservation Trust has reached a significant milestone today,” board president Philip Rothschild said in an emailed statement. “As a … Continue reading Gillioz Theatre auction postponed; agreement reached
Gillioz Theatre likely will be auctioned Friday
The historic Gillioz Theatre in downtown Springfield, Mo., is scheduled to go on the auction block on Friday, and a local college may be interested in buying it, according to the Springfield News-Leader. Hal Higdon, chancellor of Ozark Technical Community College, told the newspaper the college would buy the theater if "the price is right" … Continue reading Gillioz Theatre likely will be auctioned Friday
Preservation of historic Los Angeles bridge hits a wall
Proponents of an effort to keep a historic bridge in Los Angeles and make it a pedestrian span has hit a wall. Instead, the bridge likely will be demolished, according to a report in The Architect's Newspaper. The old Dayton Avenue Bridge (aka the Riverside-Figueroa Bridge), built in 1927 and improved in 1939, once carried Route … Continue reading Preservation of historic Los Angeles bridge hits a wall