Two neon signs along Albuquerque's Route 66 that received improvement grants are finished and two more are nearly done, according to a report by a TV station in the city. The Imperial Inn Motel sign at 701 Central Ave., which received a nearly $60,000 grant, and the Route 66 Barber sign at 5303 Central Ave., … Continue reading Status report given on 14 neon signs on Route 66 in Albuquerque that received grants
Category: Preservation
Restoration work begins on century-old jail in El Reno
Renovation work recently started on the century-old Canadian County Jail in El Reno, Oklahoma, so it eventually can reopen as a museum. Preservation El Reno, a nonprofit organization, is busy replacing the stone building's roof before starting on interior work, according to KOCO-TV in nearby Oklahoma City. The station reported: The estimated million-dollar project is … Continue reading Restoration work begins on century-old jail in El Reno
Arizona Libraries receives grant to digitize old newspapers along Route 66 corridor
Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, with the University of Arizona Libraries, recently landed a $319,588 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to digitize 100,000 pages of historical Arizona newspapers, especially along Route 66. According to Hoodline.com: In anticipation of Route 66's centennial in 2026, the project has set its sights on … Continue reading Arizona Libraries receives grant to digitize old newspapers along Route 66 corridor
Red Oak II owner plans to preserve historic La Grange School near Carthage
The owner of the Red Oak II complex near Carthage, Missouri, acquired the historic La Grange School and said plans to preserve the building that dates to the 1860s. The Joplin Globe reported Red Oak II owner Larry Syrnek bought the school and its one acre of land for $35,000 from a farmer who had … Continue reading Red Oak II owner plans to preserve historic La Grange School near Carthage
Tulsa Route 66 Neon Sign Grant Program hits five-year mark
The Route 66 Neon Sign Grant Program in Tulsa recently marked the fifth anniversary since the first sign restored by the program was delighted. Susan Yates, a resident of the area, on Facebook took note of the five-year mark since the sign at Billy Ray's BBQ & Catfish restaurant in west Tulsa was restored. You … Continue reading Tulsa Route 66 Neon Sign Grant Program hits five-year mark
Panel seeks to remodel Ilfeld-Johnson Warehouse, apply for Route 66 grant to boost Santa Rosa
The Guadalupe County Development Corporation's board plans $730,000 in renovations for the historic Ilfield-Johnson Warehouse in downtown Santa Rosa, New Mexico. Local officials also are applying for a grant from the New Mexico Route 66 Centennial Grant Program to improve business facades along Route 66. Longtime Route 66 News readers probably remember previous efforts to … Continue reading Panel seeks to remodel Ilfeld-Johnson Warehouse, apply for Route 66 grant to boost Santa Rosa
Are Muffler Men undergoing a big revival?
The short answer is yes. The Chicago Tribune a few days ago took a look at what one Route 66 advocate, Bill Thomas, called "a bit of a Renaissance" for the fiberglass giants, colloquially known as Muffler Men. The Muffler Men, made primarily by International Fiberglass in Venice, California, during the 1960s to the mid-1970s, … Continue reading Are Muffler Men undergoing a big revival?
Arizona Route 66 Association gives $25,000 grant for Hotel Beale facade improvements
The Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona recently awarded a $25,000 grant for facade improvements to the closed Hotel Beale, a landmark in Kingman, Arizona. Sarah Ferry, president of Kingman Main Street, stated in an email that her organization hired historical architect Bill Otwell and Johnny Stewart of Michael Taylor Architects in Prescott, Arizona, on … Continue reading Arizona Route 66 Association gives $25,000 grant for Hotel Beale facade improvements
New Oklahoma Route 66 grants go to Blue Whale improvements, giant dinosaur, neon projects
The Oklahoma Route 66 Commission announced more than $6.6 million in grants, including improvements to the Blue Whale in Catoosa, a 66-foot dinosaur in Tulsa and multiple neon-sign initiatives. The grants, initially reported by the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, cover 13 Route 66-related projects in the Sooner State. More about the grants can be found … Continue reading New Oklahoma Route 66 grants go to Blue Whale improvements, giant dinosaur, neon projects
Blue Hole in Santa Rosa to reopen on Aug. 30 for scuba and free diving
The landmark Blue Hole in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, will reopen on Aug. 30 for scuba diving and free diving after an underwater wall collapse prompted its closing for weeks. The City of Santa Rosa on Monday announced on Facebook the forthcoming reopening of diving at the site. The Blue Hole reopened to swimmers on … Continue reading Blue Hole in Santa Rosa to reopen on Aug. 30 for scuba and free diving