The historic Nat Ballroom in Amarillo, Texas, reopened this past weekend after months of renovations and repairs. KFDA-TV in Amarillo has a story: According to the Amarillo Globe-News, Kasey Robinson, who owns The Nest gift shop in the city's Sixth Avenue district (aka Route 66), bought the property and has turned it into an antiques mall. … Continue reading The Nat reopens in Amarillo
Category: Preservation
Design students help owner of historic gas station
A group of design students provided concepts for the owner of the historic Sprague Super Service station in Normal, Ill., reported the Bloomington Pantagraph. It's an understatement to say the station's owner was pleased with the designs: Illinois State University design students brought tears to Terri Ryburn’s eyes Wednesday when they presented concepts for three … Continue reading Design students help owner of historic gas station
Revisiting the Red Cedar Inn
Last weekend, the owners of the Red Cedar Inn in Pacific, Mo., held an open house for the closed Route 66 landmark for potential buyers. Route 66 Realtors, which is listing the property, posted a slideshow from the event. It might take some folks down memory lane: https://youtu.be/II4EUk-9CLc The restaurant opened in 1934 at 1047 East … Continue reading Revisiting the Red Cedar Inn
Kansas governor will appear at Route 66 byway ceremony
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback will attend the Saturday ceremony in which Route 66 in Kansas will be designated a historic byway, according KODE/KSN-TV. Brownback will sign the byway proclamation at 1 p.m. at the historic Marsh Arch Bridge, aka Rainbow Bridge, near Riverton, Kan. Map to the bridge is here. The public is invited. The … Continue reading Kansas governor will appear at Route 66 byway ceremony
Preservationists concerned by Aztec Hotel’s impending renovations
The historic Aztec Hotel in Monrovia, Calif.. is closed for renovations. Ordinarily, this would be good news for a distinctive structure built in 1924 and probably needs the work. However, preservationists fret that the work will endanger the hotel's listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The San Gabriel Valley Tribune reported: The work is … Continue reading Preservationists concerned by Aztec Hotel’s impending renovations
From the precipice to revitalization
This new Cronkite News Service video explains how El Trovatore Motel in Kingman, Ariz., went from the brink of foreclosure to rapid revitalization: https://vimeo.com/40966348 For more about the motel's sign restorations, go here and here.
Red Cedar Inn up for sale again
The Red Cedar Inn, a famous Route 66 restaurant in Pacific, Mo., that closed in 2005, apparently is on the sale block again. The Smith family, owners of the property, announced an open house from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, according to the Washington Missourian. The newspaper reported: “Since it has been remodeled it’s a completely … Continue reading Red Cedar Inn up for sale again
Plan for closed Joliet church includes a Route 66 visitors center
The plan for a long-closed church in downtown Joliet, Ill., includes converting it into senior-citizen housing and creating a visitors center for Route 66 travelers, according to the Chicago Tribune and the Joliet Herald-News. Developer Scott Henry on Wednesday laid out a $20 million plan for the St. Mary Carmelite Church. It will be renamed The Limestone … Continue reading Plan for closed Joliet church includes a Route 66 visitors center
A tour of the Wigwam Motel
A program titled "Inland Empire Explorer" gets a walk-through of the historic Wigwam Motel on Route 66 in Rialto, Calif. It's a good video: https://youtu.be/hgCHrrXUPTo "Inland Empire Explorer" airs on a PBS affiliate, KVCR, and on several cable-access stations in the Los Angeles area.
Nighttime at the Donut Drive-In
San Jose State professor and long-avowed roadie Andrew Wood recently completed a Route 66 trip, and posted this video of the neon sign at night at the Donut Drive-In in St. Louis. https://youtu.be/n8EXC89BIzA The Donut Drive-In's sign was restored in 2008 with the help of a grant from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. And … Continue reading Nighttime at the Donut Drive-In