About 30 volunteers gathered Saturday to mow, clear brush, and gather up debris at the long-neglected Teepee Drive-In theater, located on the old Ozark Trail alignment of Route 66 west of Sapulpa, Okla. A few weeks ago, Florida resident Russell Glenn of Starz Inc. announced he had acquired the property, which screened its last movie … Continue reading So begins the Teepee’s revival
Category: Preservation
Tulsa’s home of orphaned neon signs
In case you're wondering what happened to the neon signs at Route 66 businesses in Tulsa that went kaput, chances are good you'll find them at the Stokely Event Center. According to this report on KOTV, the signs from the 66 Motel, Metro Diner, and Swinney Hardware are here:
El Trovatore Motel’s grand re-opening starts Thursday
The grand re-opening of El Trovatore Motel in Kingman, Ariz., begins Thursday and ends Sunday with special room rates of $7.66 a night on a no-reservations, first-come, first-serve basis, plus other specials. According to the motel's news release: We reached this room rate of $7.66 since originally when the El Trovatore was first opened in … Continue reading El Trovatore Motel’s grand re-opening starts Thursday
Work soon will begin to help preserve Meramec River bridge
Work may start as soon as next month to remove the decking from the closed Meramec River (aka Route 66) bridge at Route 66 State Park near Eureka, Mo., near the site of the abandoned town of Times Beach. The Suburban Journals reported: The goal is to take weight off the structure, keeping the 80-year-old … Continue reading Work soon will begin to help preserve Meramec River bridge
Route 66 News, catch-up edition
I've been out of town for about 10 days traveling Route 66 and more. Here are the stories from the Mother Road that broke while I was away ... --- The biggest news was the announcement that the historic Aztec Hotel in Monrovia, Calif., would undergo extensive renovations with its new owners, reported the Monrovia … Continue reading Route 66 News, catch-up edition
Volunteers repaint Paul Bunyan statue in Illinois
Volunteers from the Illinois Route 66 Association this weekend repainted the 19-foot-tall Paul Bunyan fiberglass statue on Route 66 in downtown Atlanta, Ill., reported the Bloomington Pantagraph. The newspaper reported that help came from Michigan and Iowa, as well as the Land of Lincoln. “I’m impressed by what people want to do to help,” said … Continue reading Volunteers repaint Paul Bunyan statue in Illinois
Historic Route 66 church being moved to winery
The bad news is preservationists' efforts to keep a historic stone church in the Rock Hill, Mo., area were stymied. The good news is that the church will be reassembled at winery in Warren County, Mo. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, preservationists wanted to move the 1845 Rock Hill Presbyterian Church and adjacent Fairfax … Continue reading Historic Route 66 church being moved to winery
Sapulpa drive-in theater may reopen by summer
A Florida-based company is set to reopen the long-closed Tee Pee Drive-In theater along the Ozark Trail alignment of Route 66 in Sapulpa, Okla., reported the Sapulpa Daily Herald. The newspaper said: “I hope the town embraces it,” said Russell Glenn of Stars, LLC, the Florida company that restores historic American theaters. “It’s a good thing … Continue reading Sapulpa drive-in theater may reopen by summer
De Anza rehab will begin in July
The long-awaited rejuvenation of the long-closed De Anza Motor Lodge in Albuquerque will begin in a matter of weeks, reported the New Mexico Business Weekly today. Several developers of the historic Route 66 property have come and gone. But the latest, Rob Dickson, reportedly has set a construction start for July with the $4.3 million … Continue reading De Anza rehab will begin in July
Historic Steak ‘n Shake nominated to National Register
The Steak 'n Shake restaurant at 1158 E. St. Louis St. in Springfield, Mo., has been nominated to the National Register of Historic Places, according to KOLR / KOZL. Owner Gary Leonard has been part of the restaurant nearly as long as it existed: "I came down here with the family in 1973 and started working … Continue reading Historic Steak ‘n Shake nominated to National Register