A few days ago, a listing in the Bloomington Pantagraph announced that the McLean Depot Train Shop had opened at 200 E. Dixie Road (aka Route 66) in the old railroad depot building in McLean, Ill. If another old railroad depot on Route 66 had been converted to a business of selling model trains, I'm not … Continue reading Old McLean depot features model train shop
Category: Preservation
A look inside a historic gas station in Depew
For years, we'd seen a long-closed gas station along the 1926 alignment of Route 66 in downtown Depew, Okla. Drive belts and other automotive parts could be seen through the windows, like it'd been frozen in time from another era. Last weekend, while cruising past the station, we saw a man unlock the gas station's … Continue reading A look inside a historic gas station in Depew
Historic Albuquerque theater gets $1 million donation
The Hiland Theatre in Albuquerque received a $1 million donation from a foundation to help restore the historic theater along Central Avenue (aka Route 66), according to the Albuquerque Journal. The gift came from the Sydney & Andrew Davis Foundation. With that, the National Dance Institute of New Mexico has received $10.5 million of the $13 … Continue reading Historic Albuquerque theater gets $1 million donation
A blast of steam from the past at Tucumcari
The Route 66 town of Tucumcari, N.M., got a rare treat -- the Union Pacific Railroad's "Living Legend" No. 844 steam engine making a stop at during the dedication and reopening of its historic train depot. Tucumcari was the first stop for the historic steam engine. The ongoing restoration of the depot is Tucumcari MainStreet's … Continue reading A blast of steam from the past at Tucumcari
Old gas station converted into art gallery
A former Sinclair gas station that was built in 1923 in Cuba, Mo., has been converted into the Spirals Gallery & Studio, according to a story in the Cuba Free Press. Merry Brewer Cloer and her husband Adam renovated the "ramshackle" Don's Sinclair Station at 502 E. Washington Blvd. (aka Route 66). Spirals opened in … Continue reading Old gas station converted into art gallery
A closer look at Lincoln’s Ghost Bridge
Alas, the Decatur (Ill.) Herald & Review didn't post this until after the event. But this video shows the legendary Ghost Bridge of Route 66 in Lincoln, Ill., and the Ghost Bridge Walk that became a fundraiser for The Mill in Lincoln. https://youtu.be/esCesCUTJMY
Former Firestone station will reopen Nov. 21
The former Bristow Firestone Service Station building on Route 66 in Bristow, Okla., will hold its grand reopening from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 21, according to a news release from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. At noon that day, officials from the program will present a plaque to owner Jack Longacre, who … Continue reading Former Firestone station will reopen Nov. 21
Boots Motel volunteer day set to mark Route 66’s birthday
NOTE: The date of the work day has been changed from Friday, Nov. 11, to Saturday, Nov. 12, in an effort to gain more participation. The new owners of the Boots Motel in Carthage, Mo., have set Saturday, Nov. 12, as a volunteer day to help clean and read the Route 66 landmark for winter. … Continue reading Boots Motel volunteer day set to mark Route 66’s birthday
A tour of the Campbell Hotel
Recently, the owners of the Campbell Hotel along Route 66 in Tulsa offered me and Emily (aka Redforkhippie) a tour of the historic building. Last week, we took them up on their offer. We had toured the hotel in May during the Tulsa's annual Designer Showcase. However, that was when the hotel was dolled up … Continue reading A tour of the Campbell Hotel
Santa Fe motel will be converted into low-income housing
The historic Stage Coach Motor Inn along Cerrillos Road (aka Route 66) in Santa Fe, N.M., soon will be converted into a lower-income housing complex, according to the Albuquerque Journal. The Housing Trust of Santa Fe will begin renovating the motel in January. Plans call for revamping the inn’s three buildings into 15 studios apartments … Continue reading Santa Fe motel will be converted into low-income housing