Ed Klein of Route 66 World wants to restore the historic neon sign at the 66 Motel in Needles, Calif., to its former glory. So he's launched a Indiegogo fundraising drive at the Indiegogo site. Klein explained: The 66 Motel sign in Needles CA is one of THE most iconic signs along the famed highway. … Continue reading Fundraising campaign launched for 66 Motel sign
Category: Preservation
New Mexico Route 66 advocate Bob Audette dies
Bob Audette, 85, a longtime booster of Route 66 in New Mexico who was born about the same time the Mother Road was federally certified in 1926, died on March 19, according to an obituary at Riverside Funeral Home in Albuquerque. According to the funeral home, cremation will take place, and no services are planned. In … Continue reading New Mexico Route 66 advocate Bob Audette dies
Peach Springs gas station named to National Register
The John Osterman Gas Station on Route 66 in Peach Springs, Ariz., has been listed to the National Register of Historic Places effective March 15, according to an email Thursday from the National Park Service. According to Route 66 photographer and historian Quinta Scott: John Osterman was a Swedish sailor who landed in Peach Springs, … Continue reading Peach Springs gas station named to National Register
Sign on South Pasadena theater may be a safety hazard
City officials fear the vertical neon sign on the historic but closed Rialto Theatre in South Pasadena, Calif., may have come loose and could fall on somebody, reported the Los Angeles Times. The newspaper said: City building inspectors say they fear the blade-shaped sign may have been weakened in recent windstorms and could present a … Continue reading Sign on South Pasadena theater may be a safety hazard
El Trovatore Motel’s main neon sign is restored
https://youtu.be/FzE3YAZyxf0 Restoration work on the neon sign at El Trovatore Motel in Kingman, Ariz., was finished Thursday, reported owner Sam Frisher in an email. Here are photos of workers laboring over the sign: Also, Frisher gave this fascinating report about the work on El Trovatore Motel's tower sign on the back of the property: We … Continue reading El Trovatore Motel’s main neon sign is restored
Historic Sunset Boulevard house may face wrecking ball
One of the oldest homes on Sunset Boulevard (aka Route 66) in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles may be razed for redevelopment, according to a blog by the Echo Park Historical Society. The compound of cottages at 2225-2235 Sunset Blvd. (map here) is more than a century old. But the most significant part … Continue reading Historic Sunset Boulevard house may face wrecking ball
Santa Fe project will reuse two historic buildings
A mixed-use development in Santa Fe, N.M., will reuse two historic Route 66 buildings in the downtown area, with an estimated completion date of September, according to a news release Thursday. Below is an artist's rendering of the project: The project, called Luna, will start renovations this month. The release said: The initial phase will … Continue reading Santa Fe project will reuse two historic buildings
Future of Byways program looks somewhat brighter
The fate of the endangered National Scenic Byways Program looks more optimistic after the U.S. Senate on Wednesday easily passed a bipartisan two-year transportation bill, according to the New York Times and other news outlets. The bill would preserve the Byways program, of which Route 66 and other historic highways have been beneficiaries. However, according to three … Continue reading Future of Byways program looks somewhat brighter
Highland Park sign-relighting project wins award
The recent project that relighted two historic rooftop neon signs in the Highland Park neighborhood in Los Angeles has won a Highland Park Heritage Trust Award, according to a news release. The presentation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Franklin High School women's gym, at 820 N. Ave. 54 (map here) in … Continue reading Highland Park sign-relighting project wins award
Luna Lodge in Albuquerque soon will be reborn
The nonprofit NewLife Homes has scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony for noon March 23 for a project that will reuse the historic Luna Lodge motel in Albuquerque into a 30-unit mixed-use development and apartments for low-income families and special-needs people. The redevelopment will preserve the Luna Lodge's Pueblo-style architecture. The Luna, at 9119 Central Ave. (aka Route … Continue reading Luna Lodge in Albuquerque soon will be reborn