A few weeks ago, it was announced the reopening of the historic Lake Overholser Bridge to traffic would be on Oct. 11. According to an invitation received in the mail today, the City of Oklahoma City announced the reopening ceremony will be at 2 p.m. that day. The invitation indicates that Mayor Mick Cornett and … Continue reading Time of Lake Overholser Bridge reopening is set
Category: Preservation
Follow the red brick road
Here's section of red-brick Route 66 near Auburn, Ill.: https://youtu.be/T8HXPvr_TDg This section was built in the 1930s north of town, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In the video, it appears road crews are doing work at a low spot, which does flood frequently during rains.
Is The Mill haunted?
I doubt it. But a Spirit of Tours ghost-investigation event on Oct. 8 at the Route 66 landmark in Lincoln, Ill., is bound to be entertaining, reported the Lincoln Courier. Spirit of Tours, based in nearby Bloomington, wants to check out The Mill, a 1929 restaurant that's being renovated for future use as a tourism … Continue reading Is The Mill haunted?
Relighting date of Luna Cafe sign announced
The official relighting ceremony of a refurbished Luna Cafe neon sign in Mitchell, Ill., will be about 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 22, according to organizers. That time is approximate, depending on how cloudy it is at dusk. According to data from sunrisesunset.com, sunset in nearby Granite City on that date is 6:14 p.m. So plan accordingly. From … Continue reading Relighting date of Luna Cafe sign announced
Chandler Phillips 66 station named to National Register
The historic Phillips 66 station along Route 66 in Chandler, Okla., was named to the National Register of Historic Places effective Sept. 8, according to an email from the National Park Service. The station, built in 1930, has been owned by Bill Fernau since 1997, and he's been steadily restoring it in exacting detail … Continue reading Chandler Phillips 66 station named to National Register
Open house at the Boots Motel, pre-renovation
When we went Sunday afternoon to the open house at the Boots Motel in Carthage, Mo., tour guide Ron Hart of the Route 66 Chamber of Commerce said about 500 people had already visited the historic Route 66 business over the weekend -- a number that astounded him and the motel's new owners. The open house … Continue reading Open house at the Boots Motel, pre-renovation
A tour of the Boots Motel
This excellent video by blogger Ace Jackalope was shot during this weekend's open house of the Boots Motel in Carthage, Mo. https://youtu.be/dq7_uT-NIEE Ron Hart of the Route 66 Chamber of Commerce is the one showing Ace around one of the motel's rooms -- and the tunnel system underneath. Sisters Priscilla Bledsaw and Debye Harvey bought the … Continue reading A tour of the Boots Motel
Three Route 66 sites receive Tulsa Preservation awards
Three sites on Route 66 in Tulsa were among the 13 honored today by the Tulsa Preservation Commission's Outreach Committee, according to an article in the Tulsa World. The annual awards are given to projects that "demonstrate good stewardship of a historic resource, increase awareness and access to a historic resource, or save a historic … Continue reading Three Route 66 sites receive Tulsa Preservation awards
Notes from the road
I've got a few short items that I need to pass along. One is that the 100th Meridian Museum in Erick, Okla., received a new paint job a few weeks ago. The museum can be seen pre-face-lift here. Locals told us it was repainted by Jimmy Webb -- a local painter, not the famous songwriter who … Continue reading Notes from the road
From eyesore to eyeful
Ed Klein at Route 66 World made a very good video about the recent repainting of an abandoned gas station in Tucumcari, N.M., into an old-time Phillips 66 station. https://youtu.be/EaXNYHfwid0 I've been told that the Tucumcari volunteers will repaint another building in the coming weeks.