On Friday evening, spectators witnessed a sight that had never before been seen in the nearly 40-year history of the Blue Whale of Catoosa, Okla. -- the Route 66 landmark was decorated for Christmas. Volunteers with Catoosa Arts and Tourism spent the past few weeks stringing LED lights along the Blue Whale, its souvenir stand, … Continue reading Blue Whale Christmas
Category: Preservation
Streetcar Diner’s new home
I received this e-mail today from Route 66 preservationist John Weiss: The Streetcar Diner that was behind the Riviera has been moved onto its new space on the grounds of the two-cell jail in downtown Gardner. Before the move it was stripped down, sanded and primed by members of the Illinois Route 66 Preservation Committee. The major … Continue reading Streetcar Diner’s new home
Savior of Chicken Boy honored by governor
A team that saved a gigantic Chicken Boy mascot that once graced a restaurant in downtown Los Angeles will be given the 2010 Governor’s Historic Preservation award, according to a report in Blogdowntown.com, a blog about downtown L.A. The 22-foot-tall fiberglass man-chicken on top of the Chicken Boy restaurant on Broadway between Fourth and Fifth streets … Continue reading Savior of Chicken Boy honored by governor
First Dairy Queen designated a landmark
The building that housed the first Dairy Queen restaurant, located along old Route 66 in Joliet, Ill., has been designated a local landmark by the city council, reported The Herald-News. The two-story brick storefront at 501 N. Chicago St. (map and Google Street View image here) now houses a local church, but is little-changed otherwise. … Continue reading First Dairy Queen designated a landmark
Route 66 Center in Webb City opens
The Route 66 Center, located in a renovated gas station in Webb City, Mo., opened during a ceremony on Tuesday morning. The Webb City Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting at the station, located near Main and Broadway in downtown. Here are a few photos of the building and the interior during the event: You … Continue reading Route 66 Center in Webb City opens
Webb City’s Route 66 Center opens Tuesday
The Route 66 Center that's being built in a vintage gas station in downtown Webb City, Mo., will open Tuesday morning, reported the Joplin Globe. The building one block west of Main Street on Broadway will house a shop of Webb City and Route 66 merchandise, a display room, a meeting room, and an office. … Continue reading Webb City’s Route 66 Center opens Tuesday
Another dressed-up station in Tucumcari
Here's another closed gas station in Tucumcari, N.M., that's been repainted to help dress up the town a bit. This station, which is nearly finished, is made up to look like a petrol stop from the long-defunct Whiting Bros. chain. Richard Talley, owner of the Motel Safari and one of the volunteers in this townwide … Continue reading Another dressed-up station in Tucumcari
Munger Moss Motel sign refurbished
Here's what the newly reconditioned neon sign for the Munger Moss Motel in Lebanon, Mo., looks like now, after a relighting ceremony on Saturday night. The elaborate sign never actually went dark. But it was showing its age, as this photo from last year displays. Some of the neon tubes or bulbs had broken, shorted, … Continue reading Munger Moss Motel sign refurbished
Springfield, Mo., will renovate town square
The city of Springfield, Mo., will begin renovations on its Park Central Square in downtown after a 4 p.m. Friday ceremony to restore it to the original 1970s design by acclaimed urban architect Lawrence Halprin, according to a news release from the city. The square is where various Route 66 alignments on East St. Louis … Continue reading Springfield, Mo., will renovate town square
Group asks for nominations of endangered roadside places
The Society for Commercial Archaeology is seeking nominations for its Falling by the Wayside: Ten Endangered Roadside Places list for 2011, according to an e-mail from the group today. Some information from the press release: Roadside places eligible for inclusion will be those that fall within the scope of SCA's stated interests and mission:architectural elements … Continue reading Group asks for nominations of endangered roadside places