The Desert Dispatch reports that San Bernardino County in California is seeking a federal grant to restore old bridges on the National Old Trails Road -- an early alignment of Route 66. The county applied for a $52 million stimulus grant to replace 130 bridges that were built between 1929 and 1931 on the old … Continue reading County seeks grant to restore wooden Route 66 bridges
Category: Preservation
A checkoff for the Mother Road?
Tucked into this business column by Tim Landis of the Springfield State Journal-Register is this fascinating little item: * ROUTE 66 now has its own Illinois income-tax checkoff. The checkoff for promotion and preservation of the historic route is among four signed into law last week by Gov. Pat Quinn. The others are for Habitat … Continue reading A checkoff for the Mother Road?
El Vado finally safeguarded by city of Albuquerque
The city of Albuquerque finally has gained ownership of the historic El Vado Motel along Route 66, and city officials are exploring ideas on what to do with it now, reports the Albuquerque Journal. Among the ideas are converting the property to a Route 66 neon museum, an artists' colony space, or even as a … Continue reading El Vado finally safeguarded by city of Albuquerque
Streetcar Diner will be moved
As expected, the historic Streetcar Diner on the old Riviera Roadhouse property has been donated to the village of Gardner, Ill., where it will be moved in the coming days, reported the Morris Daily Herald. Here's background about the diner, which no longer operates as a restaurant but was restored a few years ago as … Continue reading Streetcar Diner will be moved
Santo Domingo Trading Post gets $1 million restoration grant
The former Santo Domingo Trading Post along old Route 66 north of Albuquerque was awarded a $1 million federal grant from the Economic Development Administration to restore the property, reported the New Mexico Business Weekly. The trading post is on Kewa Pueblo, formerly called Santo Domingo. From the report: The trading post is adjacent to … Continue reading Santo Domingo Trading Post gets $1 million restoration grant
Santa Rosa scoops
I always enjoy the print edition of the Guadalupe County Communicator, based out of Santa Rosa, N.M., when it arrives in my mailbox each week. It's a lively newspaper owned by a former Rocky Mountain News reporter, and the fact it's on Route 66 is bonus. This week, the Communicator contained these items of interest … Continue reading Santa Rosa scoops
Red Cedar Inn to be converted into a business center
Today, the Washington Missourian provided a bit more clarity about what's happening to the closed Red Cedar Inn restaurant along Route 66 in Pacific, Mo. According to the newspaper, owner Jim Smith is turning it into the Historic Red Cedar Business Center. He's moving his real estate office in there, and other tenants will eventually … Continue reading Red Cedar Inn to be converted into a business center
Trying TV coverage to boost a bridge rehab
The Pulaski County Daily and Waynesville Daily Guide published stories within days of each other about Pulaski County's ongoing efforts to repair the decaying Devil's Elbow Bridge in the Route 66 hamlet of Devil's Elbow, Mo. The gist of it is: Jerry Plunkett, a local military contractor, is looking for a variety of ways to rehabilitate … Continue reading Trying TV coverage to boost a bridge rehab
La Posada will redevelop east grounds
A new project is being planned for the east grounds of the already-impressive La Posada hotel on Route 66 in Winslow, Ariz. According to an entry today on the hotel's Facebook page: For the last few months Allan Affeldt and his staff have been working on the development of a project that will transform the … Continue reading La Posada will redevelop east grounds
Is the depot suitable for Joplin museum?
A story in the Joplin Globe this week shed light on why officials with the Joplin Museum Complex are hesitating to endorse an idea to renovate the city's historic railroad depot and move the museum there. [T]he existing interior space is less than the current museum’s, he said, based on his staff’s measurements of the … Continue reading Is the depot suitable for Joplin museum?