The Lincoln Daily News has posted a few photos from the 80th-anniversary celebration of The Mill in Lincoln, Ill. The re-enactors of old characters at the mostly restored Route 66 restaurant are a hoot. I didn't know the place had an association with gangster Al Capone. The main story is here. A lot of interesting … Continue reading Going through The Mill
Category: Preservation
Historic status sought for Lamplighter property
A portion of the Inn of the Lamplighter, a longtime social gathering spot and an oasis for Route 66 travelers in Springfield, Ill., is going to be nominated as a historic landmark, reports the Springfield Journal-Register. This week a group of residents at the Route 66 landmark-turned-condos begins the work of putting a piece of … Continue reading Historic status sought for Lamplighter property
Tulsa restaurant refurbishing neon sign
Tulsa roadie Brad Nickson dropped me an e-mail about El Rancho Grande, the longest-surviving restaurant on 11th Street, aka Route 66, in Tulsa. Nickson said the owner is giving a face-lift to its distinctive and vintage neon sign. The neon is off and the re-painting is almost complete. Owner (John) said it should have the … Continue reading Tulsa restaurant refurbishing neon sign
New Mexico woman earns prestigious preservation honor
Patty Guggino of Los Lunas, N.M., on Monday earned the prestigious Historic Preservation Medal from the Daughters of the American Revolution. She is the first resident of New Mexico to win the honor, and only the 16th in the United States, according to a report in the Valencia County News-Bulletin. The DAR Historic Preservation Medal … Continue reading New Mexico woman earns prestigious preservation honor
Notes from the road
--- The bad news in Oklahoma is that the state's turnpike authority will raise toll-road prices an average of 16 percent. The good news is that this probably means more traffic on old Route 66 in the Sooner State. --- On Monday we briefly visited with Dawn Welch, owner of the Rock Cafe in Stroud, … Continue reading Notes from the road
Let’s celebrate The Mill’s 80th year
The Mill, a former restaurant on Route 66 in Lincoln, Ill., will mark its 80th anniversary on July 25 with several events, reports the Springfield Journal-Register. Route 66 Heritage Foundation of Logan County is hosting the festivities that day, beginning at noon. Music and food will be served beginning at 1 p.m., with an informal … Continue reading Let’s celebrate The Mill’s 80th year
Profile of a roadie
The Wichita Falls (Texas) Times Record News has a story about Mark Potter of Vernon, Texas, who's been a longtime aficionado of Route 66. His credits include stories written for the Route 66 Pulse and the Route 66 Federation News and an appearance in the History Channel's "Modern Marvels." But what I've found most interesting … Continue reading Profile of a roadie
Kingman association gets grant to restore sign
The Kingman Route 66 Association announced Monday that it has received a $10,000 matching grant from the city to restore a Packard neon sign (seen in a vintage photo above) at the Old Trails Garage in downtown. The money also will be used to restore an original glass-top gas pump near the garage. The group … Continue reading Kingman association gets grant to restore sign
This old road
This is a section of a very old alignment of Route 66 that goes through Petrified Forest National Park in eastern Arizona. It was the Mother Road until 1961. An information kiosk right off the park's main road tells about Route 66 through there. But veteran roadies, guided by the no-longer-used telephone poles, can see … Continue reading This old road
A good day to tour Land of Lincoln
If you live in northern Illinois or are driving through it on Sunday, you're going to have the chance of seeing some unusual things on the Mother Road. The historic railroad depot of Braidwood, Ill., will be moved from its current spot at Illinois 53 (aka Route 66) and Illinois 113 to Main and Center … Continue reading A good day to tour Land of Lincoln