Expansion of El Garces project tentatively approved

The expansion of a parcel map for the El Garces rehabilitation project in Needles, Calif., was approved by the city's planning department, reported the Needles Desert Star. El Garces is a long-abandoned Harvey House that Alan Affeldt, the savior of La Posada in Winslow, Ariz., is working to restore. El Garces, when it is restored, … Continue reading Expansion of El Garces project tentatively approved

More about the historic stretch near Springfield

Route 66 News was the first to have this story a few days ago, but the Springfield (Ill.) Journal-Register has elaborated about an old stretch of Route 66 south of Lake Springfield being designated to the National Register of Historic Places. According to the nomination, the Springfield road was typical of two-lane, access highways in … Continue reading More about the historic stretch near Springfield

Checking in with the Rock

KOTV in Tulsa did a story about the Rock Cafe's imminent full-service reopening. The link to the video is here. It looks like the Route 66 restaurant in Stroud, Okla., is shooting for a Friday as its first day of full service, but it's not a certainty.

Old Route 66 near Lake Springfield named to National Register

A 1.3-mile stretch of old Route 66 south of Lake Springfield in Springfield, Ill., was named to the National Register of Historic Places effective May 12, reported the National Park Service in a weekly newsletter. The designation was expected after the state submitted its application to NPS. A story a few weeks ago from the … Continue reading Old Route 66 near Lake Springfield named to National Register

Meadow Gold glow

The dedication for the rebuilding of the historic Meadow Gold sign in Tulsa was Friday morning. However, the real treat was to come later, when night would fall on 11th Street and Quaker Avenue, and the sign's neon lighting would be revealed. Here it is ... Here's the view from the rear of the structure: … Continue reading Meadow Gold glow

Rock Cafe reopens to the public

The Rock Cafe in Stroud, Okla., reopened to the public for the first time Friday morning since being heavily damaged by a fire nearly a year ago. A couple of contractors need to finish work on the historic Route 66 restaurant, and owner Dawn Welch and her crew could offer only a very limited menu, … Continue reading Rock Cafe reopens to the public

More on the Palms Grill reopening

The Bloomington (Ill.) Pantagraph has more about the reopening of the long-closed, historic Palms Grill on Route 66 in Atlanta, Ill. Palm trees were first placed in the cafe by Atlanta resident Robert Adams, who opened the eatery in August 1934. Adams was inspired by palms he saw in California. Customers also get a taste … Continue reading More on the Palms Grill reopening

Kingman group raising money to restore signs

The fledgling Route 66 Association of Kingman has begun a silent auction as a fundraiser to restore neon signs that once graced the Mother Road in Kingman, Ariz. Kingman roadie Jim Hinckley passed along this information via e-mail: The organization has acquired and stored the City Cafe and Imperial Motel sign. A beautiful old Packard sales … Continue reading Kingman group raising money to restore signs

Why the historic 11th Street Bridge remains closed

KOTV in Tulsa filed a report about why the historic 11th Street Bridge remains closed to vehicles and pedestrians, even though it was originally envisioned as a centerpiece of Tulsa's Route 66. The answer has been answered here before -- namely, it was found later that rehabbing the bridge would have eaten up nearly all … Continue reading Why the historic 11th Street Bridge remains closed

Palms Grill resurrected

The historic Palms Grill Cafe in the Route 66 town of Atlanta, Ill., reopened last month after being shuttered for more than 30 years. I'm not sure who shot and edited this video of the Palms Grill operating again, but it's good. I hear a lot of folks complaining about how much Route 66 has … Continue reading Palms Grill resurrected