The Gallup (N.M.) Independent has a interview with 92-year-old Mary T. Montoya, who became a Harvey Girl at one of Gallup's Harvey Houses beginning in the 1930s. Here's the interesting part: The nationwide decline of rail travel led to the decline of the Harvey Houses, including Gallup’s. According to his recently published book “Fred Harvey … Continue reading Interview with a Harvey Girl
Category: Preservation
Update on Bristow Motor Co. fire
A month ago, a fire that started in the repair-shop area of Bolin Ford in Bristow, Okla., was believed to have destroyed the historic Bristow Motor Co. building that was part of the complex. For reasons that are too boring to recount here, I wasn't able to check the scene until Sunday. What I saw … Continue reading Update on Bristow Motor Co. fire
Atlanta’s Palms Grill should reopen by spring
The long-closed Palms Grill in downtown Atlanta, Ill., has been meticulously renovated its Route 66 glory days and should reopen by spring, reports the Peoria Journal-Star. The storefront restaurant has been restored according to a depiction in a photograph taken during the era when Johnson worked there as part of a new museum project of … Continue reading Atlanta’s Palms Grill should reopen by spring
Getting there
Construction on the new home of the historic Meadow Gold sign on Route 66 in Tulsa is progressing nicely. According to a release from the city, the support pavilion and metal truss system are scheduled to be completed by the end of the month. Re-erection of the Meadow Gold sign's restored neon letters will begin … Continue reading Getting there
Sen. Coburn’s response
It took a few weeks, but Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) finally responded to letters from roadies who implored him to reconsider his staunch opposition to a lands bill that contains legislation to reauthorize the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program for another 10 years. I received an e-mailed response a few days ago from Coburn, but … Continue reading Sen. Coburn’s response
Couple offers land for Braidwood depot
The City Council of Braidwood, Ill., is nearly set on buying a lot at 111 N. Center St. on which to move the town's historic railroad depot. However, according to the Braidwood Journal, Bob and Nancy Scamen are offering a piece of land that might be a tad more enticing: "My husband and I own … Continue reading Couple offers land for Braidwood depot
Meadow Gold sign will be re-erected next month
The Tulsa World today posted an update about the historic Meadow Gold sign on Route 66 in Tulsa, which was dismantled and put into storage several years ago after a local car dealership threatened to raze it. The new, brick pedestal on which the sign will sit is nearly done, and the re-erection of the … Continue reading Meadow Gold sign will be re-erected next month
Route 66 gains byway grants in New Mexico
A number of Route 66 projects in New Mexico received grants from the National Scenic Byways program, said Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) in a recent news release. The grants include: $62,400 – Tourist and Interpretive Information Center in the Ilfeld Warehouse along the Route 66 National Scenic Byway in Santa Rosa. $52,500 – Interpretive Information … Continue reading Route 66 gains byway grants in New Mexico
Tulsa art deco film airs tonight
If you live in or are traveling northeastern Oklahoma on Tuesday night, you may want to tune into KTUL-TV on Channel 8. That's when the station premieres Jack Frank's latest Tulsa historical film, "Tulsa Deco." Frank has produced two other acclaimed films about Tulsa's past, with much of the material coming from home movies or … Continue reading Tulsa art deco film airs tonight
Making new memories
During a workshop about how to best update a 16-year-old revitalization plan for Route 66 in New Mexico, someone brought up interesting comments (as reported by the Mountain View Telegraph): Whether people still get their kicks driving down Old Route 66 is the question asked by some people who attended a workshop sponsored by the … Continue reading Making new memories