The fledgling national Route 66 Alliance is proposing making a national monument out of an area of Mojave Desert in Southern California to protect 70 miles of Route 66, reports the Press-Enterprise. According to the newspaper, the proposal would: -- Designate "Mother Road National Monument," which could be twice as big as Joshua Tree National … Continue reading Route 66 national monument proposed in Mojave
Category: Preservation
Lake Overholser Bridge to be repaired
The historic Lake Overholser Bridge, on an old alignment of Route 66 in the western edge of Oklahoma City, will eventually be rehabilitated without affecting its appearance. The Oklahoma Route 66 Association informed me that the bridge had been recently closed to traffic because it had deteriorated too much. However, a letter from David Wrights … Continue reading Lake Overholser Bridge to be repaired
Bridge near Vinita named to National Register
A 1926 bridge on Route 66 east of Vinita, Okla., was named to the National Register of Historic Places, effective March 4, according to a release sent today by the National Park Service. The bridge is over the Little Cabin Creek on what is also U.S. 60/69 east of town. I don't have a photo … Continue reading Bridge near Vinita named to National Register
Palms Grill to reopen next month
The historic Palms Grill on Route 66 in downtown Atlanta, Ill., will reopen in early April after extensive renovations, reported the Bloomington Pantagraph. The goal is to have as many 1930s and 1940s items as possible, as well as provide a place for locals and Route 66 travelers to share stories, said Bill Thomas, board … Continue reading Palms Grill to reopen next month
Rancho Cucamonga station may be designated a landmark
The abandoned Cucamonga Service Station on Route 66 in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., may be designated by the city as a historic landmark, reports the Contra Costa Times. The Planning Commission made the recommendation, and the City Council must approve the landmark status. Such designation would require the Mission-styled station have an extra layer of approval … Continue reading Rancho Cucamonga station may be designated a landmark
Bill to renew Route 66 program suffers setback
The Omnibus Public Lands Act, which contained a provision to renew the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program for another 10 years, suffered a setback when it fell two votes short of passage in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday. The bill was favored 282-144 in the House, but a procedural tactic by Democrats required … Continue reading Bill to renew Route 66 program suffers setback
Mark your calendars
An e-mailed update from the City of Tulsa today says that Claude Neon Federal Signs will begin re-erecting the neon-festooned letters of the historic Meadow Gold sign at 11th Street and Quaker Avenue in Tulsa on April 6. Claude estimates it will take about a week to completely install those letters. So, in about a … Continue reading Mark your calendars
Route 66 makes Preservation Oklahoma’s most-endangered list
Preservation Oklahoma this week placed Route 66 resources on its 2009 list of the state's most endangered historic places. The group said: Mom-and-pop motor courts, tourist cabins, restaurants, neon signs , roadbeds and bridges are all part of the Route 66 structures that sprang up in the 1920s. Today, many have gone out of business … Continue reading Route 66 makes Preservation Oklahoma’s most-endangered list
Meadow Gold sign update
It looks like the main structure for the re-erection of the historic Meadow Gold sign in Tulsa is nearly complete. I e-mailed Dennis Whitaker in the City of Tulsa's Planning Department and asked about the status of the sign. This is a partial reply I received Wednesday: Yes, the structure is pretty much done. There … Continue reading Meadow Gold sign update
Painted Desert Inn photos wanted
Some roadies with photo archives might be able to help with this project. From the Examiner.com: Petrified Forest National Park is looking for photos taken at the Painted Desert Inn during the 1940s and 1950s. Specifically, the park is looking for any photos that show the soda fountain counter and stools in what was known … Continue reading Painted Desert Inn photos wanted