The Tulsa Preservation Commission says the National Park Service will present a Historic Register plaque to the Vickery Phillips 66 service station at Sixth and Elgin streets in Tulsa at 10 a.m. Thursday. The restoration of this historic landmark has taken place over the last year by Michael Sager with the assistance of a Route … Continue reading Tulsa filling station project will be honored
Category: Preservation
Long to-do list for Illinois State Fairgrounds
The Springfield Journal-Register has a lengthy and sometimes-depressing report about long-overdue repairs at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in town. A prominent alignment of Route 66 runs next to the grounds. Whether the repairs are done is dependent on whether the legislature adopts the governor's budget, which includes money for the fixes. In the meantime: The … Continue reading Long to-do list for Illinois State Fairgrounds
More publicity for retro motel chain
YourHub.com, a weekly publication for the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain news, has published an article about the fledgling Smalltown America chain in Centennial, Colo., that seeks to restore vintage motels along Route 66. The article rehashes a lot of what was already reported in Route 66 News, but adds a number of photos plus … Continue reading More publicity for retro motel chain
Impatience grows over Eagle Hotel
A recent report in the Joliet Herald News indicates that members of the Wilmington (Ill.) City Council are growing weary about the lack of progress in the rehabilitation of the 171-year-old Eagle Hotel on Route 66 in Wilmington. Owner Bill Scales wants to convert the historic hotel into an upscale restaurant and hotel. He says … Continue reading Impatience grows over Eagle Hotel
Progress report on De Anza Motel
Five years ago, the City of Albuquerque purchased the historic De Anza Motel on Route 66 after proposal surfaced to replace it with a drug and liquor store. The city hoped to have it reopened as a boutique motel by now. But progress has been slow, reports the Albuquerque Tribune. It took the city until … Continue reading Progress report on De Anza Motel
History of the “Patel motels”
Although there is a link to the Route 66 Pulse newspaper on the side of this site (and vice versa), I don't often link to their stories because there's a lot of redundancy there. Route 66 News often reports news on the Mother Road first because the Internet allows nearly instantaneous coverage; Route 66 Pulse … Continue reading History of the “Patel motels”
The forgotten graveyards of Route 66
Ron Paschall, writing for The Desert Sun in Palm Springs, Calif., makes an impassioned plea that someone, anyone help preserve the long-forgotten graveyards along Route 66 in the Mojave Desert. The Mother Road's cemeteries lay in a state of disrepair. Located on lonely hillsides, out of sight of the few cars that still travel the … Continue reading The forgotten graveyards of Route 66
City may seize El Vado property
The City of Albuquerque is offering $680,000 to buy El Vado Motel from owner Richard L. Gonzales, who wants to raze it and put up luxury townhouses. If the offer is rejected, the city intends to condemn the historic Route 66 property and seize it from Gonzales to save it from demolition, reports the Albuquerque … Continue reading City may seize El Vado property
Future of Wilmington hotel turns iffy again
The owner of the circa-1837 Eagle Hotel in downtown Wilmington, Ill., is asking for yet another extension on his city contract, reports the Joliet Herald News. Bill Scales, who owns the building, has asked for another 18 months after his current five-year pact expires. The Ottawa developer had agreed to purchase the building for $45,000 … Continue reading Future of Wilmington hotel turns iffy again
El Vado back before Landmarks commission
Here's an e-mail from Ed Boles, historic preservation planner for the City of Albuquerque, that was sent Friday: This coming Wednesday, the El Vado Motel owner's application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for demolition will be heard again by the City of Albuquerque Landmarks and Urban Conservation Commission. The application was remanded to the LUCC … Continue reading El Vado back before Landmarks commission