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
Category: Preservation
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
Route 66 bridge booster named Citizen of the Year
From the Waynesville (Mo.) Daily Guide: The woman who began the drive to place vintage lighting on the Historic Route 66 bridge over the Roubidoux Creek in Waynesville has been named Citizen of the Year by the Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce. Charli Hartley, a lifelong resident of Waynesville, was nominated by All-American Security, a … Continue reading Route 66 bridge booster named Citizen of the Year
A look at the Gay Parita station
KOLR-TV in Springfield, Mo., has a story about Gary Turner's re-creation of the Gay Parita gas station on old Route 66 west of Springfield in a settlement called Paris Springs. Here are more photos of Gay Parita. There's a video link with the story. But buried in the story is this item that's not on … Continue reading A look at the Gay Parita station
Where memories live
April Wilkerson of the Shawnee (Okla.) News-Star paid a visit to the Route 66 Interpretive Center in Chandler, Okla., which is in the town's historic armory building. Check it out. And check out the interpretive center's Web site, too. It's been overhauled in a major way.
Saratoga Lanes named to National Register
Barely a block south of the Manchester Avenue alignment of Route 66 in the St. Louis area is Saratoga Lanes, an upstairs, eight-lane bowling alley that's been there since 1916. Yep, it predates the Mother Road. On Jan. 29, the Saratoga Lanes building was named to the National Register of Historic Places. Saratoga Lanes is … Continue reading Saratoga Lanes named to National Register
Company aims to restore vintage Route 66 motels
At roadie gatherings over the years, there's long been watercooler talk about the need for someone to buy up old Route 66 motels, renovate them to retain the old-time charm, yet offer amenities that modern travelers expect. It looks like Smalltown America Inns, Lodges and Motels aims to step into that role. Its motto is: … Continue reading Company aims to restore vintage Route 66 motels
Route 66 motels make Oklahoma’s most-endangered list
For the second straight year, Preservation Oklahoma named Route 66 motels on its list of the 15 Most Endangered Historic Places, reports the Daily Oklahoman. The list is just a sample of thousands of landmarks across the state in desperate need of attention and protection, Preservation Oklahoma spokesman Mark Beutler said in a prepared statement. … Continue reading Route 66 motels make Oklahoma’s most-endangered list
Lawsuit to force demolition of El Vado is dismissed
A few weeks ago, Richard L. Gonzales filed a lawsuit to force City of Albuquerque and its Landmarks and Urban Conservation Commission to issue a demolition permit for the historic El Vado Motel. Gonzales wants to raze the historic Route 66 motel so he can build luxury townhouses there, but he has been thwarted at … Continue reading Lawsuit to force demolition of El Vado is dismissed