This Friday at noon, after 50 years underground, a 1957 Plymouth Belvedere will be unearthed from a time capsule at Sixth Street and Denver Avenue in downtown Tulsa, Okla. Later that day, the Belvedere will be unveiled before an audience at the Tulsa Convention Center and live on television and the Internet. The car was … Continue reading Get out the shovels
Category: Preservation
More of The Mill may be preserved
In a Springfield (Ill.) Journal-Register story about the city of Lincoln's attempt to revive The Mill, a dilapidated, long-closed restaurant on Route 66, there is some good news: Now, the foundation chairman says more of the structure can be saved than was first thought, including the original portion of the building. “It’s in better shape … Continue reading More of The Mill may be preserved
Route 66, Iraq historical sites named most threatened
As threatened as Route 66's historical sites are, it at least it has one thing in its favor: The country in which they are located is not at war. The World Monuments Fund today included Iraq archaeological sites and Route 66 on its 2008 watch list of 100 threatened sites around the globe. The group … Continue reading Route 66, Iraq historical sites named most threatened
Needles hopes for more rail tourism
The Route 66 town of Needles, Calif., hopes that its future includes more railroad tourists after its historic Harvey House, El Garces, is restored by a team that refurbished another Harvey House in Winslow, Ariz., reports the Reuters wire service. A number of towns like Needles, which based much of its business on Route 66 … Continue reading Needles hopes for more rail tourism
Hillbilly sign returns at Mule Trading Post
The Mule Trading Post near Rolla, Mo., blessed by energetic new owners, tracked down an old hillbilly sign that once graced the Hillbilly Store and brought it back from the dead, reports the Rolla Daily News. The hillbilly sign now stands in front of a new tobacco barn they opened Memorial Day weekend, just next … Continue reading Hillbilly sign returns at Mule Trading Post
Now, THIS is restoration
These photos show why Illinois Route 66 preservationists John and Lenore Weiss won a prestigious Steinbeck Award a few years ago during the annual Route 66 awards dinner. This is a "before" shot of the long-neglected Art's Motel and Restaurant sign on Route 66 in Farmersville, Ill. This is a shot after the Illinois Route … Continue reading Now, THIS is restoration
Wayside Motel
Last weekend, on the way back to Tulsa from Illinois, I stayed overnight in the Wayside Motel at 7800 Watson Road (Route 66) in the St. Louis suburb of Marlborough, Mo. (map is here.) According to the late Skip Curtis' well-researched book, "The Missouri Route 66 Tour Book," the Wayside was built in 1940. It's … Continue reading Wayside Motel
Rebirth of old motels
This article from Travel + Leisure doesn't have any Route 66 content, but the stories about creative and driven owners who took over forlorn motels and turned them into unique attractions is required reading for anyone thinking about buying and rehabbing a vintage Route 66 motel. It's something that Bill Kinder at the Blue Swallow … Continue reading Rebirth of old motels
Route 66 Festival notes
The National Route 66 Festival is coming up in a few weeks in Clinton, Okla., on June 21-24, and here are a few items related to that event: -- The Oklahoma Route 66 Association is sponsoring a hands-on historic preservation project at the former Ray's Motel at 720 S. Eighth St. in Clinton from 11 … Continue reading Route 66 Festival notes
Rose Bowl back in the pink
As predicted here a few weeks ago,the Rose Bowl in Tulsa has been repainted back to some semblance of its original pink color, eschewing the red, white, blue and purple colors that it sported briefly before it closed, reports KOTV. Chris Whinery of Whinery Mortgage is the owner of the Rose Bowl, which was built … Continue reading Rose Bowl back in the pink