There's been a lot of discussion on the Internet about the Associated Press story about neglected historic motels along Route 66. Yesterday came this plea on the Route 66 yahoogroup from Bob Kelley, owner of the Grand Motel in Williams, Ariz.: I have seen the same problems others have that own older Route 66 motels. … Continue reading Preservation — $2 at a time
Category: Preservation
Route 66 Interpretive Center opens
The Daily Oklahoman has a story about the new Route 66 Interpretive Center in Chandler, which opened Saturday in an old National Guard Armory. For more on the Armory restoration, check out our earlier sneak preview.
Route 66 Motels
A Dallas-based CBS affiliate filed a nice report today on Oklahoma's Route 66 motels, which recently made Preservation Oklahoma's 2007 Most Endangered Places List. The piece -- which mentions the Riviera Courts in Miamia, the Chelsea Motel and Chelsea Motor Inn in Chelsea, Elm's Motel in Claremore, the Cotton Boll Motel in Canute, and the … Continue reading Route 66 Motels
Story of the Blue Dome
Tulsa has an area in downtown called the Blue Dome District -- an area of up-and-coming restaurants, taverns, businesses and residential lofts. The district's namesake is a blue-domed Gulf Oil station, built in 1924 on what became an early alignment of Route 66 through Tulsa. According to this article in Urban Tulsa, it was the … Continue reading Story of the Blue Dome
Arcadia angst
I've read this story several times from the San Gabriel Valley (Calif.) Tribune, and I think I now have a grasp on it. It deals with a historic Route 66 restaurant called Rod's Grill, a car dealership and the residents of Arcadia, Calif. Rusnak Mercedes-Benz wanted the city to seize property on which Rod's Grill … Continue reading Arcadia angst
El Vado owner, city go into negotiations
An article in the Albuquerque Journal says that the city and El Vado Motel owner Richard Gonzales have entered talks to settle their spat over the historic Route 66 property: City officials and the old Route 66 tourist court owner, Richard L. Gonzales, are pursuing "settlement negotiations," according to a letter from Planning Director Richard … Continue reading El Vado owner, city go into negotiations
Miami’s historic Marathon station
Here's a photo of the 1929 Marathon service station in Miami, Okla., that I mentioned a couple days ago. The City of Miami wants to restore it. Amanda Davis at the Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau was kind enough to e-mail a photo of it. Apparently a Marathon station this old is very rare. It's … Continue reading Miami’s historic Marathon station
Dwight gas station becomes a welcome center
A few days ago, we noted a dedication ceremony for the completed restoration of the historic Ambler's Texaco Station on Route 66 in Dwight, Ill. Now, as the Bloomington Pantagraph reports, the Ambler's station no longer pumps gas, but has settled into a new role as a welcome center for Route 66 travelers and other … Continue reading Dwight gas station becomes a welcome center
Historic gas station will reopen as a B&B
Terri Ryburn's parents drove Route 66 from Bloomington, Ill., to California when she was 5 years old. She never forgot that exciting experience. She since has driven the length of the road several times. Her history doctorate focused on Route 66 tourism efforts. She's written several books about the Mother Road. Now she's the owner … Continue reading Historic gas station will reopen as a B&B
Lake Overholser Bridge may become pedestrian-only
First, the good news about the old Lake Overholser Bridge on an old alignment of Route 66, as told by the Daily Oklahoman: Now the bridge, just outside Bethany city limits, is to be restored by Oklahoma City. The restored bridge will lead to a project Hoskison envisioned: a statue of Will Rogers in a … Continue reading Lake Overholser Bridge may become pedestrian-only