The forest that lies near the Route 66 settlement of Funks Grove, Ill., is mostly unchanged since the Funk family settled there in 1824. Thanks to a $2.5 million grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, that forest grove will remain pristine. The Sugar Grove Foundation in Funks Grove was able to buy 476 … Continue reading Grant preserves forest near Funks Grove
Category: Preservation
Town may restore vintage Marathon station
The city of Miami, Okla., may restore a 1929 Marathon service station on Route 66, reports the Miami News-Record. And apparently it's quite a find: Eller said the property, currently occupied by Bravo Salon on South Main Street, could likely be the oldest Marathon station still standing and may be the only circa-1929 original Marathon … Continue reading Town may restore vintage Marathon station
Old gas station to become visitors center
Rod Harsh of Route66TVOnline.com has acquired a vintage Sinclair service station on Route 66 in Carterville, Mo., and is converting it into a Route 66 Visitors Welcome Center and an office for his video production and Visit66.com Web site businesses. A current-day photo of the gas station is above. A photo of the station and … Continue reading Old gas station to become visitors center
Public invited to Route 66 Interpretive Center opening
Today, I received a press release about the opening ceremonies for the Route 66 Interpretive Center at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 19, on Route 66 and Mickey Clarkson Avenue in Chandler, Okla. Here's more information about the center: The Interpretive Center is located in the native sandstone-block 1930s-era building on the prominent crossroads in Chandler. … Continue reading Public invited to Route 66 Interpretive Center opening
Historic depot may be moved near Route 66
There's a railroad depot in the Route 66 town of Braidwood, Ill., that dates to at least 1867. It's speculated that the train that carried the body of Abraham Lincoln went by on its way to Lincoln's burial in Springfield. The city of Braidwood has taken over ownership of the depot from Berkot's Foods with … Continue reading Historic depot may be moved near Route 66
Palms Grill sign relighted
The old neon sign of the Palms Grill in downtown Atlanta, Ill., was relighted in a ceremony this week, reports the Bloomington Pantagraph. The sign was restored in part with a grant from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. The newspaper didn't have any photos of the new sign, but here's an artist's rendering. The … Continue reading Palms Grill sign relighted
Historic Dwight service station is restored
The Ambler's Texaco Station in the Route 66 town of Dwight, Ill., has been restored to its 1940s appearance, reports the Morris (Ill.) Daily Herald. Part of the restoration was covered by a cost-share grant from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. A plaque from the National Park Service commemorating the restoration will be dedicated … Continue reading Historic Dwight service station is restored
Chain-weary diners seeking out indie restaurants
BusinessWeek reports that many diners are increasingly seeking independent restaurants when they go out to eat. Here's why: Consumers tired of the chains' clinical atmospheres, indifferent service, and mass-produced products are returning to small specialty stores where they can find unique products and know the face behind the counter. In a sense, it's something of … Continue reading Chain-weary diners seeking out indie restaurants
Two Texas sites added to National Register
The National Park Service announced today that two Route 66 sites in Texas were added to the National Register of Historic Places. In the small settlement of Conway in Carson County, an old section of Route 66, listed as Texas Farm Road 2161, was placed on the register. Here's what Mock Turtle Press said about … Continue reading Two Texas sites added to National Register
“A blip of a town”
Maggie Downs of the The Desert Sun in Palm Springs, Calif., writes about the continuing attempts to revive Roy's and the lonely Mojave Desert town of Amboy, Calif. Most of the stuff Downs reports has already been noted here, including that Roy's soon will be pumping gas again. But it's a good read. The article … Continue reading “A blip of a town”