It's been the victim of neglect. The odometer reads 99,372 miles, and there's no telling whether they're original. Rust covers the entire body, where it nearly obscures the letters "Tannou" and "Joplin, Mo" on the door. The seats desperately need to be re-upholstered. And it gets its fuel from a storage tank that resembles a … Continue reading Meet Mater’s inspiration
Category: Preservation
Route 66 Corridor Program gets some ink
The Associated Press did a story about the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program and its advisory council, which met in Oklahoma City last week. Of particular (and deserving) focus is John Dunning, who is slowly renovating Owl Court in Oklahoma City into a small motel for Mother Road travelers. Dunning also is owner of the … Continue reading Route 66 Corridor Program gets some ink
Route 66 on the comeback trail?
To read an otherwise-good article by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, you'd think Route 66 had been languishing for decades until the "Cars" movie came out this summer. And it's true the Mother Road got quite a boost when Pixar's film rolled into theaters, says author Michael Wallis. "It's been [a] huge shot in the arm for … Continue reading Route 66 on the comeback trail?
Spraker Service Station endangered
The historic Spraker Service Station, located at 240 S. Wilson St., aka Route 66, in Vinita, Okla., may be demolished by the car dealership that owns it. The Spraker Service Station (pictured above) is a cottage-style Conoco station built in 1929. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. It sits … Continue reading Spraker Service Station endangered
Historic theater to get repairs if bond is approved
The historic Hiland Theater, built in 1951 along historic Route 66 in Albuquerque, is considered a local landmark, but it needs some repairs. To do those renovations, the county-owned building, a $1.1 million bond question needs to be passed by voters on Election Day, reports the Albuquerque Tribune. This theater is Route 66," Archuleta said. … Continue reading Historic theater to get repairs if bond is approved
Route 66 Advisory Council to meet
The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program Advisory Council is scheduled to meet Nov. 8-9 at the Best Western Saddleback Inn at 4300 Southwest Third St. in Oklahoma City. Here's more from the press release about the council and the meeting: The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program Advisory Council was established to consult with the Secretary … Continue reading Route 66 Advisory Council to meet
Meadow Gold sign clears another hurdle
The City of Tulsa Board of Adjustment unanimously classified the Meadow Gold sign as a historic monument on Tuesday, thus clearing another hurdle for its restoration and re-erection on Route 66. The sign will be placed on a new building at the southwest corner of 11th Street (aka Route 66) and Quaker Avenue, just a … Continue reading Meadow Gold sign clears another hurdle
Caring for the poor
There is a cemetery just off Route 66 in Livingston County, Ill., that was devoted exclusively for the area's poor-farm residents. I didn't know about it, nor did many other people for a long time, because the Poor Farm Cemetery had been neglected for years. That has changed. For the past two years, volunteers have … Continue reading Caring for the poor
Preservation group gets The Mill
Score one for the preservationists. The Lincoln Courier reports this afternoon that ownership of the dilapidated, long-closed The Mill restaurant on Route 66 in Lincoln, Ill., will be transferred to the fledgling Route 66 Heritage Foundation of Logan County so it can be eventually restored. The current owner of The Mill is Dennis Koehler, who … Continue reading Preservation group gets The Mill
Keep the neon burning
The Sacramento Bee has an interesting story about preservationists' efforts to retain old neon signs in the Los Angeles area. There's not much Route 66 content in the article, but it certainly will be of interest to Mother Roaders because neon lights are so much a part of the Route 66 experience. Here's an excellent … Continue reading Keep the neon burning