On Tuesday, I met the new owners of the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, N.M., for the first time. I can tell you with a fair amount of certainty that a lot of changes are in store at the Route 66 establishment. Many Route 66 aficionados view changes at a historic property with trepidation. However, … Continue reading Blue Swallow Motel seems to be in good hands
Category: Preservation
Triangle Motel in Amarillo avoids wrecking ball
This guy needs a big thank-you note. The Triangle Motel in Amarillo at 7954 E. Amarillo Blvd. in Amarillo, Texas, was built on Route 66 in 1945 as a tourist motor court. But the current owner hadn't used it as a motel since 1977 and hasn't even had water since 1984, reports the Amarillo Globe-News. … Continue reading Triangle Motel in Amarillo avoids wrecking ball
Oklahoma City’s Gold Dome finds new life
A few years ago, the geodesic "Gold Dome" on Route 66 in Oklahoma City once was slated for the wrecking ball. Now it's being used as a multicultural center and office complex, reports Preservation Online, a publication by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Gold Dome, built in 1958 as a Citizen's Bank, is … Continue reading Oklahoma City’s Gold Dome finds new life
Galaxies shine during Mother Road tour
The Kansas City chapter of the Ford Galaxie Club of America made a stop in Bloomington, Ill., on Sunday on their way west down Route 66 to California. Here's the story from the Bloomington Pantagraph. For more about the Galaxie club's tour, go to its Web site here.
Vega Motel needs help
Red Fork Hippie Chick here with a news bulletin and a request for help: I just became aware this morning of a situation that requires some assistance. The Vega Motel on Route 66 in Texas was forced to shut down for a while because one of the owners was seriously ill. He has recovered, thank … Continue reading Vega Motel needs help
Norwegian classic-car tour rolls into southwest Missouri
The Norwegian group that's driving antique cars the length of Route 66 made its way into Strafford, Mo., on its way to nearby Springfield, according to the Springfield News-Leader. Here's something that cracked me up: "What surprised the group so far is the attention we get from the public when driving. People are yelling and … Continue reading Norwegian classic-car tour rolls into southwest Missouri
Painted Desert Inn reopens
The Painted Desert Inn, which was built in the 1920s amid what is now the Petrified Forest National Park, reopened on Memorial Day weekend, reports the Arizona Daily Star. Here's the news release from the National Park Service about it. It's no longer used for lodging, but as a museum. Fixing up the place … Continue reading Painted Desert Inn reopens
Preservation conference will focus on Route 66
Here's a small item from the Bloomington (Ill.) Pantagraph: The 25th annual Illinois Statewide Preservation Conference will be June 8-10 in Bloomington. Cost is $85 for members of the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois and $100 for non-members. One-day registration is $50. ... The conference will include a walking tour of upper-floor conversions, the Old … Continue reading Preservation conference will focus on Route 66
Meeting set for Saturday on endangered Rod’s Grill
I received an e-mail today from Jim Conkle of the California Route 66 Preservation Foundation that says a preservation meeting concerning the endangered Rod's Grill in Arcadia, Calif., will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the restaurant at 41 W. Huntington Drive. Preservationists will be there to collect signatures on petitions. The city is … Continue reading Meeting set for Saturday on endangered Rod’s Grill
Three Route 66 properties in Illinois named to National Register
The Associated Press reported that nine properties were designated to the National Register of Historic Places, including three restaurants on Route 66. The Route 66 properties are: The Ariston Cafe, which opened in Carlinville in 1924 and moved to its present location on Route 66 in Litchfield in 1935. Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket near Hinsdale, … Continue reading Three Route 66 properties in Illinois named to National Register