Rialto Theatre’s renovation fund gets big donation

  The Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet, Ill., is trying to raise $5 million to restore the 80-year-old venue. The Caterpillar Foundation helped last weekend by pledging $500,000, the largest such donation so far, according to an article in the Joliet Herald News. In addition to the Rialto's Web site, here's another history of the … Continue reading Rialto Theatre’s renovation fund gets big donation

Story on the Missouri Route 66 byway dedication

Remember a few weeks ago the dedication ceremony in Springfield, Mo., for designating Route 66 in in the Show-Me State as a scenic byway? Well, ConstructionEquipmentGuide.com just posted a pretty extensive story about it.

New Route 66 restaurant

Red Fork Hippie Chick here, offering up a review of a new restaurant in Sapulpa: Al's Route 66 Cafe. Al's went in where the old Rivett's Cafe used to be. I had chicken parmesan for dinner there recently. It was utterly wonderful ... and dirt-cheap. For $4.25, I got a chicken breast approximately the size … Continue reading New Route 66 restaurant

Work on Holbrook railroad depot progresses

The Holbrook (Ariz.) Tribune-News has an article about the restoration work being done on Holbrook's historic railroad depot. ... The project is slightly behind schedule, mainly due to the need for changes in the restoration plans, but he still expects the majority of work to be complete in time for the busiest part of tourist … Continue reading Work on Holbrook railroad depot progresses

Preservationists excavate old pedestrian tunnel

Illinois Route 66 preservationist extraordinaire John Weiss and his crew on Saturday dug out part of a pedestrian tunnel that once was used to walk under Route 66 in Odell, Ill., according to a report by the Bloomington Pantagraph. About 30 volunteers from the association and town members helped to dig up the first four … Continue reading Preservationists excavate old pedestrian tunnel

Rod’s Grill gets a reprieve

Scott Piotrowski, a California Route 66 advocate, reported today on a Route 66 forum that the city council in Arcadia, Calif., has dropped eminent domain proceedings against the historic Rod's Grill at 41 W. Huntington Drive, scheduled for its May 16 meeting agenda. A Mercedes dealership reportedly wanted the Rod's property for expansion. Route 66 … Continue reading Rod’s Grill gets a reprieve

Building on Route 66 considered for National Register

The Kansas City InfoZine reports that the Missouri Advisory Council on Historic Preservation on Friday is considering 23 nominations for the National Register of Historic Places.  Here's one on the Mother Road: The Henry Schneider Building was an early and long-lived commercial garage on U.S. Route 66 in Springfield, Greene County. The one-story, three-unit brick … Continue reading Building on Route 66 considered for National Register

Please vote yes on Tulsa’s third-penny

Tuesday is an election in Tulsa to extend a third-penny sales tax for capital improvements throughout the city. It's not a sales-tax increase; it's an extension of the current third-penny sales tax that's in effect. The old third-penny is set to expire, and the election Tuesday will allow voters to decide whether to extend it, … Continue reading Please vote yes on Tulsa’s third-penny