A lighting ceremony on July 26 for the Route 66 Experience neon park at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield will include a pre-party at Route 66 Motorheads Bar & Grill on the city's south side. The Route 66 Experience at the fairgrounds will feature re-creations or restorations of the neon signs for the Bel-Air … Continue reading Kickoff party and lighting ceremony set for July 26 for Route 66 Experience in Springfield
Category: Preservation
Owner of Motel Safari in Tucumcari is putting it up for sale
The owner of the historic Motel Safari in Tucumcari, New Mexico, announced on social media this week he soon would put the Route 66 establishment on the market. Larry Smith, who has owned the motel at 722 E. Route 66 Blvd. for six years, stated he was "feeling that my time here at the Safari … Continue reading Owner of Motel Safari in Tucumcari is putting it up for sale
Fire destroys SK8 Liborius church skate park in St. Louis
A fire late Wednesday gutted the SK8 Liborius Social Club, formerly the historic St. Liborious Catholic Church, in north St. Louis. Drone footage on Thursday morning from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch showed the blaze destroyed everything inside, leaving only the walls standing. No injuries were reported, but the burning embers ignited fires on several other … Continue reading Fire destroys SK8 Liborius church skate park in St. Louis
Multi-use concept unveiled for Joplin Union Depot in hopes of enticing developers
Two consultants presented a multi-use concept, including railcars as hotel rooms, a microbrewery and a Route 66 room, for the long-abandoned Union Depot in Joplin, Missouri, in the hope of drawing developers that can resurrect the declining historical site. The consultants from Kansas State University and South Dakota State University gave the concept in front … Continue reading Multi-use concept unveiled for Joplin Union Depot in hopes of enticing developers
Donnay Building in OKC soon will begin reconstruction, be renamed Classen Circle
The historic Donnay Building in Oklahoma City soon will undergo extensive renovations and will be renamed Classen Circle as a nod to its historic, Route 66-aligned history. NIck Preftakes and partner Caleb Hill bought the building for $1.5 million last year. The Donnay, originally built in 1949, was added on to over the years in … Continue reading Donnay Building in OKC soon will begin reconstruction, be renamed Classen Circle
One wall of Tulsa’s Rose Bowl collapses due to high winds several days before
The western wall of the Rose Bowl Events Center in Tulsa collapsed Tuesday, weakened by 100 mph winds from severe storms just days before. It had appeared that Tulsa's iconic Route 66 buildings had emerged unscathed from storms that have left thousands without power, but that apparently was not the case. An earlier report by … Continue reading One wall of Tulsa’s Rose Bowl collapses due to high winds several days before
Gearhead Curios in Galena holds its official ribbon-cutting
Though it's been open for more than a year, Gearhead Curios in downtown Galena, Kansas, held its official ribbon-cutting on Saturday. The ceremony commemorated five years of renovations on the old Texaco site by owner Aaron Perry. Rhys Martin of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association was there when the deed was done: Another set of … Continue reading Gearhead Curios in Galena holds its official ribbon-cutting
Threatt Filling Station gets some TLC from preservationists and volunteers
The long-closed Threatt Filling Station near Luther, Oklahoma, is receiving some much-needed work from preservationists and volunteers who want to see the Route 66 landmark standing for decades to come. According to KFOR-TV in nearby Oklahoma City: Now, crews from the Oklahoma Historical Society, National Trust for Historic Preservation and Guthrie Job Corps are working to preserve it. Students gain … Continue reading Threatt Filling Station gets some TLC from preservationists and volunteers
West End Service Station in Edwardsville reopens as a museum and interpretive center
The West End Service Station in Edwardsville, Illinois, reopened Friday as a Route 66-themed museum and interpretive center. The former gas station at 620 West St. (aka Route 66) hosted a ceremonial ribbon cutting that day. It received a $460,000 state grant a year ago to rehabilitate the site. It will be open for visitors … Continue reading West End Service Station in Edwardsville reopens as a museum and interpretive center
Benjamin Moore Paints give materials donation to Road Runner’s Retreat project
Benjamin Moore & Co. recently donated a bunch of paint to the owner of the Road Runner's Retreat property so it could be used on its neon sign during the next workday on Oct. 21. Ryan Anderson, who runs the Facebook page for the defunct Route 66 restaurant near Chambless, California, said the donation came … Continue reading Benjamin Moore Paints give materials donation to Road Runner’s Retreat project