The Oklahoma Route 66 Association announced last week that a painted U-Haul truck once owned by the late Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire is undergoing restoration. A teacher with the Francis Tuttle Technology Center in Oklahoma City approached the association during its January meeting and proposed restoring it as a student project. LD’s Wrecker in … Continue reading Restoration begins on Bob Waldmire’s U-Haul truck
Category: Preservation
New visitors center at Blue Whale of Catoosa to hold grand opening on May 30
The local chamber of commerce announced that a grand opening will be held at the new visitors center at the Blue Whale of Catoosa, Oklahoma, on May 30. The event will be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. that day, with events throughout. It includes a Route 66 Blue Whale 5K Run to start the … Continue reading New visitors center at Blue Whale of Catoosa to hold grand opening on May 30
Route 66 businesses in Springfield, Missouri, offered grants to improve storefronts
An organization in Springfield, Missouri, announced a new facade grant program to support Route 66 businesses before the highway's centennial celebrations this year. The West Central Neighborhood Alliance in Springfield announced the Mother Road Business Curb Appeal Program, reported the Springfield News-Leader. Approved businesses can receive up to $500 in matching reimbursement funds for exterior … Continue reading Route 66 businesses in Springfield, Missouri, offered grants to improve storefronts
Shamrock Court begins taking reservations, scheduled to reopen in late May
The long-closed Shamrock Court motel along old Route 66 in Sullivan, Missouri, announced on Facebook on Sunday that it will begin taking online reservations in late May. Rich Dinkela, recent past president of the Route 66 Association of Missouri, acquired the motel, then spent years making huge -- and costly -- repairs to the building, … Continue reading Shamrock Court begins taking reservations, scheduled to reopen in late May
National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis opens Route 66 exhibit in mid-March
Coinciding with Route 66's centennial, the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis will open a special Route 66-themed exhibit, “Roads, River, Rooms, and Reels,” on March 14. The exhibit will "explore the stories, memories, and modes of travel that shaped America’s most iconic highway and the communities connected to it." The museum is open … Continue reading National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis opens Route 66 exhibit in mid-March
Opening of interpretive center at Threatt Filling Station planned in May
The owners of the Threatt Filling Station near Luther, Oklahoma, told a local television station they plan to open an interpretive center in May at the Route 66 property. A reporter from News on 66 interviewed Edward Threatt, a descendant of the station's original owner, Allen Threatt, who founded the station more than a century … Continue reading Opening of interpretive center at Threatt Filling Station planned in May
Restored 1973 Chrysler New Yorker will be driven on Route 66 in tribute to its late owner
In August, two men plan to drive the 2,400-mile length of Route 66 in a restored 1973 Chrysler New Yorker in tribute to the car's late owner. The road trip by Markku Jaakkola and Jacob Gilbert will be part of an Official Route 66 Centennial event. Jaakkola, a Finnish‑born automotive storyteller and quality engineer, wrote … Continue reading Restored 1973 Chrysler New Yorker will be driven on Route 66 in tribute to its late owner
Renovated Joplin History & Mineral Museum reopens with Route 66 exhibit
The Joplin History & Mineral Museum in Joplin, Missouri, reopened last week with a new Route 66 exhibit after a month-long renovation. Here are images from Joplin's tourism bureau of the refreshed museum: Curator Chris Wiseman told the Joplin Globe that the face-lift comes during the centennial of Route 66, the 250th year of the United … Continue reading Renovated Joplin History & Mineral Museum reopens with Route 66 exhibit
Relighting ceremony set for April 11 for Chrysler Plymouth tower sign in Bristow
The Bristow (Oklahoma) Historical Society \announced that a lights-on ceremony will be set for the evening of April 11 for the long-dark Chrysler Plymouth tower sign. The ceremony will take place at about 8:15 p.m. The tower sign once stood a block or two from Route 66, but it has been moved to the Mother … Continue reading Relighting ceremony set for April 11 for Chrysler Plymouth tower sign in Bristow
“Through the Windshield: Missouri’s Route 66” exhibit will be displayed in several areas of state
A new exhibit, titled “Through The Windshield, Missouri’s Route 66.” recently opened in Columbia, Missouri, with more locations along Route 66 set for later this year. The exhibit covers Route 66's entirety in Missouri, from St. Louis County to Jasper County. It will feature rarely seen images, advertisements, postcards and other historical documents. Visitors will also … Continue reading “Through the Windshield: Missouri’s Route 66” exhibit will be displayed in several areas of state