A survey for the Tulsa Route 66 Master Plan that drew more than 1,000 respondents indicated a strong preference for historic preservation along the Route 66 corridor. Public Radio Tulsa first reported on some of the results earlier this week: Nearly three in four responses picked incentives for neon signs, facade improvements and building rehab … Continue reading Tulsa Route 66 Master Plan survey respondents want more preservation
Category: Preservation
Mrs. California Route 66 Esther Hollister found dead; no foul play suspected
Esther Hollister, better known as Mrs. California Route 66, was found dead Monday at a Riverside construction site after she disappeared Saturday during a hiking excursion. She was 53. An autopsy will be performed, but local police said no foul play was suspected. One friend said on Facebook that heatstroke was a possible contributor to … Continue reading Mrs. California Route 66 Esther Hollister found dead; no foul play suspected
Future home of Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66 given landmark status
The historic building that will house the Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66 in downtown Joliet was given landmark status by the city council. The Herald-News had some details about the landmark designation: The building at 9 W. Cass St. was the original home of the White Store and later housed the local … Continue reading Future home of Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66 given landmark status
Arizona Route 66 grant application season is open
The Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, in conjunction with the Arizona Community Foundation, has opened an online application portal for receiving up to $25,000 grants. Here's who is eligible for a grant: To be eligible to apply for the grants listed below, your organization must belong to one of the following categories: 501(c)(3) nonprofit … Continue reading Arizona Route 66 grant application season is open
Celebration set for Saturday for completion of Totem Pole Park restoration
After five years of work, restoration is complete of the main, 90-foot-tall totem pole at Ed Galloway's historic Totem Pole Park near Foyil, Oklahoma. To celebrate, the park will host a free bluegrass-music jam from 2 p.m. until dusk Saturday. Refreshments and food trucks will be there. Face masks will be suggested, and organizers say … Continue reading Celebration set for Saturday for completion of Totem Pole Park restoration
Fire guts restaurant building at Road Runner’s Retreat near Chambless
A likely arson fire destroyed the restaurant building Wednesday at the long-closed Road Runner's Retreat complex near Chambless, California. Beth Murray reported the fire began about 4:15 p.m. The sign and service station remained intact, but the restaurant was "a total loss." After the bad news, Murray set up a fundraiser with a goal of … Continue reading Fire guts restaurant building at Road Runner’s Retreat near Chambless
Monterey Motel renovations in Albuquerque will finish by September
Renovations on the historic Monterey Motel in Albuquerque will be completed by September in its conversion to a higher-end hostel. Downtown Albuquerque News recently talked to Chad Renneker, a Portland, Oregon-based developer who also brought El Vado Motel back to life as a boutique motel with a taproom and several shops. The bunk beds will … Continue reading Monterey Motel renovations in Albuquerque will finish by September
Central Camera in Chicago to reopen in a storefront next door in September
Central Camera, a mainstay on Route 66 in downtown Chicago for over a century that burned during unrest in late May over the George Floyd police-brutality case, will reopen in September in a temporary store as the original is rebuilt. Block Club Chicago had the story Tuesday: The store at 228 S. Wabash Ave. will … Continue reading Central Camera in Chicago to reopen in a storefront next door in September
Fire destroys 120-year-old railcar slated for restoration in Galena
A purported arson fire Tuesday destroyed an 1899 passenger railcar in Galena, Kansas, slated to begin restoration as a future tourist attraction along Route 66. Former Galena mayor Dale Oglesby stated in a Facebook post the former presidential railcar from the Kansas City Southern Railway contained hand-laid mosaic tile showers, a kitchen, a dining room, … Continue reading Fire destroys 120-year-old railcar slated for restoration in Galena
Webb City home, Kingshighway district in St. Louis added to National Register
An 1891 house in Webb City, Missouri, and a commercial district on Kingshighway Boulevard in St. Louis each were added to the National Register of Historic Places last week. Both are on or very near historic Route 66. The Elijah Thomas Webb home at 4 S. Liberty St. in Webb City (map here) is owned … Continue reading Webb City home, Kingshighway district in St. Louis added to National Register