A bank recently foreclosed the old cottage-style Phillips 66 gas station and an adjacent building along Route 66 in Chandler, Oklahoma, and both will be put up for sale -- preferably to someone who will preserve it. Danny Alsip, president of the BancFirst branch in Chandler, said during a telephone interview Thursday the property was … Continue reading Old Phillips 66 station in Chandler foreclosed; bank has the property for sale
Category: Preservation
Report: Route 66 Historic Trail legislation to be introduced this fall
The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership on Saturday released its third-quarter report. Among the newsworthy items is the organization expects congressional legislation to designate Route 66 as a National Historic Trail to be introduced this fall. The measure would be House Bill 801, "tentatively" scheduled to be introduced in the coming weeks. The report stated: … Continue reading Report: Route 66 Historic Trail legislation to be introduced this fall
Tulsa approves three more applications for neon grants
Three more applications for neon-sign grants in Tulsa were approved along the Route 66 corridor, along with their designs. The ones approved were: Cities Service, West 17th and Southwest BoulevardFlo’s Burger Diner, 2604 E. 11th St.Renaissance Brewing Company, 1147 S. Lewis Ave. Dennis Whitaker, a planner for the Indian Nations Council of Governments, emailed the … Continue reading Tulsa approves three more applications for neon grants
Grand Canyon Railway marks 30th year, helped revitalize Williams
The Grand Canyon Railway recently marked its 30th anniversary, and it helped revive the Route 66 town of Williams, Arizona, after it was bypassed by Interstate 40. The Williams News posted an excellent overview of the railway, which carries passengers from Williams to the south rim of Grand Canyon National Park, and its impact on … Continue reading Grand Canyon Railway marks 30th year, helped revitalize Williams
Springfield utility makes quick work of covering graffiti on Chatham Road Bridge
City Water, Light and Power crews of Springfield, Illinois, wasted little time in covering over graffiti on the Chatham Road Bridge that once carried Route 66. WICS-TV in Springfield posted a report this week about the vandalism: A viewer sent us the photos of the vandalism before CWLP was able to paint over it.Painted on the … Continue reading Springfield utility makes quick work of covering graffiti on Chatham Road Bridge
Old Joliet Prison draws 14,000 visitors since opening in August 2018
The Old Joliet Prison has drawn a total of 14,181 visitors for tours and events since opening to the public in August 2018, according to the Joliet Historical Museum. The 19th-century prison, known officially as the former Joliet Correctional Center, also generated $407,654 in revenue, a report in The Herald-News stated. The net revenue of … Continue reading Old Joliet Prison draws 14,000 visitors since opening in August 2018
Caretakers of Road Runner’s Retreat organizing another work session Oct. 18-20
The caretakers for the long-closed Road Runner's Retreat restaurant near Chambless, California, have organized another work session Oct. 18-20 and are offering commemorative T-shirts to fund it. The T-shirts designed by Minnesota-based graphic artist Gina Hoelscher, who has lent her skills to other Route 66 events and preservation projects, can be yours by donating $30 … Continue reading Caretakers of Road Runner’s Retreat organizing another work session Oct. 18-20
Drive-through demolished at Gold Dome of Oklahoma City
Work crews this week razed the drive-through portion of the historic Gold Dome in Oklahoma City, but the situation is not as grave as you might think. Several media outlets reported the drive-through part of the former bank along Route 66 is not historic and actually was hampering efforts to secure and market the property. … Continue reading Drive-through demolished at Gold Dome of Oklahoma City
Replica of toll building proposed for Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis
One of several redevelopment proposals for the west side of the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis contains a replica of the long-gone toll house that stood on that site. The Great Rivers Greenway, which controls the bridge as a vital link over the Mississippi River to a series of pedestrian and cycling … Continue reading Replica of toll building proposed for Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis
Lake Overholser Bridge in OKC closed to traffic after problem found
The Lake Overholser Bridge in Oklahoma City recently was closed to vehicular traffic after an inspector found a problem in the historic Route 66 span. Longtime Route 66 advocate Kathy Anderson posted this message on Facebook from Melvena Heisch, a recently retired Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Officer: All, just heard back from the City Planning … Continue reading Lake Overholser Bridge in OKC closed to traffic after problem found