The closed Wishing Well Motor Inn in Springfield, Missouri, is slated to be demolished because it's no longer habitable and has become a nuisance. But the president of the Route 66 Association of Missouri hopes the motel's sign can be salvaged and restored. The motel at 3550 W. Chestnut Expressway (aka Route 66) was owned … Continue reading Will the Wishing Well Motor Inn’s sign be saved?
Category: Preservation
Mel’s Drive-In earns Santa Monica preservation award
The Mel's Drive-In restaurant that opened a year ago at the true western ending of Route 66 earned a historic preservation award from the Santa Monica Conservancy. The conservancy stated in a news release Sunday: The 1959 Armet and Davis-designed Penguin Coffee Shop was restored to its original use by Mel’s Drive-In owner Steven Weiss, … Continue reading Mel’s Drive-In earns Santa Monica preservation award
Report: $10M needed to stabilize portions of old Joliet prison
The historic Joliet Correctional Center in Joliet, Illinois, will need at least $10 million worth of repairs in the next five years to stabilize six key structures within the long-closed complex. The Klein & Hoffman architectural and structural engineering firm gave the estimates to shore up the prison's administration building, east and west cell blocks, … Continue reading Report: $10M needed to stabilize portions of old Joliet prison
Classical Gas Museum owner makes new pitch for Route 66 museum in Santa Rosa
Johnnie Meier, owner of the Classical Gas Museum and a longtime Route 66 advocate, presented a new set of ideas for establishing a Route 66 museum in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. According to the May 16 print edition of The Communicator newspaper in Santa Rosa, the city recently took control of the refurbished and century-old … Continue reading Classical Gas Museum owner makes new pitch for Route 66 museum in Santa Rosa
Volunteers clear brush from endangered Lurvey Court in Springfield
Volunteers over the Mother's Day weekend cleared a lot of brush from around the endangered and long-closed Lurvey Court motel in Springfield, Missouri, thus improving its chances the city won't tear it down for being a nuisance. Route 66 advocate Judy Walker posted before-and-after photos on Facebook of the Route 66 property off Kearney Street. … Continue reading Volunteers clear brush from endangered Lurvey Court in Springfield
Lurvey Courts in Springfield may have earned a reprieve
After appearing doomed to the wrecking ball two weeks ago, it appears the long-closed Lurvey Courts in Springfield, Missouri, may have earned at least a reprieve. Volunteers with the Route 66 Association of Missouri and other Route 66 enthusiasts will hold work days at 9 a.m. Friday and Saturday to clear brush from the long-abandoned … Continue reading Lurvey Courts in Springfield may have earned a reprieve
Switch is flipped on Ariston Cafe’s neon restoration
At 8:10 p.m. Saturday, the switch was flipped to show the restored neon signs and window accents for the Ariston Cafe in Litchfield, Illinois, during a relighting ceremony. The aim of the restoration was to show what the Route 66 restaurant looked like shortly after it opened in Litchfield in July 1935. The Ariston originally … Continue reading Switch is flipped on Ariston Cafe’s neon restoration
Launching Pad Drive-In in Wilmington holds its grand reopening
The Launching Pad Drive-In in Wilmington, Illinois, held its grand reopening Friday, although the Route 66 restaurant had been open for several weeks to long lines to test its food offerings. Holly Barker and Tully Garrett purchased the long-closed restaurant in the fall of 2017. According to The Herald-News in nearby Joliet: Barker said they … Continue reading Launching Pad Drive-In in Wilmington holds its grand reopening
Restored Ariston Cafe sign reinstalled; relighting ceremony is Saturday
Historic neon signs that hung above the entrance of the Ariston Cafe in Litchfield, Illinois, for decades were reinstalled Monday after their restoration, days before a relighting ceremony this Saturday. Jim Thole passed along some details about the reinstallation by a St. Louis sign company: The "Ariston Cafe" sign had been repainted sometime during its … Continue reading Restored Ariston Cafe sign reinstalled; relighting ceremony is Saturday
Ozark Trail obelisk near Stroud cleaned of graffiti
The historic obelisk that marked a crossroads of the Ozark Trail near Stroud, Oklahoma, recently was cleansed of graffiti. The Oklahoma Route 66 Association stated in a Facebook post Friday: The Ozark Trail obelisk near Stroud, OK has long been marred by graffiti. Thanks to the efforts of Route 66 enthusiast Sam Murray, the old … Continue reading Ozark Trail obelisk near Stroud cleaned of graffiti