Mary Ann Lee, co-founder of the Big Texan Steak Ranch with her husband Bob Lee, died Friday in Amarillo at age 86, according to the Amarillo Globe-News. Lee and her husband started the Big Texan along Route 66 in Amarillo in 1963. The restaurant moved to Interstate 40 for survival's sake during the 1970s, although … Continue reading Co-founder of Big Texan Steak Ranch dies
Category: Restaurants
Former owner of Catoosa restaurant dies
Carol Ham, the former co-owner of the Lil' Abner's Dairyette drive-in restaurant on Route 66 in Catoosa, Okla., died last week at age 66, reported the Tulsa World. Ham and her mother, Bea Yocham Smith, ran the restaurant from 1959 until health issues forced her to sell it. The restaurant finally closed in 2003, but the … Continue reading Former owner of Catoosa restaurant dies
TV producers looking for a colorful Route 66 cafe
A development team is seeking nominations for a colorful Route 66 diner that will be featured on a reality TV show on a "major cable network," according to a spokesman. Here's a news release about the project: “Diner” will follow the lives of the staff (and of course the locals) of a home-town diner. We’ll face … Continue reading TV producers looking for a colorful Route 66 cafe
A refreshing stop at Russell’s
During trips this past year to eastern New Mexico, we noticed the construction of a massive truck stop and travel center at the Endee exit, off Interstate 40. A few weeks ago, Russell's Truck & Travel Center opened. We stopped there during a recent journey to Tucumcari, and we were pleasantly surprised by what we … Continue reading A refreshing stop at Russell’s
Chili that’s older than the road
Central Illinois has long been praised as a haven for chili. And here's more proof with Taylor's Mexican Chili Parlor, 0n the old Illinois 4 alignment of Route 66 in Carlinville, Ill. Here's a fan of Taylor's: A little Internet surfing revealed that Taylor's Mexican Chili was established in 1904 in Carlinville. That's more than … Continue reading Chili that’s older than the road
San Bernardino soon will open a Route 66 museum
A Route 66 museum soon will open in San Bernardino, Calif., with a sneak preview during the Route 66 Rendezvous classic-car festival next month, according to the San Bernardino County Sun. The museum, at Fifth Street near Mount Vernon Avenue (map here), will open at 10 a.m. Sept. 17 during the Rendezvous. The museum will … Continue reading San Bernardino soon will open a Route 66 museum
Route 66 cost-share grants announced
The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program on Friday announced in its quarterly newsletter its annual cost-share grants for historic Route 66 businesses and landmarks. Most of the information comes from the newsletter or news release, except where I added links and other information. The recipients are: Historic Seligman Sundries, Seligman, Ariz. -- With its distinct false front, … Continue reading Route 66 cost-share grants announced
Meet the man behind The Mill’s restoration
The Lincoln Courier posted an article about John Sutton, project manager behind the restoration of The Mill restaurant on Route 66 in Lincoln, Ill. Sutton was just named the Courier's Citizen of the Month. He is currently devoting his time and efforts to restoring the inside of the historic Mill restaurant that was known for … Continue reading Meet the man behind The Mill’s restoration
Pop a top on Dublin Dr Pepper
American Profile magazine posted an effervescent story about the Dr Pepper plant in Dublin, Texas -- the only Dr Pepper bottler left that still uses Imperial cane sugar from the original 1885 recipe instead of the now-common corn syrup. It's called Dublin Dr Pepper, and folks drive from many miles around to get it because … Continue reading Pop a top on Dublin Dr Pepper
Notes from the road
The documentary "Route 66: Ten Years Later" will have its debut at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 9 at the Portage Theater in Chicago. Writer Tim Steil and photographer Jim Luning collaborated on their "Route 66" book during a Mother Road trip in 1999. A decade later, they decided to revisit the places they saw and see … Continue reading Notes from the road