Dave Bakke of the Springfield (Ill.) State Journal-Register has been writing a series for the newspaper called Illinois Postcards, which delve historical and social facets of the town. Today, the latest edition is about the Route 66 town of Elkhart. One of the most notable things about Elkhart is a hill that stands 777 feet … Continue reading A postcard of Elkhart
Category: Restaurants
A closer look at El Rancho Grande
Greater Tulsa Reporter Newspapers has published a well-done article about El Rancho Grande, the oldest surviving restaurant on 11th Street (aka Route 66) in Tulsa. The news hook is the restaurant's recently restored and unique neon sign. But the story also contains a nice overview about the development of Tex-Mex cuisine in Tulsa (and the … Continue reading A closer look at El Rancho Grande
Elbow Inn turns into a real biker bar
The Elbow Inn, a grand barbecue-and-beer joint on an old alignment of Route 66 in Devil's Elbow, Mo., became a full-fledged biker bar Wednesday when it hosted a slew of bicycle riders on a cross-state tour, according to the Waynesville Daily Guide. Hostel International-Gateway Council of St. Louis was taking cyclists on Route 66 from … Continue reading Elbow Inn turns into a real biker bar
Car show will help restore The Mill
The Railsplitter Antique Auto Club, along with the Route 66 Heritage Foundation of Logan County, is holding a classic car show from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at The Mill in Lincoln, Ill. -- a former Route 66 restaurant that's undergoing restoration. According to the Lincoln Courier: Registration is open to everyone and the … Continue reading Car show will help restore The Mill
Only in America
Only in a place like America would you have a cowboy-themed restaurant that serves Italian gourmet ice cream. In this case, it's taking place on Route 66 in Amarillo. It's called Cowboy Gelato, on the historic Sixth Street district. According to the restaurant's Web site: Cowboy Gelato will bring a new form of excitement to … Continue reading Only in America
Notes from California
Kevin Hansel, a prominent member of the California Historic Route 66 Association, passed along some Route 66 news in an e-mail. First, the former Iron Hog Saloon in Oro Grande has been converted to Sergino's Family Restaurant. It originally was a Case Farm Equipment dealership in the 1930s and '40s. Also, the Goffs General Store … Continue reading Notes from California
More on the Alliance and museum
This new article in Urban Tulsa neatly encapsulates what's been going on recently with the Route 66 Alliance and a related, still-in-progress project, the Route 66 Experience in Tulsa. Perhaps the most noteworthy item in the article is that the Experience building -- a combination of a museum, restaurant and headquarters for the Alliance -- … Continue reading More on the Alliance and museum
An Olympic-sized effect
The Springfield (Ill.) State Journal-Register examines what the draws will be for downstate tourism if Chicago wins its bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. In effect, those draws will be Abraham Lincoln and Route 66. “We’ve worked for 10 years to reach international markets through the city of Chicago, and we know most … Continue reading An Olympic-sized effect
Eating and cruising in Illinois
Phil Vettel of the Chicago Tribune has filed a story about Route 66 eating establishments in Illinois between St. Louis and the Windy City. Cited are Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket of Willowbrook, That 50's Place Diner in Dwight, the revived Palms Grill in Atlanta, Charlie Parker's in Springfield, and Erato on Main in Edwardsville. Many … Continue reading Eating and cruising in Illinois
National Park Service launches Route 66 site
The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program is already under the auspices of the National Park Service. But the NPS recently launched a Route 66 "Discover Our Shared Heritage" travel itinerary site that should prove useful to novice travelers and be informative to researchers. Funded in part by American Express and the World Monuments Fund, the … Continue reading National Park Service launches Route 66 site