The Mill in Lincoln, Illinois, will mark its 90th anniversary with a variety of activities June 7-9 during the first annual Route 66 Weekend in that city. The Mill, which opened as a restaurant along Route 66 in 1929, is beginning its third year as a museum highlighting the Mother Road and local history. The … Continue reading The Mill to mark 90th anniversary during new festival
Category: Route 66 Associations
Will the Wishing Well Motor Inn’s sign be saved?
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?
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
Dedication for Route 66 Rising sculpture in Tulsa set for May 20
A dedication for the massive Route 66 Rising sculpture in Tulsa is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. May 20. According to a news release from the Oklahoma Route 66 Association via city planner Dennis Whitaker: Mayor G.T. Bynum and City Councilor Crista Patrick will host this event, joined by guests from out of town: the artist … Continue reading Dedication for Route 66 Rising sculpture in Tulsa set for May 20
Kingman’s vice mayor donates salary to Jim Hinckley’s Route 66 marketing efforts
The vice mayor of Kingman, Arizona, recently announced he is donating his salary for Jim Hinckley's promotional and marketing efforts of Route 66 in the region. Hinckley stated in an email the donation is worth $7,200 a year, and Vice Mayor Travis Lingenfelter will continue those contributions until he leaves office. "I am honored, humbled, … Continue reading Kingman’s vice mayor donates salary to Jim Hinckley’s Route 66 marketing efforts
Neon sign installed at Kum & Go at old 66 section in Springfield
The owners of the soon-to-open Kum & Go convenience store at a corner in Springfield, Missouri, that contained an original stretch of Route 66 pledged it would pay tribute to the Mother Road. It appears to have kept that promise. Jonathan Sharp posted these pictures on Facebook of an elaborate neon sign on the side … Continue reading Neon sign installed at Kum & Go at old 66 section in Springfield
Route 66 Crossroads organization to focus on upcoming centennial
Route 66 Crossroads, a new nonprofit organization based in Kingman, Arizona, will focus on the highway's 2026 centennial among its goals to boost tourism and economic opportunities for communities along the Mother Road. Route 66 Crossroads, a federally recognized nonprofit that formed March 1, stated in a news release last week: The organization will be … Continue reading Route 66 Crossroads organization to focus on upcoming centennial
A few thoughts on the AP’s story on the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program
A few days ago, Russell Contreras, a reporter with the Associated Press' Albuquerque bureau, filed a story last week about the imminent demise of the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. Because AP stories fly all over the globe and are picked up by dozens of news outlets, I thought I'd better address some of the … Continue reading A few thoughts on the AP’s story on the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program
Relighting of Ariston Cafe’s neon signs, windows set for May 4
A relighting ceremony for the neon signs and window accents for the Ariston Cafe in Litchfield, Illinois, will be scheduled for the evening of May 4. The restoration of the signs and accents is a joint project between the Route 66 Association of Missouri and the Illinois Route 66 Association. The Missouri association has been … Continue reading Relighting of Ariston Cafe’s neon signs, windows set for May 4