This week, the Daily Progress newspaper in Claremore, Oklahoma, began a series about two local African-American sports teams before desegregation -- the Claremore Clowns baseball team and the Lincoln School state championship boys basketball team. In the first part, former local athlete Gerome Riley talked about the whites-only, blacks-only era of the 1940s and early 1950s: … Continue reading Racial slur once used to promote Route 66 restaurant
Category: Signs
New Route 66 signs unveiled in Amarillo
State and local officials on Wednesday unveiled a series of new Route 66 signs in Amarillo, Texas, after the state legislature passed a bill that designated Route 66 as an official historic corridor. The Amarillo Pioneer reported: The ceremony, which took place across the street from the OPJ antique store, featured Senator Kel Seliger, Representative … Continue reading New Route 66 signs unveiled in Amarillo
Tropical attire encouraged for The Tropics sign relighting
Organizers of the relighting of The Tropics neon sign on June 24 in Lincoln, Illinois, are encouraging attendees to wear tropical-style clothing for the event. A news release from the Tropics Campaign Relighting Committee states activities will begin at 7:15 p.m. that day with a pre-event reception at the McDonald's parking lot at 1007 Hickox … Continue reading Tropical attire encouraged for The Tropics sign relighting
Taco King in Upland is up for sale
The Taco King restaurant along Route 66 in Upland, California -- famed for its old-school neon sign -- recently was put up for sale with an asking price of almost $1.5 million. According to The Daily Bulletin, longtime owners Luis and Maria Horta want to sell the place by the end of 2018, then retire. They've … Continue reading Taco King in Upland is up for sale
Genuine Route 66 Life returns with Fender’s River Road Resort
After a long hiatus, KC Keefer of the Genuine Route 66 Life video series recently returned with a new video at Fender's River Road Resort and Motel in Needles, California. Interviewed is Rosie Ramos, the public face at the historic Route 66 property. https://youtu.be/Y89kQfJzwyM A few months ago, Fender's also embarked on a Relight the … Continue reading Genuine Route 66 Life returns with Fender’s River Road Resort
Tulsa Route 66 Commission starts to get serious with its tasks
The Tulsa Route 66 Commission has met for nearly two years, but the proverbial rubber is meeting the Mother Road with the panel close to finishing its first budget. The panel's funding of $262,500 in Vision sales-tax money begins in fiscal year 2019, which means the group must allocate the money by July 1. According … Continue reading Tulsa Route 66 Commission starts to get serious with its tasks
Route 66 signs among Preservation Oklahoma’s Most Endangered list
Route 66 signs throughout Oklahoma were among the places included in the annual Most Endangered Historic Places list by Preservation Oklahoma. The list was announced Monday in Oklahoma City. The organization said about the list: Since 1993, Preservation Oklahoma has recognized historic sites across the state at risk of demolition or deterioration, raising awareness of … Continue reading Route 66 signs among Preservation Oklahoma’s Most Endangered list
Rebranding of Joplin’s East Town includes more Route 66 signs
The city of Joplin, Missouri, has embarked on a multi-pronged project to rebrand its historic East Town neighborhood, including adding new Route 66 signs along an original alignment there. The Joplin Globe reports new "Dreams - East Town" banners have gone up on light poles along the Langston Hughes-Broadway corridor (aka Route 66), which is … Continue reading Rebranding of Joplin’s East Town includes more Route 66 signs
Wilder’s rooftop neon sign glows again
The rooftop neon sign for Wilder's Steakhouse in Joplin, Missouri, glowed again for the first time in at least 25 years during a relighting ceremony Saturday night. Brad Nickson, president of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, posted this short video of the relighting of the animated neon sign on Instagram: A post shared by Brad … Continue reading Wilder’s rooftop neon sign glows again
Wilder’s neon sign reinstalled; relighting event set for Saturday
The historic rooftop neon sign at Wilder's Steakhouse in downtown Joplin, Missouri, was reinstalled Thursday after being taken down for several weeks for restoration. The official relighting ceremony for the sign will be at dusk Saturday, April 14. Sunset that day is 7:52 p.m., but it may become dark faster if skies are overcast. Here's a … Continue reading Wilder’s neon sign reinstalled; relighting event set for Saturday