Three inductees -- including a previously announced historic bar in Edwardsville -- were announced to the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame during the Illinois Route 66 Association's Motor Tour last month. Detail on the inductees may be read here. Here's a brief overview of each: Hi-Way Cafe and Tavern, Edwardsville -- Sicilian immigrants Frank and … Continue reading 2014 inductees to Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame announced
Category: Signs
Neon restored on historic theater in downtown Los Angeles
The marquee of the historic Globe Theatre in downtown Los Angeles was relighted during a ceremony Tuesday night. It reportedly was the first time in 30 years that the marquee has glowed. The theater is on 740 S. Broadway in downtown L.A., which served as the western terminus of Route 66 until it was stretched … Continue reading Neon restored on historic theater in downtown Los Angeles
Photographer wants to document America’s neon signs
San Diego photographer Stefanie Poteet is traveling all over the United States the next four months so she can artistically document vintage neon signs, including on Route 66. Here's the video that comes with her Kickstarter fundraiser: Poteet writes about her quest: These signs and the places they were built for are an integral part … Continue reading Photographer wants to document America’s neon signs
Boots Motel adds new supplementary sign
The historic Boots Motel in Carthage, Missouri, added a new "Air Conditioned" supplementary sign that's a faithful re-creation of one that hung from the main sign decades ago, along with the "Radio in Every Room" sign installed last year. I failed to notice the "Air Conditioned" sign in old postcards of the 1939 motel, which … Continue reading Boots Motel adds new supplementary sign
Illinois county taking next steps for establishing Route 66 corridor
Will County, Illinois, near Chicago, is about to take the next steps in transforming Illinois Highway 53 into more of an attraction for Route 66 tourists, reported Shaw Media. The 20-mile stretch of Illinois 53 runs from about Interstate 80 in Joliet to Braidwood. Larazza said more than 30 businesses and other stakeholders involved in … Continue reading Illinois county taking next steps for establishing Route 66 corridor
Family of owls holds up relighting of Whiting Bros. sign
The last Whiting Brothers gas station still in operation on Route 66 had hoped to relight the neon for its refurbished signs during a ceremony last weekend. However, a family of owls recently took up residence in one of the signs, delaying the neon installation at the station in Moriarty, New Mexico. Roger Holden at RETRO … Continue reading Family of owls holds up relighting of Whiting Bros. sign
Remnants of Club Cafe soon will disappear
The neon signs and building of the long-closed Club Cafe restaurant in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, likely will vanish by summer's end unless an unlikely savior is found, according to today's print edition of the Guadalupe County Communicator, based in Santa Rosa. Known since 1935 for its sourdough biscuits, New Mexican cuisine and its trademark … Continue reading Remnants of Club Cafe soon will disappear
Goodwill store in Tulsa erects Route 66-themed sign
The headquarters of Goodwill Industries of Tulsa has operated on Route 66 in southwest Tulsa for years. Yet it's invigorating to see a retro and Route 66-inspired sign go up at its new retail store in that area. Afton Station co-owner Laurel Kane posted a photo of the new sign on her blog. The front … Continue reading Goodwill store in Tulsa erects Route 66-themed sign
Nice neon addition, but is it vintage?
The Marty Rivers Building in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, recently touted the addition of a neon sign on its roof. The building is on East Hobson Avenue and North Water Street in Sapulpa (map here), which sits one block north of Dewey Avenue, aka Route 66. A short story about the sign in the Sapulpa Daily Herald … Continue reading Nice neon addition, but is it vintage?
Neon lights installed in part of Albuquerque’s downtown
Neon lights were installed on Route 66-themed lampposts along a section of Central Avenue (aka Route 66) in downtown Albuquerque during the weekend, according to various media outlets. KRQE-TV in Albuquerque has a video about the lights: Albuquerque Business First explained the project: Through a partnership and grant with the Public Service Co. of New … Continue reading Neon lights installed in part of Albuquerque’s downtown