I sure would have hated to have been the reporter who had to construct this story in The Herald-News in Joliet, Ill.: The city council last week voted to de-designate Route 59 as it runs through Joliet as part of the Route 66 National Scenic Byway. Instead, the city resolution approved by the council emphasizes … Continue reading Giving up one Mother Road to emphasize another
Category: Signs
Highland Park sign-relighting project wins award
The recent project that relighted two historic rooftop neon signs in the Highland Park neighborhood in Los Angeles has won a Highland Park Heritage Trust Award, according to a news release. The presentation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Franklin High School women's gym, at 820 N. Ave. 54 (map here) in … Continue reading Highland Park sign-relighting project wins award
More sneak previews of Cars Land
The Disney Parks Blog posted this video of Disney's California Adventure Park and the adjacent Cars Land, both which are set to open to the public on June 15. https://youtu.be/ffmuOefRWV0 Cars Land is inspired by the fictional Route 66 town of Radiator Springs, as depicted in the 2006 Disney-Pixar film "Cars." And the blog also … Continue reading More sneak previews of Cars Land
Work on El Trovatore sign tower begins
A few weeks ago, the owners of El Trovatore Motel along Route 66 in Kingman, Ariz., announced they were doing an extensive renovation of the Route 66 landmark. This week, the motel started work on the enormous sign tower. Co-owner Sam Frisher wrote in an email Thursday: Today we are starting by taking down the … Continue reading Work on El Trovatore sign tower begins
The neon sign at Lou Mitchell’s
Here's a close-up of a beauty -- the neon sign at the historic Lou Mitchell's Restaurant, near the eastern end of Route 66 in Chicago: https://youtu.be/Zu22lXGT8Do This is one of many neon-sign videos by Mike at MindsIMedia.com. The neon sign clips are grouped here.
A closer look at Ramone’s Body Art in Cars Land
The Disney Parks Blog posted this construction time-lapse of Ramone's Body Art inside Cars Land at Disney's California Adventure park. https://youtu.be/mbUaKkz-Loc Ramone's resembles the historic U-Drop Inn along Route 66 in Shamrock, Texas. Disney says Ramone's eventually will have neon lighting. Cars Land was inspired by the fictional Route 66 town of Radiator Springs, depicted … Continue reading A closer look at Ramone’s Body Art in Cars Land
A video report from San Bernardino County
This local television show interviews Brad Mitzelfelt, vice president of the San Bernardino (Calif.) County Board of Supervisors. https://youtu.be/c-cAnExjXJk In this video, Mitzelfelt talks about: The effort to erect Route 66 historical marker signs in the county. The status of the proposed Mojave Trails National Monument, which shadows much of old Route 66 in the … Continue reading A video report from San Bernardino County
Manning’s Coffee sign glows again
This recently restored Manning's Coffee Store rooftop neon sign in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles was relighted during a ceremony Tuesday afternoon. This video from the Highland Park-Mount Washington Patch shows the switch being thrown: The fellow on the right helping the munchkin drop the switch is Scott Piotrowski, author of the "Finding … Continue reading Manning’s Coffee sign glows again
The ultimate road-music accessory
Jess McEntire, a musician and the man behind the Mother Road Music project, is selling charity raffle tickets for a chance to win a custom-made Route 66 electric guitar. The guitar's body is fashioned so it looks like the Route 66 shield sign that once graced the Mother Road decades ago. It's a limited-edition model … Continue reading The ultimate road-music accessory
Shimmering in the night
Here's a short-but-sweet new video of the great neon sign at the Supai Motel, along Route 66 in Seligman, Ariz. https://youtu.be/V7BistQ0xv4 The video was created by Andrew Wood, a professor at San Jose State University and a longtime roadie. He owns the Motel Americana website, and published "City Ubiquitous," in which Route 66 played a … Continue reading Shimmering in the night