The Bristow Firestone Service Station that dates to 1930 on Route 66 in Bristow, Okla., is being restored and soon will reopen as a body shop. The building once was owned by Bolin Ford Inc., but recently sold to Jack Longacre to expand his body-shop business. Longacre has been diligently restoring the building at 321 … Continue reading Former Firestone station will be reborn
Category: Signs
Bolin Ford adds new with the old
Completion remains weeks away, but the rebuilding of Bolin Ford Inc. in Bristow, Okla., is far enough along that I decided to take a tour of the facilities on Saturday before an open house in early December. A fire heavily damaged Bolin Ford in December 2008. The owners could have rebuilt in a mundane way. … Continue reading Bolin Ford adds new with the old
Why OKC installed more Route 66 signs
This clip serves mainly as a publicity blurb for Oklahoma Sen. David Holt and Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett. But it turns interesting when the two reveal why Oklahoma City recently decided to install more Route 66 signs to guide travelers. The primary impetus, it turns out, was Paul McCartney's journey on Route 66 in … Continue reading Why OKC installed more Route 66 signs
Relighting date of Luna Cafe sign announced
The official relighting ceremony of a refurbished Luna Cafe neon sign in Mitchell, Ill., will be about 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 22, according to organizers. That time is approximate, depending on how cloudy it is at dusk. According to data from sunrisesunset.com, sunset in nearby Granite City on that date is 6:14 p.m. So plan accordingly. From … Continue reading Relighting date of Luna Cafe sign announced
Mix old with the new
The city of Kingman, Ariz., may soon get a newfangled billboard along its stretch of Route 66, reported the Kingman Daily Miner. Lamar Advertising wants to place an LED billboard at the foot of El Travatore Hill, with these intriguing aspects: Lamar presented four different billboard designs: a historic 1950s look with a wood-like design, … Continue reading Mix old with the new
New “Tucumcari Tonite!” billboard
A new billboard usually isn't anything special. But this one for the Route 66 town of Tucumcari, N.M., boasts a retro look that's difficult to ignore. Richard Talley, owner of the Motel Safari in Tucumcari, said in an e-mail: We’re helping to celebrate New Mexico’s Centennial 1912-2012 this time, with a turquoise colored background, much … Continue reading New “Tucumcari Tonite!” billboard
A culinary tour
The Food Channel (not to be confused with the Food Network) posted this clip about many restaurant signs along the Mother Road and some non-food landmarks as well. https://youtu.be/UZOQqv9dWd8
More Route 66 signs installed in Oklahoma City
Finishing a four-year project, Oklahoma City and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation installed about 30 Route 66 road signs in the metro area, reported The Oklahoman newspaper. State Sen. David Holt said it was done to help direct Route 66 travelers through the city. Holt [...] noted there were only a half-dozen or so signs … Continue reading More Route 66 signs installed in Oklahoma City
Three Route 66 sites receive Tulsa Preservation awards
Three sites on Route 66 in Tulsa were among the 13 honored today by the Tulsa Preservation Commission's Outreach Committee, according to an article in the Tulsa World. The annual awards are given to projects that "demonstrate good stewardship of a historic resource, increase awareness and access to a historic resource, or save a historic … Continue reading Three Route 66 sites receive Tulsa Preservation awards
Restoration work begins on Luna Cafe sign
Restoration work on the vintage neon sign at the Luna Cafe in Mitchell, Ill., began Thursday when it was removed and taken to a restoration shop in St. Charles, Mo. Jim Thole of the Route 66 Association of Missouri says it will take six to eight weeks to restore the sign. He thinks a relighting … Continue reading Restoration work begins on Luna Cafe sign