The city of Albuquerque finally has gained ownership of the historic El Vado Motel along Route 66, and city officials are exploring ideas on what to do with it now, reports the Albuquerque Journal. Among the ideas are converting the property to a Route 66 neon museum, an artists' colony space, or even as a … Continue reading El Vado finally safeguarded by city of Albuquerque
Category: Signs
The neon road
Well, this is a neat project. The city of West Hollywood, Calif., and the Museum of Neon Art in Los Angeles have installed a new art installation of four neon signs along Route 66, according to The LAist. The display began Thursday. "We were looking at projects that would sort of help our history, even … Continue reading The neon road
66 Bowl will get a big twist-off
The 66 Bowl in Oklahoma City will be sold to an India grocer in a matter of days. To give the historic bowling alley a proper farewell party, it will host the annual Okie Twist-Off hot rod and music festival next weekend. According to the Daily Oklahoman: The annual event has drawn some of the … Continue reading 66 Bowl will get a big twist-off
Fair-food restaurant to open in historic Springfield eatery
Remember the Sonrise Donuts building and its distinctive neon sign on its roof on Route 66 in Springfield, Ill.? The long-closed business now will be the home Monday of a Gibby's Orbits restaurant, reported the Springfield State Journal-Register. Jack Gibbons had served mini-doughnuts, corn dogs, lemon shake-ups and other favorites at area county fairs since … Continue reading Fair-food restaurant to open in historic Springfield eatery
Found: the Texola monument
A few days ago, Corkey Mayberry of Park Hills, Mo., wondered what happened to a Texas-shaped monument that greeted Route 66 travelers in the border town of Texola, Okla. Mayberry and his wife had their picture taken at the monument in 1955. On a Route 66 trip a few weeks ago, Mayberry tried to find … Continue reading Found: the Texola monument
What happened to the Texola monument?
A few days ago, I received an e-mail from Corkey Mayberry of Park Hills, Mo., asking me to solve a mystery. In September 1955, he and his wife were on a Route 66 trip. The couple stopped to have their picture taken at a sizable stone monument in Texola, Okla., marking the spot of the … Continue reading What happened to the Texola monument?
New plant sign touts Webb City’s Route 66 heritage
Cardinal Scale Manufacturing Co. in Webb City, Mo., is marking its 60th anniversary and just opened a new building in town, according to the Joplin Globe. That's certainly noteworthy, but the real point of interest for Route 66 enthusiasts lurks in the plans for the land near the Cardinal Scale plant: Mayor John Biggs said … Continue reading New plant sign touts Webb City’s Route 66 heritage
Neon Chicago
Time Out Chicago has produced a list of the 24 best neon signs in Chicagoland, and one Route 66 restaurant made the list. Even better, the article includes 44 photos of noteworthy neon signs in the Windy City. The Mother Road business that made the list was Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket in Willowbrook: The Chicken … Continue reading Neon Chicago
Not a wallflower
The International Walldog Mural and Sign Art Museum in Pontiac, Ill., has seen hundreds of visitors since opening May 1, according to a report in the Bloomington Pantagraph. "We have been doing really well, and we are getting visitors from all over," said museum manager Kristen Mehlberg. "We've had visitors from 15 states and seven … Continue reading Not a wallflower
Notes from the road
(Editor's note: This is my Catch Up from the Memorial Day Holiday Edition.) Actor and director Dennis Hopper died over the weekend after a long bout with prostate cancer. He was 74. A memorial service and burial was held Wednesday at a church in his beloved Taos, N.M., where he lived for years. Although a … Continue reading Notes from the road