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
Category: Signs
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
Vendors roiled by Route 66 trademark claim
A company in the Netherlands that claims trademark ownership of "Route 66" and its shield has persuaded Zazzle.com, an international retailer of custom-made products, to remove the listings of least two American vendors who have tried to sell Route 66-related products on the website. The company making the claim is TemptingBrands.com, aka Route66Licensing.com. The domain owner, … Continue reading Vendors roiled by Route 66 trademark claim
The story behind Ozark Trail obelisks
The Plainview (Texas) Daily Herald posted a fascinating story about the obelisks that once dotted the length of the Ozark Trail highway system, which parts of which became early alignments of Route 66. According to the Drive The Old Spanish Trail Web site (www.drivetheost.com), various trail associations were formed early in the 20th century to … Continue reading The story behind Ozark Trail obelisks
Notes from the road
Richard Talley of the Motel Safari in Tucumcari, N.M., says a lot has been happening in his town lately. Here's what he said by e-mail (with some minor editing): Here's a shot of the new AutoPros auto care center across the street from us on Route 66 (used to be Tucumcari Tire Co., closed for years). … Continue reading Notes from the road
Sign project gets going again in Miami
A bunch of Route 66-related sign projects for Miami, Okla., are on the front burner again after an environmental review was completed and other agreements were signed two weeks ago, according to a report in the Joplin (Mo.) Globe. Here's what's slated: --- The reconstruction of a historic 40-foot wide “Miami, Oklahoma — The Gateway” … Continue reading Sign project gets going again in Miami
Cruising with Link Wray
Here's a slide show of motel-sign images, accompanied by Link Wray's version of "Begin the Beguine." Not all of the signs are on Route 66, but the signs are cool anyway.
Tower Theater again is aglow
The neon lights of the historic Tower Theater on Route 66 in Oklahoma City burned Friday night for the first time in decades. John Murphey of the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program was there, and here are some excerpts of notes from the event: Approximately 200 people gathered in a parking lot across the street … Continue reading Tower Theater again is aglow
Notes from the road
The neon sign of the historic Tower Theater in Oklahoma City will be relighted during a ceremony Friday evening. The theater, at 425 NW 23rd St. in Oklahoma City, will see its restored neon blazing away again at 6:30 p.m. that day after decades in the dark. Here's more about the theater, according to records … Continue reading Notes from the road