Although the Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet, Ill., has been restored and operating for years, its sign was fully refurbished only this week, reports the Joliet Herald News. On Wednesday, a sign crew installed the name "Rubens" above the vertical "Rialto" on the lighted, brown marquee. "It's listed in the National Register of Historical Places … Continue reading Rialto Square’s sign restored
Category: Signs
Missouri association starts a blog
The Route 66 Association of Missouri has started a blog. Webmaster Carolyn Hasenfratz said she created the site to get important or fast-breaking news on the Internet more quickly. And the blog began auspiciously, with a photo of restored neon sign of the Donut Drive-In in St. Louis. Apparently the sign had been dark for … Continue reading Missouri association starts a blog
Notes from the road
I overlooked this story a few weeks ago, but the neon Route 66 sign at Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza in Tulsa was damaged by a thief or vandal. The sign has been taken down for repairs and will be re-erected when it's completed. --- Season 3 of the original "Route 66" television series will be … Continue reading Notes from the road
Notes from the Preservation Conference
I attended a couple of Route 66-related seminars and took a stroll in the exhibition hall on Wednesday during the National Preservation Conference at the Tulsa Convention Center in Tulsa. Here are a few news items that should be of interest to roadies: -- I ran into Albert Okura, owner of the Juan Pollo restaurants … Continue reading Notes from the Preservation Conference
Route 66 Corridor Program grant recipients announced
Here's the list of recipients of 2008 cost-share grants from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program: The Mill Restaurant rehabilitation, Lincoln, Ill., $10,000 from the National Park Service, $28,000 match Donut Drive-In, St. Louis, neon sign restoration, $9,875 NPS, $10,925 match Devil's Elbow Bridge, Devil's Elbow, Mo., emergency stabilization, $8,000 NPS, $22,000 match Front Street … Continue reading Route 66 Corridor Program grant recipients announced
The approach to Odell
Here's a video that shows the approach to Odell, Ill., on old Route 66. I didn't know the locals had installed some Burma Shave-style signs there. The second part of the video is the town's restored Odell Station, including a look at all the old automotive equipment inside.
Neon signs — an endangered species
USA Today has an excellent article about endangered neon signs (many of them on old Route 66) and preservationists' efforts to rescue or restore them. An interesting passage here: Neon fell out of favor in the 1960s and 1970s when urban renewal was a priority and zoning regulations often banned new neon signs. When businesses … Continue reading Neon signs — an endangered species
Another sign gone
I heard Wednesday morning that the old neon sign for the Gateway Motor Inn, aka the Gateway Motor Hotel, along Oklahoma 66 halfway between Tulsa and Sapulpa, Okla., was down. I checked it out. There is was -- flat on the parking lot, surrounded by road cones and shards of broken neon tubing. It was … Continue reading Another sign gone
The nighttime glow of Gay Parita
Gary Turner's faithful reproduction of the former Gay Parita gas station on old Route 66 in Paris Springs, Mo., recently had architectural neon lighting added. The lighting was installed free by Vernon Boyce, owner of Missouri Neon Co. of nearby Springfield, Mo. The company has been around since the 1940s and has installed neon lighting … Continue reading The nighttime glow of Gay Parita
New Tucumcari billboards, banners
It's not a new slogan, but new "Tucumcari Tonite!" billboards to publicize the Route 66 town of Tucumcari, N.M., are about to go up along Interstate 40. There also will be "Tucumcari Tonite!" banners of a similar design along the city's main drags, including Route 66. There also are several Tucumcari centennial banners. Richard Talley, … Continue reading New Tucumcari billboards, banners