After a short hiatus, the famed "Tucumari Tonite!" billboards that once graced Route 66 will be returning to Interstate 40 and U.S. 54 to publicize that eastern New Mexico town, reports the Quay County Sun. For more than a year, billboards advertising the city have featured a silhouette of cowboys on horseback and the slogan … Continue reading ‘Tucumcari Tonite’ billboards will return
Category: Towns
Checking in
This post comes from a clean, comfortable and inexpensive room at the Gardens Motel in Litchfield, Ill. We got into Litchfield not long after the sun began to dip low on the ripened wheat and sprouting horseradish fields. On the way, we found the concretes at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in St. Louis are as … Continue reading Checking in
A final goodbye
The San Bernardino County Sun today ran a belated obituary for Bessie Burris, 91, who died on May 17. Burris was the wife of Buster Burris, who co-owned Roy's and the Route 66 town of Amboy, Calif., for many years. Juan Pollo restaurant chain owner Albert Okura now owns Amboy and plans to restore it. … Continue reading A final goodbye
Super weird
From today's San Bernardino (Calif.) County Sun: Four Italian men from an international film crew were showered with a superheroic welcome Friday at the San Bernardino headquarters for Juan Pollo Restaurants as they stopped by the corporate offices and museums. Each was dressed as a comic-book hero.Decked in Robin, Captain America, Flash Gordon and Superman … Continue reading Super weird
How to fry an egg on a sidewalk
The little western Arizona town of Oatman is scheduled to hold its annual Sidewalk Egg Fry on July 4. The Mohave Daily News notes that the event is always on July 4, no matter on what day it falls. Fred Eck of the local chamber provided some tips to those who may be competing: “Get … Continue reading How to fry an egg on a sidewalk
TV station touts Joliet’s Route 66 connection
The city of Joliet, Ill.'s fairly recent embrace of Route 66 has paid off again. This time, WLS-TV, the big ABC affiliate in Chicago, has featured it as one of its "one tank trips" for local tourists. Check it out. It's smart marketing. While the price of gas goes higher, Joliet is drawing visitors from … Continue reading TV station touts Joliet’s Route 66 connection
‘Mural City’ adds another decoration to its walls
The Route 66 town of Cuba, Mo., is known as Mural City because of its many murals that pay tribute to the people and events of its past. It's not exactly a mural, but a sculpture at Route 66 and Missouri Highway 19 creates much of the same effect. It's a 15-foot-long, 320-pound sculpture, created … Continue reading ‘Mural City’ adds another decoration to its walls
Horse-racing track in Moriarty approved
The New Mexico Racing Commission today approved the move of the Downs at Albuquerque from the New Mexico state fairgrounds to the Route 66 town of Moriarty, N.M., about 40 miles east, reports KRQE-TV. Planned is a 500-acre, $65 million facility at Highway 41 and Interstate 40. That is very close to Highway 333, aka … Continue reading Horse-racing track in Moriarty approved
POPS doubles Arcadia’s sales-tax revenue
I can't say that I'm surprised by this story from the Edmond (Okla.) Sun: The most recent Oklahoma Tax Commission figures indicates that Arcadia’s sales tax revenue has doubled since POPS opened there last August. [...] August to January sales tax revenue is $123,365 compared to $59,137 for those months of the previous calendar year. … Continue reading POPS doubles Arcadia’s sales-tax revenue
A closer look at the Cyrus Avery Plaza
If you're traveling west on Route 66 near downtown Tulsa, here's a new sight you'll encounter on Southwest Boulevard approaching the Arkansas River. This is the Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza. The Tulsa World on Sunday had an update about this particular Route 66 project, which should be finished sometime later this year. A big bronze … Continue reading A closer look at the Cyrus Avery Plaza