One man's use of a shipping container as a colorful billboard to welcome tourists into Kingman, Arizona, before the 2014 International Route 66 Festival has blown up into a fight with city hall amid accusations of hypocrisy and selective enforcement. Pat McBrayer, a former city councilor, painted a Route 66-themed mural on a yellow container (pictured above) and … Continue reading Use of shipping containers causes controversy in Kingman
Category: Towns
Albuquerque will fix its Route 66 neon signs by June
Albuquerque will repair and convert to LED all of its Route 66-themed neon archways and signs by June, including a defective one on the city's west side has read "Route 6" instead of "Route 66" for almost a year. KOAT-TV in Albuquerque reports the repairs and conversion will cost the city about $151,000. Repairs on one of the … Continue reading Albuquerque will fix its Route 66 neon signs by June
Braidwood resident wants preservation ordinance for Route 66
A resident of Braidwood, Illinois, asked the city council to come up with a preservation ordinance for the town's historic buildings, especially ones on Route 66. Chris Earley said those properties "need to be landmarked for historical reasons and preservation reasons, now, for the future," reported Free Press Newspapers. Earley said he's been working with the … Continue reading Braidwood resident wants preservation ordinance for Route 66
Wildfires erupt near Topock, Needles
Wildfires on Wednesday threatened resorts on both sides of the Colorado River as more than 1,400 acres burned near Topock, Arizona, and Needles, California. The Havasu News in nearby Lake Havasu City reported: --- The Park Moabi Result and Pirate's Cove Resort were evacuated after hot embers buffeted by wind threatened them. A marketing manager at … Continue reading Wildfires erupt near Topock, Needles
Vision Tulsa’s passage helps several Route 66 projects
Voters in Tulsa passed the Vision Tulsa sales-tax extension by a wide margin Tuesday, and a few Route 66 projects will receive pieces of the $884 million pie. The big project of Vision Tulsa is building low-water dams on the Arkansas River. But here are the Route 66-related projects Vision Tulsa will fund: --- Route 66 … Continue reading Vision Tulsa’s passage helps several Route 66 projects
Lawsuits filed against Albuquerque Rapid Transit
At least two legal challenges were filed Monday against the city's Albuquerque Rapid Transit (ART) plan, including that the National Historic Preservation Act was violated, plus other state and federal laws. The Albuquerque Journal reported: The lawsuits allege that ART would choke traffic along Central Avenue and disrupt the character of old Route 66. Albuquerque is home … Continue reading Lawsuits filed against Albuquerque Rapid Transit
Rapper will restore “The Outsiders” house
A rapper in the group House of Pain purchased a house in north Tulsa prominently used in the 1983 film version of "The Outsiders." He plans to restore the dilapidated home and turn it into a museum dedicated to the film and the S.E. Hinton novel on which it's based. Danny O'Connor, aka Danny Boy, of House of … Continue reading Rapper will restore “The Outsiders” house
Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center draws 16,000 its first year
The Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center in Bloomington, Illinois, is rapidly approaching the first anniversary of its opening and reports more than 16,000 visitors since that time. The Bloomington-Normal region decided to build the Route 66-themed part of McLean County Museum of History because Route 66 tourists were bypassing the Twin Cities. More Route … Continue reading Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center draws 16,000 its first year
Amarillo proposes a cultural district
Amarillo, Texas, is lobbying for the creation of an officially sanctioned cultural district that includes Route 66. According to the Amarillo Globe-News: The proposed district lines aren’t a compact square, but instead stretch to include downtown with the Amarillo Civic Center Complex and Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, Southwest Sixth Avenue/Historic Route 66 with music venues … Continue reading Amarillo proposes a cultural district
Delays pop up for Albuquerque Rapid Transit
Construction for the massive Albuquerque Rapid Transit project along Central Avenue (aka Route 66) will be delayed two months. Also, a former city attorney told a television station ART could be further delayed because the project runs afoul of the city's Landmarks and Urban Preservation Commission. ART would carve out two center lanes of nine … Continue reading Delays pop up for Albuquerque Rapid Transit