A 28-mile stretch of Route 66 from Ludlow, California, to Amboy, California, that was closed in September because of flood damage reopened Thursday afternoon, according to a news release from San Bernardino County. Flash flooding Sept. 7-8 damaged the National Old Trails Road, aka Route 66, and about 40 bridges from Essex, California, to Ludlow. … Continue reading Route 66 reopened from Ludlow to Amboy
Category: Towns
Pontiac lands another museum
The Route 66 town of Pontiac, Illinois, has gained another museum to its bulging portfolio -- one that's dedicated to basketball in the the Land of Lincoln that's scheduled to open by summer 2016. According to the Bloomington Pantagraph, the Basketball Museum of Illinois, run by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association, will be built inside … Continue reading Pontiac lands another museum
New Route 66 signs coming to Albuquerque
About a half-dozen new signs that join the Route 66 logo with a roadrunner will be installed in Albuquerque by the end of March, reported KRQE-TV in Albuquerque. The road runner, incidentally, is the state bird of New Mexico. The mockup of the multipurpose directional sign, which is partly designed to direct tourists to attractions … Continue reading New Route 66 signs coming to Albuquerque
‘Blood money’ in Gallup
The Route 66 town of Gallup, New Mexico, long has been known as a place beset by many problems because of alcoholism in its Native American population. But this report in Indian Country Today, titled "Blood Money," shows how deep and breathtaking the problems are. Some of the bigger points: Gallup has 39 liquor licenses, a … Continue reading ‘Blood money’ in Gallup
Barstow will dedicate new mural Saturday
A bank building in Barstow, California, will unveil Saturday a new mural about the region's turquoise history, according to a report in the Desert Dispatch. Union Bank at 239 E. Main St. (aka Route 66) will unveil the mural at 10 a.m. Saturday. It was created by local artist Juliette Tison, who has painted 21 … Continue reading Barstow will dedicate new mural Saturday
County clears plan for amusement park in Williams
Coconino County approved the creation of a theme park district that could lead to a half-billion-dollar amusement park on the north side of Williams, Arizona, according to the Arizona Daily Sun. The amusement park would be on 475 acres on the city's north side, plus 21 acres in downtown for a long-proposed, $20 million Arizona … Continue reading County clears plan for amusement park in Williams
Anonymous donor gives Williams new street lights
The town of Williams, Arizona, received quite a Christmas gift a few day ago. An anonymous benefactor will cover the cost of installing up to 160 new street lights in town, including its tourist-heavy stretch of Route 66, reported the Williams-Grand Canyon News. The lights are worth a total of between $150,000 and $180,000. But … Continue reading Anonymous donor gives Williams new street lights
Kingman festival boosts local economy
The town of Kingman, Arizona, saw a sizable increase in revenue because of the International Route 66 Festival in August, according to an article in the Kingman Daily Miner. Here's the breakdown from the July-to-September period: • Nearly 39,000 travelers visited the Powerhouse Visitor Center, a 20 percent increase over the same period in 2013 … Continue reading Kingman festival boosts local economy
Route 66 Gateways in Tulsa are finished
Construction of the Route 66 Gateways along Tulsa's eastern and western sections of the Mother Road now is finished, according to city planner Dennis Whitaker. Whitaker emailed these photos of the gateways at night: And here's one of the gateways in the daytime. Tulsa's Route 66 Gateways are on 11th Street near Yale Avenue Garnett … Continue reading Route 66 Gateways in Tulsa are finished
Pacific’s 70-year Christmas tradition began as a prank
Right before Thanksgiving, members of the local Lions Club raised 14 lines of lights to create a Christmas tree on the top of the bluff on Blackburn Park, next to Route 66 in Pacific, Missouri. It's been a tradition in Pacific for many years. A recent article in the Washington Missourian illustrates it's not only … Continue reading Pacific’s 70-year Christmas tradition began as a prank