A new Western-themed attraction is being built near Oatman, Ariz., called Route 66 Ranch, according to an article in the Mohave Daily News. It's the brainchild of Tom and Jennifer McCarthy, who also own the Oatman Stables horseback-riding business. Plans for the Route 66 Ranch include 10 shops each with a different theme, a petting … Continue reading New attraction opening near Oatman
Category: Towns
Notes from the road
A public hearing has been scheduled regarding the future of the Bird Creek Bridge on Oklahoma 66 near Catoosa. The westbound Bird Creek Bridge, which dates to 1936, is part of the so-called Twin Bridges part of Route 66 there. The meeting by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation is set for 6 p.m. April 20 … Continue reading Notes from the road
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
Albuquerque touts Route 66 for ultra high-speed broadband
Albuquerque is making a strong pitch to be one of Google's test markets for ultra high-speed broadband, and the Duke City is citing Route 66 in its efforts, according to the New Mexico Business Weekly. Google promises the networks will offer speeds of one gigabit per second, which is 100 times faster than what most … Continue reading Albuquerque touts Route 66 for ultra high-speed broadband
Grocery in Needles will remain open
The endangered Bashas' store, the only remaining grocery still operating in the Route 66 town of Needles, Calif., will remain open for the foreseeable future, reported the Needles Desert Star this week. The Bashas' chain had filed for bankruptcy months ago, and the closure of the Needles location and nine other stores was part of … Continue reading Grocery in Needles will remain open
Notes from the road
A final meeting for public comment will be Monday at 5:30 p.m. at Clinton Middle School in west Tulsa about the Route 66 Master Plan: Red Fork Streetscape Improvements, according to Greater Tulsa Reporter Newspapers. The project area includes Southwest Boulevard between 25th West Avenue and 27th West Avenue. [...] Citizens are welcome to comment … Continue reading Notes from the road
Book review: “Ghost Towns of the Southwest”
Route 66 aficionados who like straying off the beaten path will find dozens of ideas for day trips with "Ghost Towns of the Southwest" (soft cover, 256 pages, Voyageur Press, $21.99). Subtitled "Your Guide to the Historic Mining Camps & Ghost Towns of Arizona and New Mexico," the book by Jim Hinckley and photographer Kerrick … Continue reading Book review: “Ghost Towns of the Southwest”
CD review: “Songs of Tucumcari”
While looking over the track listing of the "Songs of Tucumcari" complication compilation CD, a thought struck me: When has such a small town as Tucumcari, N.M. (population 5,900) inspired so many songs? Maybe it's because the city's association with Route 66. Maybe it's from being the first significant town that westbound travelers encounter when … Continue reading CD review: “Songs of Tucumcari”
Songs about Tucumcari
The Tucumcari-Quay County Chamber of Commerce is about to release a 14-song CD filled with songs that refer to the Route 66 town of Tucumcari, N.M., according to the Quay County Sun. The Chamber of Commerce will sell the CDs to tourists and the locals as a Chamber fundraiser. In the beginning of the research, … Continue reading Songs about Tucumcari
Touting Tucumcari
This is a promotional video created by the Tucumcari-Quay County Chamber of Commerce in Tucumcari, N.M. It touts the town's Route 66 heritage and other attractions. It's an excellent video ... every bit as good what I've seen from much bigger cities.