Mural-painting begins in Pontiac

The painting of several murals by volunteer Walldogs artists in the Route 66 town of Pontiac, Ill., began Wednesday, reports the Pontiac Daily Leader. One of the murals will feature a Route 66 theme, on the wall of DeLongs' Casual Dining at 201 N. Mill St. The Walldogs should be done with the murals by … Continue reading Mural-painting begins in Pontiac

“East St. Louis Blues”

Here's an interesting slide show of the Route 66 town of East St. Louis, Ill. It captures the city's decay and glimpses of its long-ago glory fairly well. Music is by Eddie Fisher & The Next 100 Years, from an album recorded in St. Louis in 1971 and produced by St. Louis music legend Oliver … Continue reading “East St. Louis Blues”

Back in business

The Kingman (Ariz.) Daily Miner has a story about the resurrection of the Kingman Route 66 Association. The goals, according to association President Tim McDonnell: The first is to establish a new Web site promoting the city's proximity to other Arizona attractions, including Oatman, Peach Springs and the Grand Canyon. The Web site, dubbed "Destination … Continue reading Back in business

Downtown Miami named to National Register

The downtown district of Miami, Okla., has been named to the National Register of Historic Places, according to a weekly e-mail sent by the National Park Service on Friday. The district is roughly bounded by Main Street (aka Route 66), Central Avenue and SE A Street. That includes the block where the historic Coleman Theatre … Continue reading Downtown Miami named to National Register

Notes from the road

We learned Thursday that longtime roadie Jeff Meyer, aka the Route 66 Roadologist, is in the hospital after having health problems earlier in the week, and he is undergoing tests. Meyer has been exploring Route 66 for more than two decades, is a founding member of the Illinois Route 66 Association, and was given the … Continue reading Notes from the road

Would high-speed train benefit Route 66 town?

This is an interesting development for the Route 66 town of Victorville, Calf., if it happens ... VICTORVILLE - Construction crews could begin work on a proposed high-speed rail line to Las Vegas as early as next year, executives with the company behind the project said. [...] The DesertXpress idea is based on the assumption … Continue reading Would high-speed train benefit Route 66 town?

Book review: “The Route 66 St. Louis Cookbook”

First-time author Norma Maret Bolin's "The Route 66 St. Louis Cookbook" has the words "St. Louis" in slightly larger type than the rest of the title of the book's cover. This is telling. Her book (paperback, 174 pages, $19.95) is considerably more focused on famed restaurants of the entire St. Louis area than just those … Continue reading Book review: “The Route 66 St. Louis Cookbook”

Surviving Seligman

The Arizona Republic has a nice travel article about the Route 66 town of Seligman. Much of the focus is on Route 66 and the efforts of Angel Delgadillo and the late Juan Delgadillo to save the town after it was bypassed by Interstate 40 in 1978. Nowadays, Seligman's a fairly lively town, despite containing … Continue reading Surviving Seligman

Standin’ on a Corner marks 10th year

The Standin' on a Corner Park on Route 66 in Winslow, Ariz., is marking its 10th year, reports Cronkite News Service. Winslow was forever put on the map by two verses ("Well I was standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona, such a fine sight to see / It's a girl, my Lord, in a … Continue reading Standin’ on a Corner marks 10th year