I always liked Victorville, Calif. It's got a lot of old-style charm, unlike many other communities in Southern California. So it's a bit distressing to read this article from the Christian Science Monitor about the bursting of the U.S. housing bubble in a Route 66 town. Victorville and other exurbs like it lie at the … Continue reading Housing bust hits Victorville
Category: Towns
Racino hearing preview
The Route 66 town of Tucumcari, N.M., is preparing for the public hearing Thursday on whether the state should award it a horse track/casino license. The Clovis News Journal lays out what's at stake. The Quay County Sun is reporting on how the town is decking itself out for the event. Here's a startling excerpt: … Continue reading Racino hearing preview
Taking care of the sign problem
In a few towns along Route 66, it's tough for novices to navigate the Main Street of America because the directional road signs are missing or stolen. Miami, Okla., took the initiative to solve that problem, reports the Daily Oklahoman. The town has painted the Oklahoma Route 66 logo right on the road surface. Amanda … Continue reading Taking care of the sign problem
The neon of Tucumcari
This is what Tucumcari, N.M., looks like after sundown.
Place a bet on Tucumcari
As many of you may know, the town of Tucumcari, N.M., is a candidate for a horse-racing track and casino license, which would be on the east end of town, right on Route 66. Richard Talley, president of Smalltown America and owner of the restored Motel Safari in Tucumcari, wants roadies from around the world … Continue reading Place a bet on Tucumcari
Devil’s Elbow Bridge update
Those wondering about the ongoing quest to rehab the Devil's Elbow Bridge at the Route 66 town of Devil's Elbow, Mo., here's a progress report courtesy of the Waynesville Daily Guide: Commissioner Bill Farnham had one item of good news on a major bridge project: he said a different type of material may be used … Continue reading Devil’s Elbow Bridge update
Help bring back the sign
I received a news release from Illinois Route 66 roadie Lenore Weiss on Friday, but had too little time to do anything with it before my shift. Lo and behold, her news release was run later that day as a letter to the editor in the Coal City (Ill.) Courant. You can read it here. … Continue reading Help bring back the sign
Edgewood event takes more of a Route 66 focus
The Mountain View Telegraph reports that the Run, Rally & Rock festival in Edgewood, N.M., is altering its focal point: What used to be the town's Run, Rally and Rock event was recently trademarked by the Edgewood Chamber of Commerce, according to Executive Director Myra Oden. While she has asked the town to contribute advertising … Continue reading Edgewood event takes more of a Route 66 focus
A visit to Two Guns
This is a slide show of the ruins of the former Route 66 tourist trap of Two Guns, Ariz. Here's a history about Two Guns.
Notes from the road
There seems to be some activity at the long-abandoned old Route 66 town of Spencer, Mo. We heard from Gary Turner up the road at Gay Parita that someone has bought the town's handful of buildings and plans to revive it with a gift shop and maybe other things. When we drove by on Sunday … Continue reading Notes from the road