A severe storm that caused up to $5 million in damage to the Needles, California, included the historic Burger Hut restaurant along Route 66. The Needles Daily Star had a roundup about the Aug. 12 storm, including the Burger Hut: Ana Johnson, owner of The Burger Hut, said she was glad no one was hurt. … Continue reading Severe storm damages Burger Hut in Needles
Category: Weather
Fire destroys Tucumcari hotel
https://youtu.be/UVAxq3pgi8M A Hampton Inn hotel in the Route 66 town of Tucumcari, New Mexico, was destroyed after fire swept through its roof and top floors Wednesday, reported the Quay County Sun and other news outlets. Nearly 30 overnight guests were evacuated with no injuries, reported the newspaper, and were moved to nearby hotels. It's believed … Continue reading Fire destroys Tucumcari hotel
Severe hail causes a white July in Flagstaff
A potent monsoon storm dumped heavy rains and hail on the east side of Flagstaff, Arizona, on Tuesday -- causing residents to break out the snow shovels a few months early. According to the Arizona Daily Sun, so much hail fell that one resident reported that lawns still were white from piled-up hail on Wednesday. … Continue reading Severe hail causes a white July in Flagstaff
The lost photos of Joplin
May 22 marked the third anniversary of the powerful tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri, and changed that Route 66 city forever. I recommend you read this story from Al-Jazeera America about the Lost Photos of Joplin project, which collected more than 40,000 photographs scattered by the storm. There are lithographs of ancestors from the 1800s, … Continue reading The lost photos of Joplin
Route 66 Cares distributes money to tornado-stricken towns
Route 66 Cares, an offshoot of the Route 66 Chamber of Commerce, on Sunday distributed more than $1,500 from donations and fundraisers to the tornado-ravaged towns of Quapaw, Oklahoma, and Baxter Springs, Kansas. The Red Ball Bar & Grill in Baxter Springs provided especially stout support. A benefit pancake breakfast raised almost $750. The first check presentation of $1,265 … Continue reading Route 66 Cares distributes money to tornado-stricken towns
Route 66 organization raising funds for tornado-stricken towns
The Route 66 Chamber of Commerce has launched a Route 66 Cares page on Facebook and is collecting donations to help the tornado-wracked towns of Quapaw, Oklahoma, and Baxter Springs, Kansas, recover in the wake of this week's storms. The PayPal email address is visit66(at)yahoo(dot)com. Donations also can be mailed to: Route 66 Cares, c/o Baxter Springs Chamber … Continue reading Route 66 organization raising funds for tornado-stricken towns
Tornado kills at least one in Quapaw, Baxter Springs
A tornado has killed at least two people one person and destroyed a fire station in the Route 66 town of Quapaw, Okla., near the Kansas border, according to the Tulsa World and other media outlets. One media outlet also reported a death in the nearby Route 66 town of Baxter Springs, Kan. The twister … Continue reading Tornado kills at least one in Quapaw, Baxter Springs
California Route 66 association opposed solar plant near Helendale
The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors rejected an appeal from the California Historic Route 66 Association to halt the building of a 20-megawatt solar plant near Helendale, Calif, reported several media outlets. The Victorville Daily Press initially reported Monday about the appeal: The California Historic Route 66 Association is appealing the approval of the facility proposed on … Continue reading California Route 66 association opposed solar plant near Helendale
World’s Largest Covered Wagon repaired
The World's Largest Covered Wagon, aka the Railsplitter Covered Wagon, in Lincoln, Ill., has been repaired in time for tourism season after a severe windstorm damaged it in January. The Bloomington Pantagraph reported: "It was a challenge, and because it is in the Guinness Book of World Records, we had to make sure that we … Continue reading World’s Largest Covered Wagon repaired
“The Grapes of Wrath” was published 75 years ago today
John Steinbeck's famous novel about the Great Depression and a family's Moses-like journey on Route 66, "The Grapes of Wrath," was published 75 years ago today. The National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, Calif., is marking the anniversary all year, and I'll post a review of a new book about the writing of the novel when … Continue reading “The Grapes of Wrath” was published 75 years ago today