After a court ruling struck down the city landmark designation for El Vado Motel in Albuquerque, the matter is back before the Landmarks and Urban Conservation Commission on July 11 on whether to make the historic Route 66 motel a city landmark to protect it from redevelopment. A judge ruled that the commission didn't adequately … Continue reading Back to the beginning for El Vado
Route 66 stencils being painted on road in New Mexico
To identify Route 66, the New Mexico Department of Transportation is painting Route 66 stencils directly on the road's shoulder in the western part of the state, reports the Gallup Independent. Delane Barros, spokeswoman for the state highway department, District 6, said 30 of the logos will be stenciled in using white paint this summer … Continue reading Route 66 stencils being painted on road in New Mexico
The sad state of Twin Arrows
The Route 66 truck stop known as Twin Arrows outside of Flagstaff, Ariz., is abandoned and has been deteriorating for years. One of the two giant arrows stuck into the ground has shed its plywood tail. Garbage is littered all over the site. The Arizona Daily Sun in Flagstaff reports that because the Valentine diner … Continue reading The sad state of Twin Arrows
Too much rain
A travel advisory for roadies planning on driving through Oklahoma: an abundance of rainy weather is causing flooding in eastern Oklahoma County, which is part of the Oklahoma City metro area. According to KOCO-TV: This large square area and many of the roads within it, including Route 66, are currently affected by high water. The … Continue reading Too much rain
Illinois sees rise in tourism revenues
The state of Illinois broke records for tourism revenue during 2006, reports the Pontiac Daily Leader. Livingston County saw an 8.8 percent increase. The reason? "I think part of the increase in numbers for our county are related to the Route 66 phenomena," Ellie Alexander, Pontiac's tourism director, said about the Illinois figures. "The cooperation … Continue reading Illinois sees rise in tourism revenues
Preservation in action
Emily, who is in charge of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association's preservation committee, supervised the preservation project during the past weekend's National Route 66 Festival in Clinton, Okla. The mission: To pretty up the long-closed Ray's Motel in Clinton over a three-day period. More than two dozen volunteers showed up. Emily has more details and … Continue reading Preservation in action
Clinton, ya done good
I'm not going to say that the National Route 66 Festival in Clinton, Okla., was the best ever. I've been interested in the Mother Road only since about 2000, and a number of national Route 66 festivals were held before that. But I've attended each national roadie gathering since 2002, and I enjoyed this past … Continue reading Clinton, ya done good
Motel gets a lift from tourism
This story by the Edwardsville (Ill.) Journal is a case study about how the surge of Route 66 tourism, beginning in the 1990s, has probably helped keep alive many old motels. The motel in question is the Apple Valley Motel in nearby Mitchell, Ill., which dates to the 1940s or '50s and has just 17 … Continue reading Motel gets a lift from tourism
Donation boosts The Mill restoration
Restoration efforts for The Mill, a long-closed Route 66 restaurant in Lincoln, Ill., got a big lift when local philanthropist Larry Van Bibber donated $15,000, reported the Lincoln Courier. Van Bibber said he asked Geoff Ladd, who is chairman of the Route 66 Heritage Foundation of Logan County, how much money Ladd thought the renovation … Continue reading Donation boosts The Mill restoration
A talk with the Sheriff
The Daily Oklahoman concludes its week-long coverage of Route 66 and the National Route 66 Festival in Clinton, Okla., with an interview with Michael Wallis, author of "Route 66: The Mother Road" and the voice of the Sheriff of Radiator Springs in the movie "Cars." The linked page includes an audio file of Wallis' distinctive … Continue reading A talk with the Sheriff