A recent banquet in Commerce, Okla., to raise money for a statue and other attractions paying tribute to native son and Baseball Hall-of-Famer Mickey Mantle cleared about $12,000 in profit, reported the Miami (Okla.) News-Record. More than 350 people attended the event. I'm certain the appearance of Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins drew a … Continue reading More money for The Mick
Bobby Troup sings “Route 66”
I've posted a few dozen versions of "Route 66" on this Web site. But this is the first I've posted by the composer of "Route 66" himself, Bobby Troup. Here he is in 1964, showing his jazz chops on piano during a segment of "The Julie London Show."
Historic Dwight service station is restored
The Ambler's Texaco Station in the Route 66 town of Dwight, Ill., has been restored to its 1940s appearance, reports the Morris (Ill.) Daily Herald. Part of the restoration was covered by a cost-share grant from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. A plaque from the National Park Service commemorating the restoration will be dedicated … Continue reading Historic Dwight service station is restored
Uranium Cafe closes
The Uranium Cafe, a Route 66 landmark in Grants, N.M., with a classic neon sign, closed about a month ago, according to a Grants/Cibola County Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman. The latest incarnation of the restaurant lasted about a year. It called itself Five Brothers Uranium Cafe. The previous owner for a number of years sold … Continue reading Uranium Cafe closes
Kingman makes top 100 cities list for first time
The Route 66 town of Kingman, Ariz., made the final cut in Relocate America's Top 100 Places to Live in 2007. Here's the criteria: Throughout the calendar year, we accept nominations for cities & towns throughout the country to be considered as a "great place to live". The nominating parties must include their own reasons … Continue reading Kingman makes top 100 cities list for first time
Driving Route 66 in a lawn mower
Matt Land, national sales manager of the Magic Circle Corp. lawn mower manufacturer in Coatesville, Ind., is going to travel 2,000 miles from Indiana to Sacramento, Calif., in one of the company's Dixie Choppers, according to the Indianapolis Star. He'll travel mostly on Route 66. Where interstate travel is unavoidable, he'll put the lawn mower … Continue reading Driving Route 66 in a lawn mower
Four-alarm fire closes Missouri Route 66
A four-alarm mulch fire at Route 66 Landscape Supply Center in Pacific, Mo., closed down the Mother Road part of Sunday afternoon, reports KSDK-TV in St. Louis. More than 100 firefighters from 12 departments battled the blaze, which was difficult to extinguish. Smoke could be seenn from more than 10 miles away. Firefighters expect to … Continue reading Four-alarm fire closes Missouri Route 66
Longtime roadie Skip Curtis dies
C.H. "Skip" Curtis, a longtime historian and booster of Route 66 in Missouri, died Saturday night at his home in Springfield, Mo., reports Tommy Pike, president of the Route 66 Association of Missouri. I don't have any funeral arrangements yet. I'll pass them along and other details as I get them. Curtis was a contributing … Continue reading Longtime roadie Skip Curtis dies
Rendezvous cuts back on entries and hours
It's usually a bad sign if a festival prunes back its entries and hours of operation. But the Route 66 Rendezvous in San Bernardino, Calif., with an annual attendance of well over a half-million, is not just any festival. The San Bernardino County Sun reports that the number of car entries will be cut back … Continue reading Rendezvous cuts back on entries and hours
Lincoln to promote obscure 66 alignment
Geoff Ladd, chief of Logan County (Ill.) tourism, said the agency will be promoting a 1926-30 alignment of Route 66 and a second, more obscure alignment through Lincoln, reports the Lincoln Courier. A second alignment, which was used for only 10 months in 1928, means the Logan County Courthouse and still more local businesses can … Continue reading Lincoln to promote obscure 66 alignment