Filmmaker Katrina Parks announced her three-part "Route 66: The Untold Story of Women on the Mother Road" and the documentary "The Harvey Girls: Opportunity Bound" now are available to audiences for free on the streaming platform TubiTV. According to a news release from Parks: These films, which have been broadcast through American Public Television, explore … Continue reading Documentary about Route 66 women now being aired for free on TubiTV
Staff, management shake-up hits Tower Theatre in Oklahoma City
The historic Tower Theatre along Route 66 in Oklahoma City recently saw layoffs and a big management shake-up. The Lost Ogle, an OKC-based website that has broken a number of big stories over the years, reported at least nine people at the theater were laid off, others were forced to reapply for their jobs, and … Continue reading Staff, management shake-up hits Tower Theatre in Oklahoma City
J.M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum in Claremore reopens after months of renovations
The J.M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum in Claremore, Oklahoma, reopened this week after more than four months of renovations. According to Fox23 in nearby Tulsa, the museum closed in November to undergo a conversion to an LED lighting system. Executive director Wayne McCombs said they are excited about the new lighting system they were … Continue reading J.M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum in Claremore reopens after months of renovations
Central Avenue Bridge in Albuquerque might become a city landmark
The Central Avenue Bridge that carries Route 66 over the Rio Grande in Albuquerque soon will be considered a city landmark by the city's Landmarks Commission. According to KRQE-TV in Albuquerque, a historic preservation planner explained during a meeting that the bridge remains one of Albuquerque’s most historically significant structures. The planner, Silvia Bolivar, says, … Continue reading Central Avenue Bridge in Albuquerque might become a city landmark
Route 66 Interpretive Center in Edwardsville likely will be open by summer
The new Route 66 Interpretive Center, located in a former gas station in Edwardsville, Illinois, will be open to the public by late spring or summer once remodeling for the project is finished. The building at St. Louis and West streets (aka Route 66) also once served as a dental office. Last summer, Great Rivers … Continue reading Route 66 Interpretive Center in Edwardsville likely will be open by summer
Visits to Gateway Arch in St. Louis rose by 41% in 2022
The number of people who visited the iconic Gateway Arch in downtown St. Louis increased by 41% from 2021 to 2022 but still were below pre-pandemic levels. According to reporting by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the 1.62 million people who visited the Arch last year still was 22% below the levels seen in 2019, before … Continue reading Visits to Gateway Arch in St. Louis rose by 41% in 2022
Tulsa city councilors consider plans to replace historic 11th Street Bridge
The Tulsa City Council recently reviewed four proposals to replace the long-closed and deteriorating 11th Street Bridge with a new pedestrian span. Bruce Henley, principal and business unit manager for Dewberry Architects who presented the proposals, told the council it probably wasn't feasible to preserve the 100-year-old bridge except for sections that are on dry … Continue reading Tulsa city councilors consider plans to replace historic 11th Street Bridge
Local tribe closes Grand Falls site northeast of Flagstaff
Grand Falls, also known as Chocolate Falls or Adah’iilíní, became a popular tourist site because of its spectacular waterfalls during monsoon or snowpack-melt seasons. It sits less than an hour's drive from downtown Flagstaff, Arizona. It's open to tourists no longer. According to the Arizona Daily Sun, residents of the Leupp Chapter of the Navajo … Continue reading Local tribe closes Grand Falls site northeast of Flagstaff
Tee Pee Drive-In theater in Sapulpa to hold its soft reopening in early April
The rejuvenated Tee Pee Drive-In theater on the west side of Sapulpa, Oklahoma, will hold a soft reopening in early April, with a full reopening by mid-April. The Sapulpa Herald, citing sources close to the company that owns the once-moribund venue, got the scoop on the theater, which would have its first season in almost … Continue reading Tee Pee Drive-In theater in Sapulpa to hold its soft reopening in early April
Removal of newer facade reveals original front of Pearl Brothers Hardware building in Joplin
In recent weeks, contractors for the new owner of Pearl Bros. Hardware building in downtown Joplin, Missouri, removed the green metal facade that had covered the original front of the building for about 60 years. A reporter for KOAM-TV showed before-and-after images of the work being done by Neal Group Construction: https://youtu.be/WcXfSKLMq68 The story also … Continue reading Removal of newer facade reveals original front of Pearl Brothers Hardware building in Joplin