The Arbors at Route 66 is a planned mixed-use development along Foothill Boulevard (Route 66) and Grove Avenue in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. But the project is encountering resistance from residents, mostly because of traffic concerns, reports the Ontario (Calif.) Daily Bulletin. The proposal is for 23 single-family homes, 75 townhomes and more than 12,600 square … Continue reading Route 66 development encounters opposition
Pig Hip ponderings
Springfield (Ill.) Journal-Register columnist Dave Bakke took a look at the surviving momentoes salvaged from the fire that destroyed the Pig Hip Museum on Route 66 in Broadwell, Ill. It's a terrific read, including the description of longtime proprieter Ernie Edwards poking at the body of a dead squirrel that's believed to have caused the … Continue reading Pig Hip ponderings
Corvette cruise lessons
Greg and Susan Wageman used to cruise down our nation's two-lane highways, including Route 66, in his blue Corvette. Greg did the driving; Susan did the navigating. Greg had always meant to teach his wife how to drive a stick-shift. But he didn't get the chance. He died unexpectedly of a pulmonary embolism at age … Continue reading Corvette cruise lessons
Restoration of Meadow Gold sign completed
OK, the refurbishing of the historic Meadow Gold sign on Route 66 in Tulsa isn't 100 percent done. After all, the sign still has to be re-erected at its new site at 11th Street (Route 66) and Quaker Avenue. But the repairs on the massive letters and new neon tubing were recently finished by Claude … Continue reading Restoration of Meadow Gold sign completed
Grand Canyon Skywalk isn’t all rose-colored views
Andrew Gumbel of The Independent newspaper in Great Britain wrote an interesting piece about the soon-to-be-open Grand Canyon Skywalk and the divisions it's creating in the Hualapai Indian tribe. In case you haven't heard about it, Skywalk is a horseshoe-shaped walkway covered in Plexiglass that juts 70 feet into the Grand Canyon. Near the end … Continue reading Grand Canyon Skywalk isn’t all rose-colored views
Historic Highways blog launched
The Historic Highways blog has been online only about a week, but I like it a lot already. Dave Eames of Kansas City, formerly of Tulsa, collects roadside memorabilia, including from Route 66. He seems to favor stuff from the '40s, '50s and '60s, which isn't a bad thing. The image above is from a … Continue reading Historic Highways blog launched
West Hollywood cited as a Distinctive Destination
The Route 66 city of West Hollywood, Calif., has been cited as one of America's Dozen Distinctive Destinations by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, reported a news release today from the city. Here's the citation by the National Trust: In a sprawling metropolis nicknamed the City of Angels, West Hollywood, Calif., maintains a unique … Continue reading West Hollywood cited as a Distinctive Destination
Historic Amarillo restaurant closes
Preservation Online, which is published by the National Trust of Historic Preservation, reports that the historic and distinctive-looking Beef Barrel Burger restaurant in Amarillo, Texas, closed about a month ago. Owner Bill Fischer, whose father-in-law, F.E. Waller, bought the barrel-shaped building in 1947, said high energy bills, food prices, and competition from fast-food eateries forced … Continue reading Historic Amarillo restaurant closes
Al’s Route 66 Cafe up for sale
Barely a year after Allen and Susan Shamburg moved from Colorado, bought a historic cafe in Sapulpa, Okla., and renovated it, word comes that they are reluctantly putting it on the market. The main reason Al's Route 66 Cafe is for sale is that Allen is encountering serious health problems that are keeping him from … Continue reading Al’s Route 66 Cafe up for sale
Pontiac museum may add elevators
It doesn't sound like much, adding an elevator to the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac. But, as the Bloomington Pantagraph recounts, it's fairly important. The building in which the Hall of Fame is housed needs to be brought up to code for handicap-accessibility. Also, the museum has not expanded onto … Continue reading Pontiac museum may add elevators