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

Pig Hip updates

I've started this new thread about the Pig Hip Museum fire and its aftermath for the stories that keep coming in. I also updated the previous thread about the Pig Hip clear into early Wednesday morning. Today, Dave Hoekstra of the Chicago Sun-Times has some interesting musings about the Pig Hip in his Travel Dispatches … Continue reading Pig Hip updates

Editorial urges more Route 66 involvement by Joplin

In an opinion piece by the Joplin (Mo.) Globe, the newspaper reports that Ron Hart of Route 66  TV Online is urging the city to pay more attention to its Route 66 roots. Hart would like to see more signs to mark the route and the use of the Route 66 logo downtown that would … Continue reading Editorial urges more Route 66 involvement by Joplin

Litchfield cafe-motel complex named to National Register

The Belvedere Cafe and Motel on 817 Old Route 66 in Litchfield, Ill., was named to the National Register of Historic Places on March 2. The Belvedere is better-known as the former home of the Route 66 Cafe before it moved down the street a few years ago. Last I heard, the restaurant building was … Continue reading Litchfield cafe-motel complex named to National Register

Pig Hip Museum destroyed by fire

The Pig Hip Museum, a longtime restaurant on Route 66 in Broadwell, Ill., before owner Ernie Edwards converted it into a museum, burned to the ground Monday, reports the Bloomington Pantagraph. I also received a forwarded e-mail from Kathy Miller, publisher and co-editor of the 66 News by the Illinois Route 66 Association: My heart … Continue reading Pig Hip Museum destroyed by fire

Route 66 sites nominated to Illinois’ Seven Wonders

This is going to be a tough choice for some Route 66 fans. The Illinois Bureau of Tourism is having the people vote on the Seven Wonders of Illinois, and Route 66 attractions are among the nominees. The voting starts with 12 nominees in each of the seven regions. The number of attractions narrow each … Continue reading Route 66 sites nominated to Illinois’ Seven Wonders

Booze and book tours don’t mix

I don't care how good this guy's math is -- this is a bad idea. Sy Nazif, author of "Never Mind the Track," plans for a month-long ride from Los Angeles to Chicago along old Route 66, and continuing on to New York City promoting his book. In the spirit of the novel, which features … Continue reading Booze and book tours don’t mix