The 130-year-old Doc's Soda Fountain site in downtown Girard, Illinois, has landed new owners, and one of them has ties to the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway. Steve and Casey Claypool of nearby Chatham, Illinois, closed on the purchase Friday. They plan to reopen it sometime in April after some interior renovations. Casey also is … Continue reading Doc’s Soda Fountain in Girard lands new owners
Route 66 campaign, Joliet Area Historical Museum win Illinois tourism awards
The Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau earlier this month won an Illinois Excellence in Tourism award for Best International Marketing for its Route 66 campaign. The extensive Route 66 section of its website can be found here. Great Rivers and Routes Tourism concentrates on attractions in southwest Illinois. Great Rivers and Routes was honored … Continue reading Route 66 campaign, Joliet Area Historical Museum win Illinois tourism awards
Corvair Museum in Glenarm to close next month, seeks new location on Route 66
The Corvair Museum along Route 66 in Glenarm, Illinois, will close sometime in January and is seeking another location along Route 66, stated the museum's curator. Mike Hall, the curator of the museum and president of the nonprofit Corvair Preservation Foundation that operates it, posted this message that was forwarded to the Corvair Society of … Continue reading Corvair Museum in Glenarm to close next month, seeks new location on Route 66
California Historic Route 66 Association to celebrate its historic byway on Feb. 12
The California Historic Route 66 Association will hold a Route 66 Byway celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 12 at the historic El Garces in Needles, California. Attendees include Atlanta, Illinois, tourism director Whitney Ortiz as well as authors and photographers. Area car clubs are planning to attend, and free tours of El … Continue reading California Historic Route 66 Association to celebrate its historic byway on Feb. 12
Renovations begin at Hotel Brunswick in Kingman
A major renovation project began a few days ago at the century-old Hotel Brunswick along Route 66 in downtown Kingman, Arizona, according to several social media posts. The Bee, a media outlet in the region, posted a photo on Facebook of the renovations being done on the back of the property and stated: The project … Continue reading Renovations begin at Hotel Brunswick in Kingman
More about the historic Whirl-A-Whip restaurant in Girard
The Virden (Illinois) Chamber of Commerce this month posted on Facebook a Spotlight Business of the Month with the Whirl-A-Whip restaurant in nearby Girard, Illinois. Snippets of information about the eatery, which is off the 1926-1932 alignment of Route 66 before the highway was moved to the east: The restaurant current is owned by Brent … Continue reading More about the historic Whirl-A-Whip restaurant in Girard
Lee Emmerson, writer of the Route 66-inspired song “Signs,” dies at 77
Lee Emmerson, leader of the Five Man Electrical Band who wrote a hit song, "Signs," that he said was inspired by a journey on Route 66, died in a hospital Dec. 10 of COVID-19 complications. He was 77. According to CVT News in Canada, Emmerson's wife said he was double vaccinated but had underlying conditions … Continue reading Lee Emmerson, writer of the Route 66-inspired song “Signs,” dies at 77
Real-life gang fight in San Bernardino inspired “West Side Story”
The play and film "West Side Story" is well known as the story of a fictional turf war between white and Puerto Rican street gangs in Manhattan. However, "West Side Story" was inspired by a real-life gang fight in 1955 in San Bernardino, California, about a half-mile north of Route 66. The historic Mitla Cafe … Continue reading Real-life gang fight in San Bernardino inspired “West Side Story”
Route 66 town of Edwardsville in mourning after tornado kills 6
The Route 66 town of Edwardsville, Illinois, and the surrounding area continue to be in shock and sorrow after a powerful tornado Friday caused the collapse of an Amazon distribution center, killing at least six workers. According to reporting by the Edwardsville Intelligencer and St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspapers, the roof and 11-inch-thick concrete walls collapsed … Continue reading Route 66 town of Edwardsville in mourning after tornado kills 6
Inaugural class for Laclede County Route 66 Wall of Fame announced
The first five inductees to the Laclede County Route 66 Wall of Fame recently were announced by the Lebanon-Laclede County Route 66 Society in mid-Missouri. The Class of 2022 are: Bob and Ramona Lehman, owners of the Munger Moss Motel in LebanonFrank and Dorothy Nelson, creator of Nelson's Dream Village and Nelson Tavern in LebanonCharles … Continue reading Inaugural class for Laclede County Route 66 Wall of Fame announced