The wait for the once-closed Launching Pad Drive-In in Wilmington, Illinois, to become a full-service restaurant again won't be much longer. When I asked the new owners, Tully Garrett and Holly Barker, by text when the Route 66 restaurant next to the famed Gemini Giant statue would be fully open, they replied: "Sometime in March no later … Continue reading Launching Pad Drive-In likely will be fully open by April
Decades of Wheels complex in Baxter Springs should be fully open by May
The half-block-long Decades of Wheels complex in downtown Baxter Springs, Kansas, should be fully operational by May, according to an event coordinator there. Decades of Wheels held a grand opening celebration in October that included concerts from high-profile music arts, including the final concert of Steppenwolf founder John Kay before his announced retirement. However, many … Continue reading Decades of Wheels complex in Baxter Springs should be fully open by May
County awards grant to help with De Anza Motor Lodge project
Bernalillo County recently awarded a $350,000 grant to help build infrastructure for the redevelopment of the historic De Anza Motor Lodge in Albuquerque. The Associated Press reports county commissioners unanimously approved the grant to developers Anthea @ Nob Hill LLC to rebuild the Route 66 motel into a boutique motel. According to a document from … Continue reading County awards grant to help with De Anza Motor Lodge project
Tulsa Route 66 Commission not giving up on Brookshire Motel
Despite a fire that damaged a main building at the closed Brookshire Motel last week, the Tulsa Route 66 Commission still is not giving up on redeveloping the historic Route 66 property. According to a story by Public Radio Tulsa, a fire scorched the interior of the main office building, but the walls and roof … Continue reading Tulsa Route 66 Commission not giving up on Brookshire Motel
Ted Drewes Frozen Custard starts 90th year
Here's a nice sign of spring -- Ted Drewes Frozen Custard at its Route 66 location in southwest St. Louis opened for the season Tuesday, and it happens to be its 90th year. Here's a lucky television reporter who received the first frozen custard of the season: The other Ted Drewes site on South Grand … Continue reading Ted Drewes Frozen Custard starts 90th year
Longtime Tucumcari motel co-owner, author Debra Whittington dies
Debra Whittington, the longtime co-owner of the Pony Soldier Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico, and author of historical books about Tucumcari, died Monday after a lengthy illness. She was 61. Whittington also co-owned the Dollhouse Bed & Breakfast in Tucumcari, a 1908 two-story Victorian home near downtown Tucumcari she and her husband, Mark, restored and … Continue reading Longtime Tucumcari motel co-owner, author Debra Whittington dies
Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios on Route 66 to celebrate Muffler Man addition May 11
Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios on Route 66 in Tulsa will hold a celebration for the addition of its new Muffler Man fiberglass statue starting at 10 a.m. May 11 with music, food and area celebrities. Joel Baker, known for the American Giants documentary series on YouTube, and his team will install the 20-foot-tall Muffler Man, … Continue reading Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios on Route 66 to celebrate Muffler Man addition May 11
Pecos Theatre in Santa Rosa expected to reopen by April
The Pecos Theatre along the original Route 66 in downtown Santa Rosa, New Mexico, is expected to reopen in April after a lengthy renovation by Guadalupe County, the owner of the historic property. The most recent print edition of The Communicator newspaper in Santa Rosa, citing county manager Kenneth Flores, had the scoop: Last week, … Continue reading Pecos Theatre in Santa Rosa expected to reopen by April
“The Bikes of Wrath” traces the Joads’ journey down Route 66
A new documentary, "The Bikes of Wrath," contains an intriguing premise -- five Australians on bicycles trace the path of the Joad family in the John Steinbeck novel "The Grapes of Wrath." PEZ Cycling News reports: The five Australian friends range in age from 24 to 35 and are a diverse lot: two were raised … Continue reading “The Bikes of Wrath” traces the Joads’ journey down Route 66
“I Am Route 66” project focuses on its people
Those who've been on Facebook in recent weeks may have noticed photographs of people along the Mother Road and their handwritten thoughts for the "I Am Route 66" project. Surfing through the website, I've counted about 20 people from Route 66 with their images and writings -- mostly from the Texas Panhandle and eastern New … Continue reading “I Am Route 66” project focuses on its people