The Route 66 town of Gallup, New Mexico, has seen a 7 percent to 10 percent rise in tourist numbers -- the best in decades. According to an Associated Press report, city officials attribute the rise to more foreign travelers. Helping drive the interest in Native culture and grafts is a favorable exchange rate that … Continue reading Gallup sees a big jump in tourism numbers
Oak Ridge Boys named Route 66 Alliance musical ambassadors
The country and gospel-music act The Oak Ridge Boys recently was named the inaugural musical ambassadors of the Route 66 Alliance and the Will Rogers Highway before a show in Tulsa. The group was presented with a certificate signed by Alliance co-founder Michael Wallis and Alliance executive director Ken Busby before the Oaks' show at … Continue reading Oak Ridge Boys named Route 66 Alliance musical ambassadors
Book review: “Pop 66”
"Pop 66," a collection of Wes Pope's black-and-white pinhole-camera images taken over a 20-year period on Route 66, contains plenty of intrigue. But it's Pope's text that elevates the book (hardcover, 115 pages, Press Syndication Group) into part travelogue, part family history.and part biography. Subtitled "A Dreamy Pop Can Odyssey Along Route 66," part of the … Continue reading Book review: “Pop 66”
Governor signs Illinois Route 66 Centennial Commission bill
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner on Tuesday signed and enacted a bill that creates a state Route 66 Centennial Commission. According to a news release, the signing took place Tuesday in Plainfield. The commission is tasked with developing plans for the 100th anniversary of Route 66 in 2026. The Illinois Route 66 Centennial Commission will consist … Continue reading Governor signs Illinois Route 66 Centennial Commission bill
El Pueblo Motel in Flagstaff may become Code Talkers museum
The historic El Pueblo Motel in Flagstaff, Arizona, may become a museum to Navajo Indians who served as Code Talkers during World War II. A feature story in the Arizona Daily Sun newspaper about Route 66 revealed that bid. The motel at 3120 E. Historic Route 66 was built in 1937, making it the oldest … Continue reading El Pueblo Motel in Flagstaff may become Code Talkers museum
Affeldt acquires historic saloon near Santa Fe
Allan Affeldt, the savior of La Posada hotel in Winslow, Arizona, who is restoring the Castaneda Hotel in Las Vegas, New Mexico, recently acquired another historic property south of Santa Fe, New Mexico. According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, Affeldt now owns the Legal Tender restaurant and saloon in the village of Lamy, New … Continue reading Affeldt acquires historic saloon near Santa Fe
New farm operation complements Funks Grove Maple Sirup
A new organic farm run by three members of the Funk family is bringing new and complementary products to the sixth-generation Funks Grove Maple Sirup off Route 66 in Shirley, Illinois. Katie and Jonathan Funk and with her fiance, Jeff Hake, started Funks Grove Heritage Fruits and Grains. They don't plan to supplant Funks Grove Maple … Continue reading New farm operation complements Funks Grove Maple Sirup
A look back at the Round Barn, Ted Drewes and Dixie Truckers Home
Anthony Reichardt recently uploaded several more videos from his Route 66 trips during the 1990s in a 1959 Cadillac. Reichardt's videos often hold historical value, as many are more than a quarter-century old. It's interesting to see how the Mother Road has changed. His YouTube channel of 60 videos is here. The first video compiles five … Continue reading A look back at the Round Barn, Ted Drewes and Dixie Truckers Home
Route 66 Road Ahead details progress so far, new projects ahead
The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership recently released a second-quarter report on its accomplishments and future projects, including a just-announced partnership with the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association. Much of the Route 66 Road Ahead's energies have concentrated on the Route 66 Centennial Commission Act and the Route 66 National Historic Trail Designation Act, … Continue reading Route 66 Road Ahead details progress so far, new projects ahead
City of Kingman reacts to Sasha Baron Cohen’s ‘baiting’ of residents
Officials in the Route 66 city of Kingman, Arizona, issued a penitent statement in the wake of Showtime's "Who Is America?" episode Sunday in which the star, Sasha Baron Cohen (known for his "Borat" movie), showed several of its residents in an unflattering light. The episode showed several Kingman residents making controversial remarks about Muslims … Continue reading City of Kingman reacts to Sasha Baron Cohen’s ‘baiting’ of residents