U.S. House committee advances Route 66 centennial bill

A bill to name Route 66 a National Historic Trail has received a lot of attention in Congress and from the media. But a second Route 66 bill also is quietly advancing through the halls of Washington. Last week, the U.S. House's Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advanced H.R. 66, known as the Route 66 Centennial … Continue reading U.S. House committee advances Route 66 centennial bill

Steppenwolf, Grand Funk Railroad will headline Decades of Wheels opening

The upcoming Decades of Wheels museum in Baxter Springs, Kansas, will mark its opening in mid-October with a series of concerts, including 1960s and '70s rock acts Steppenwolf and Grand Funk Railroad. The Oct. 12-14 weekend also will feature country-rock acts Granger Smith and Reckless Kelly. a Texas rock act, Band of Heathens, and a … Continue reading Steppenwolf, Grand Funk Railroad will headline Decades of Wheels opening

National Trust group to begins Route 66 tour today

A team from the National Trust of Historic Preservation -- including five young "Route 66 Roadies" -- will start a month-long tour of Route 66 to publicize the historic highway and lobby Congress to name it a National Historic Trail. The Preserve Route 66 journey began today in Chicago and concludes Aug. 3 in California. … Continue reading National Trust group to begins Route 66 tour today

Artists soon will paint Route 66 mural for Mother Road Market

Two local artists last week were chosen to create a Route 66-themed mural for the soon-to-open Mother Road Market food hall in Tulsa. Yatika Starr Fields and Janet Fadler Davie, both of Tulsa, were chosen from more than 20 applicants who sought to paint the mural on the building at 1124 S. Lewis Ave., a stone's … Continue reading Artists soon will paint Route 66 mural for Mother Road Market

A Route 66 tale of two cities

A story in The Conversation website, titled "Could New Legislation Lead to a Route 66 Economic Revival?" by Arizona State University historian and grad student Daniel Milowksi has attracted a lot of attention, especially since it was picked up by the Associated Press. In it, Milowski examines the history of Route 66 and how a … Continue reading A Route 66 tale of two cities

Sign at Jack Rabbit Trading Post gets a face-lift

The co-owners of the historic Jack Rabbit Trading Post near Joseph City, Arizona, announced Friday they had completed a restoration of the west side of the business' iconic "Here It Is" sign. In a Facebook post, the owners said the 27-day project "took longer than expected," but they dealt with rain and wind a few … Continue reading Sign at Jack Rabbit Trading Post gets a face-lift

Search fails to turn up missing woman at Amboy Crater

A sheriff's department search over the weekend for a woman who went missing at Amboy Crater near Amboy, California, failed to turn up any signs of her. The remains of the woman's husband were found in the area June 13 -- about 10 days after the couple went missing. Susan Schmeirer, 65, and William Schmeirer, … Continue reading Search fails to turn up missing woman at Amboy Crater

Old Joliet Prison event includes Blues Brothers tribute band

An August fundraiser to help restore the old Joliet Correctional Center in Joliet, Illinois, will include a performance by a Blue Brothers tribute band, and organizers have invited one of the original Blues Brothers, Dan Aykroyd, to the event. The Great Joliet Prison Break-In is slated for 5 p.m. Aug. 25 inside the historic, limestone-walled … Continue reading Old Joliet Prison event includes Blues Brothers tribute band

British man to attempt record for cycling Route 66

An award-winning cyclist from Great Britain in September will try to set a world record by cycling nearly 2,500 miles of Route 66 in just 11 days. Pav Bryan is training for the journey now. He also plans to uses his quest to raise money for two-mental-health charities -- Mind and National Alliance for Mental … Continue reading British man to attempt record for cycling Route 66

Mel’s Drive-In opens at Route 66 western terminus

The newest site of Mel's Drive-In restaurant opened Tuesday, and it happens to be at the official western terminus of Route 66 in Santa Monica, California. The iconic 1950s-themed restaurant already has locations at Sherman Oaks, Hollywood, West Hollywood and Los Angeles, and countless movies and television shows were shot there. The long-anticipated latest site stands … Continue reading Mel’s Drive-In opens at Route 66 western terminus