Cherokee Nation and city officials on Tuesday dedicated a mural commemorating artisan Anna Belle Sixkiller Mitchell, known as a Cherokee National Treasure, in downtown Vinita, Oklahoma, along Route 66. Mitchell, who lived in Vinita, was designated as a Cherokee National Treasure in 1988 for reviving traditional pottery methods and sharing her skill with others, according to a news … Continue reading Mural of Cherokee Nation artisan dedicated in Vinita
Buried alive with poisonous snakes on Route 66
Sue Blesi, a historian, dug up the bizarre story of a man who was buried alive for a week in a pit with poisonous snakes and an alligator to draw visitors to the Silver Star Court motel and restaurant on Route 66 near St. Clair, Missouri. Blesi, who recounted the tale in the Washington Missourian … Continue reading Buried alive with poisonous snakes on Route 66
Why historic preservation is important to future tourism
Joplin, Missouri, for years has sought to boost Route 66 tourism to its city. Officials there want more visitors to stay in the city for longer periods, thus generating more tax revenue. However, the Joplin Globe reported a Colorado-based consultant threw cold water on that idea -- mainly because the city doesn't have enough historic … Continue reading Why historic preservation is important to future tourism
Launching Pad’s new owners launch crowdfunding site
The new owners of the Launching Pad Drive-In in Wilmington, Illinois, hadn't planned it initially, but this week they launched a crowdfunding site to help reopen the Route 66 restaurant faster. According to the CBS-TV affiliate in Chicago: New co-owner Holly Barker said the GoFundMe page launched Monday because the Wilmington community was anxious to see the … Continue reading Launching Pad’s new owners launch crowdfunding site
Johnny Hallyday, ‘the Elvis of France’ and a Route 66 fan, dies
Johnny Hallyday, long known as "the Elvis of France," died Wednesday at age 74, according to many news outlets. A cause of death wasn't reported, but he'd been diagnosed with lung cancer in March. Hallyday also was a big Route 66 fan. More on that in a moment. Hallyday, born Jean-Philippe Leo Smet in Paris, sold … Continue reading Johnny Hallyday, ‘the Elvis of France’ and a Route 66 fan, dies
Midpoint Cafe and Gift Shop likely has new owners
The co-owners of the Midpoint Cafe and Gift Shop in Adrian, Texas, on Tuesday said they have accepted an offer from at least two people to buy the restaurant, with the sale anticipated to close in the early spring. Dennis Purschwitz and his wife, Donna, made the announcement on the restaurant's Facebook page. They declined … Continue reading Midpoint Cafe and Gift Shop likely has new owners
Virden History Mural deemed irreparable, will be repainted instead
Residents of Virden, Illinois, had hoped last year to restore the deteriorating Virden History Mural along Route 66. However, the mural was deemed unsalvageable, and it will be repainted from scratch with a whole new design. Here is a preliminary artist's rendering of the soon-to-come mural: The husband-and-wife team of Bernie Gietl and D.L. Whitlock-Gietl of … Continue reading Virden History Mural deemed irreparable, will be repainted instead
A look at shooting locations for “National Lampoon’s Vacation”
This new 34-minute video by Adam the Woo, whose road-trip videos have been featured on this website before, exhaustively chronicles all the shooting sites for the 1983 hit comedy movie "National Lampoon's Vacation." Adam wrote in the video description: I set out on an adventure to document every location from the 1983 comedy classic National … Continue reading A look at shooting locations for “National Lampoon’s Vacation”
Man plans to drive 1918 Dodge the length of Route 66 next year
A California man plans to drive his restored 1918 Dodge car on Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles next year, accompanied by his three sons. It's not the first time a century-old car has traversed Route 66 -- several during The Big Race in 2015 did it. But it's rare, and it takes commitment … Continue reading Man plans to drive 1918 Dodge the length of Route 66 next year
Longtime Oklahoma Route 66 booster Frank Gierhart dies
Frank Gierhart, a longtime supporter of Route 66 and former owner of a business on the Mother Road in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, died Thursday in Claremore, Oklahoma. He was 81. Visitation is from 1 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Green Hill Funeral Home in Sapulpa, according to an obituary in the Tulsa World. The funeral will … Continue reading Longtime Oklahoma Route 66 booster Frank Gierhart dies