A fire Friday night extensively damaged the historic Parkview Food and Pub restaurant, formerly the Parkview Inn, in Bloomington, Illinois, but its owners vowed to rebuild. A fire in the exhaust hood caused $300,000 in damage, reported the Bloomington Pantagraph. The Parkview sits on a 1930 to 1940 alignment of Route 66 at 1003 Morris Ave. (map here). … Continue reading Former Parkview Inn in Bloomington damaged by fire
Construction begins for Albuquerque Rapid Transit project
Construction began in earnest Monday on the controversial Albuquerque Rapid Transit project that will affect about nine miles Central Avenue (aka Route 66) for nearly a year. According to the Albuquerque Journal, crews began removing the concrete medians and their trees so two lanes eventually would be dedicated to city buses and their stations. The city … Continue reading Construction begins for Albuquerque Rapid Transit project
Highway plan concerns Catoosa officials, businesses
An Interstate 44 widening plan concerns officials in Catoosa, Oklahoma, because it may turn tourists away from the town and Route 66. The plan would close the exit to northbound Oklahoma Route 66 from westbound I-44. Instead, westbound drivers would have to exit at 193rd Street, do a U-turn on the Texas-style interchange, drive on eastbound … Continue reading Highway plan concerns Catoosa officials, businesses
Book review: “Route 66: A Trail of Tears”
This isn't a Route 66 nostalgia book. "Route 66: A Trail of Tears" (514 pages, soft cover, self-published) offers vivid evidence why some people regarded the highway with anguish and dread during its heyday. Historian Barry Duncan compiled hundreds of black-and-white photographs of accidents along a stretch of the Mother Road in southwest Missouri from the 1950s to the 1970s. The … Continue reading Book review: “Route 66: A Trail of Tears”
Harley Russell documentary premieres Saturday at short-film festival
Filmmaker March Mercanti will premiere his documentary about Harley Russell of the Mediocre Music Makers in Erick, Oklahoma, on Saturday at the San Jose International Short Film Festival. The nearly 14-minute film is titled simply "Harley." Here is the summary: Despite living in the small town of Erick, Oklahoma and bordering on the edge of insanity, a … Continue reading Harley Russell documentary premieres Saturday at short-film festival
Carthage compromise may aid Route 66 travelers
The city of Carthage, Missouri, and the Missouri Department of Transportation may have hammered out a compromise that will lead to a better bridge-project detour for Route 66 travelers and give maintenance to those old bridges on the detour. The Carthage Press reports the agreement that will be voted on by the city council Oct. 25: … Continue reading Carthage compromise may aid Route 66 travelers
More vintage Route 66 videos from Anthony Reichardt
Anthony Reichardt recently uploaded more videos from Route 66 trips he undertook in a 1959 Cadillac during the early to mid-1990s. The videos contain plenty of historic value because it documents landmarks that have disappeared or changed. Reichardt's dedicated YouTube channel now contains more than 30 videos, and they're still coming. Watching them are worth your time, … Continue reading More vintage Route 66 videos from Anthony Reichardt
“Show Me 66” documentary to premiere Nov. 10
The Missouri History Museum has been working on a documentary, "Show Me 66: Main Street Through Missouri," for about a year. The 90-minute film will premiere at 7 p.m. Nov. 10 in Lee Auditorium at the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis. Admission is free. The directors will host a question-and-answer session after the screening. … Continue reading “Show Me 66” documentary to premiere Nov. 10
El Fidel Hotel to be auctioned next week
The historic El Fidel Hotel in Las Vegas, New Mexico, will be auctioned online for six-day period starting Oct. 27. The 1923 hotel, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is going on the block because its owner is retiring. The auction will begin 10 a.m. Oct. 27 and end 6 p.m. Nov. 1. The … Continue reading El Fidel Hotel to be auctioned next week
Cyrus Avery Court apartments inspired by 1950s
The newly refurbished and rechristened Cyrus Avery Court apartment complex in Tulsa takes its inspiration from nearby Route 66 and the 1950s. The property at 5223 E. 12th St. (map here) sits a block south of Route 66's 11th Street and is named after the so-called Father of Route 66, Cyrus Avery, who lived in Tulsa all his … Continue reading Cyrus Avery Court apartments inspired by 1950s