Music teacher Andy Jarema, thanks to some slick editing, performs Bobby Troup's "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" on trumpet on the 10 locations mentioned in the song -- plus Santa Monica as a bonus. https://youtu.be/FhLZ1Su64Ts Jarema wrote about his journey in a series of posts here. Many photos from the trip also are posted at … Continue reading A 2,400-mile performance of “Route 66”
Amarillo officially declared a cultural district
Amarillo officially recently was designated a cultural district by the Texas Commission on the Arts. Amarillo was one of 35 cities receiving the cultural-district tag, according to a story in the Amarillo Globe-News. It took two years for the city to get that designation. The Amarillo Cultural District encompasses five areas, including Historic Route 66 "with its … Continue reading Amarillo officially declared a cultural district
New firearms store / gun range using pieces of Hawkins Mill
A new firearms store and gun range is being built along Route 66 in Springfield, Missouri, at the old Hawkins Mill site and using pieces of it in its design. Cherokee Firearms of Springfield is building a new facility at Kansas Expressway and College Street (aka Route 66). The new place's resemblance to the historic … Continue reading New firearms store / gun range using pieces of Hawkins Mill
Tulsa’s Route 66 Experience more than halfway to funding goal
A key official behind the proposed Route 66 Experience in Tulsa said fundraising for the multi-use museum complex is more than halfway to its $23 million goal. Ken Busby, CEO and executive director of the nonprofit Route 66 Alliance, told KJRH-TV in Tulsa about $13 million has been raised so far. Because of the site's … Continue reading Tulsa’s Route 66 Experience more than halfway to funding goal
Should Albuquerque set up a Route 66 state park?
Jon Knudsen, a longtime resident of Albuquerque and a University of New Mexico instructor, posited an intriguing idea during an op-ed piece in the New Mexico Market Place: Placing a Route 66 state park in the middle of the city to help draw visitors with RVs or large trailers. He writes: What about a place … Continue reading Should Albuquerque set up a Route 66 state park?
Route 66 Gateways in Tulsa win architectural design award
The Route 66 Gateways that grace the Mother Road at the eastern and western edges of Tulsa recently won an architectural design award. The gateways, designed Dewberry Architects, received a People's Choice Award at the American Institute of Architects Eastern Oklahoma 2016 Design Excellence Awards Banquet. Steve Vogt described Dewberry's design in this way: … Continue reading Route 66 Gateways in Tulsa win architectural design award
Memories of Times Beach persist more than 30 years later
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch recently published a story about Marilyn Leistner, who was the last mayor of Times Beach, Missouri, before the Route 66 town was deserted for good in 1983 because of dioxin contamination. Road contractor Russell Bliss used dioxin-laced oil to spread on dirt roads throughout the town. When the Meramec River flooded, … Continue reading Memories of Times Beach persist more than 30 years later
Wall Street Journal produces short video on Route 66
Taking note of Route 66's 90th birthday, the Wall Street Journal a couple of days ago produced this video -- virtually all of it in California's Mojave Desert -- about America's most famous highway: At 4 1/2 minutes, it conveys the road's history and the challenges it faces quite well. (Video-capture excerpt from Wall Street … Continue reading Wall Street Journal produces short video on Route 66
Michael Wallis’ voice now greets visitors at Tulsa airport
Starting today, visitors to Tulsa International Airport will receive a new recorded greeting from none other than best-selling Route 66 author, Radiator Springs sheriff and longtime Tulsa resident Michael Wallis. And, yes, Wallis touts Route 66 as part of the greeting. You can listen here: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/40977225/New%20Recording%203.m4a Newly elected Tulsa mayor G.T. Bynum made the announcement … Continue reading Michael Wallis’ voice now greets visitors at Tulsa airport
Book review: “Route 66 Barn Find Road Trip”
It's a book I'm a bit surprised hasn't been done before -- a few chums travel down Route 66 searching for "barn finds" of classic cars. In case you're not familiar with the term, "barn find" is a long-neglected classic car or motorcycle discovered stored in outbuildings or barns. Many of these vehicles are rare or … Continue reading Book review: “Route 66 Barn Find Road Trip”