The owners of the Summit Inn faced higher-than-expected costs to clean up the property after a wildfire destroyed the restaurant in August. Otto Recinos, co-owner of the Route 66 landmark near Hesperia, California, told the Victorville Daily Press the cleanup cost $320,000. “The site had asbestos and lead,” Recinos said, “so we had to do a … Continue reading Cleanup costs hamper Summit Inn rebuilding project
Construction of Barstow Route 66 signs to begin next month
Construction of eight classic-car-themed Route 66 signs will begin within the next two weeks in Barstow, California. The Desert Dispatch newspaper reported the signs will place vehicles popular on Route 66 during the 1950s through the 1970s on a masonry base. The seven-foot-tall signs will light at night, using solar energy. The newspaper reported: "We are hoping that this … Continue reading Construction of Barstow Route 66 signs to begin next month
Neon returning to Grand Canyon Caverns
Grand Canyon Caverns near Peach Springs, Arizona, has commissioned an Oklahoma neon shop to fashion new neon signs for the longtime Route 66 attraction. Joel Rayburn of GlassBoy Studios in the Route 66 town of Arcadia, Oklahoma, is making the neon signs. From a news release: Classic Route 66 destinations do things right. Neon will … Continue reading Neon returning to Grand Canyon Caverns
Book review: “Route 66 Postcard Coloring Book”
Folks may think the new "Route 66 Postcard Coloring Book," published by the folks at the Legends of America website, is tailor-made for children and nobody else. However, coloring books for adults became a craze in the last few years. According to a report earlier this year by CNN, therapists and researchers touted the mental-health benefits of adults … Continue reading Book review: “Route 66 Postcard Coloring Book”
Fire damages Skippy’s Route 66 Restaurant
A fire heavily damaged Skippy's Route 66 Restaurant near Leasburg, Missouri, earlier this month, but the owner has vowed to rebuild once he gets the insurance settlement. According to the Cuba Free Press newspaper, the fire occurred after the business had closed for the night: The dining and bar area was completely destroyed, with the … Continue reading Fire damages Skippy’s Route 66 Restaurant
Former Parkview Inn in Bloomington damaged by fire
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