Famous folk artist Lowell Davis recently unveiled a new sculpture on the northeast side of Carthage, Missouri, along Route 66. The Carthage Press reported the sculpture is at 125 N. River St., near Missouri 96 (aka Route 66): The creation includes a road grader from the late 1800s with a pair of signature Lowell Davis … Continue reading Lowell Davis creates new sculpture on Route 66 in Carthage
Route 66 exhibit at Missouri History Museum begins today
The Missouri History Museum in St. Louis begins today its "Route 66: Main Street Through St. Louis" exhibit through July 16, 2017. The museum sits at 5700 Lindell Blvd. (map here) in Forest Park. The Route 66 show has free admission. Here's one of the images displayed at the show, of the Chain of Rocks Bridge in 1929, shortly after it opened: The … Continue reading Route 66 exhibit at Missouri History Museum begins today
Monrovia gas station designated as historic landmark
The city council of Monrovia, California, this week designated a former gas station along an early alignment of Route 66 as a historic landmark. The city's Historic Preservation Commission reviewed the property at 805 S. Shamrock Ave. (map here) and recommended the designation. The report about the property is here (PDF file), but here are some takeaways about it: --- It's one … Continue reading Monrovia gas station designated as historic landmark
Lake City Diner in Santa Rosa gets new owners
Local residents purchased the closed Lake City Diner in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, and plan to eventually reopen it as a sandwich shop and bed-and-breakfast. The Communicator newspaper reported in last week's print edition Arthur and Anastacia Baca completed the purchase of the former bank building that sits on a corner of Route 66 in … Continue reading Lake City Diner in Santa Rosa gets new owners
Unpopular marquee returning to Rialto Square Theatre
An additional marquee for the Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet, Illinois, that was nixed because of its unpopularity is returning -- this time, to the back of the historic building. The theater's principals still are raising funds for the classic marquee. But they think the red-headed stepchild of the other marquee still can prove useful. The Herald-News reported: … Continue reading Unpopular marquee returning to Rialto Square Theatre
Santa Rosa Route 66 museum closer to reality
Santa Rosa, New Mexico, and Classical Gas Museum owner Johnnie Meier have edged closer to an agreement to set up a Route 66 museum in the city's Ilfeld Warehouse. Last week's print edition of the The Communicator, based in Santa Rosa, reported the city and Meier were in on-and-off talks for almost a decade amid funding issues and other sticking … Continue reading Santa Rosa Route 66 museum closer to reality
Mural being painted in Pacific, Missouri
Artist Ray Harvey is painting a detailed mural, titled "The Day the Train Came to Pacific," on the Route 66 corridor in Pacific, Missouri. The Washington Missourian reports Harvey is painting a 12-by-26-foot mural on a Pacific Plaza wall in the 500 block of East Osage Street. It's not the first time Harvey has plied his work along … Continue reading Mural being painted in Pacific, Missouri
“Ship It on the Frisco”
A song off The Bottle Rockets' new album, "Ship It on the Frisco," sent me down a rabbit hole researching a certain Route 66 overpass and the railroad that once traveled on it. The song (download MP3 here) is found on The Bottle Rockets' excellent album, "South Broadway Athletic Club" (the album's title comes from a historic place on South Broadway in … Continue reading “Ship It on the Frisco”
DVD review: “The Missouri Maze”
Unoccupied Route 66 continues its mix of history and atmospheric images of forlorn Route 66 sites in its latest documentary, "The Missouri Maze." The 26-minute film ($14.95 list, shipping included), directed by KC Keefer and hosted by Nick Gerlich, tells about a mid-Missouri area where Route 66 ended up realigned, realigned again, then abandoned by Interstate 44. Here's … Continue reading DVD review: “The Missouri Maze”
Middle-schoolers’ Route 66 presentation wins national contest
A group of middle-school students from rural Iowa captured a national title for their Route 66 presentation during the annual National History Day contest in Maryland last week. Jack Anderson, Jader Briggs, Megan Swancutt, Daytona Foley and Logan Smith of Akron-Westfield Community School in Akron, Iowa, finished first place in the Junior Group Performance division at nationals with … Continue reading Middle-schoolers’ Route 66 presentation wins national contest