An award-winning barbecue pitmaster recently opened a restaurant inside a converted railroad car at the old Pioneer Camp site along Route 66 in Wellston, Oklahoma, according to an article by KFOR-TV in Oklahoma City. Levi Bouska runs the Butcher BBQ Stand near the intersection of Route 66 and Route 66B -- an alternative alignment that … Continue reading Barbecue stand opens at Pioneer Camp site in Wellston
More 1993 footage from a Route 66 trip
Anthony Reichardt has uploaded more videos from a Route 66 trip he took with a friend in August 1993 in a 1959 Cadillac. The first is a visit to Our Lady of the Highways Shrine near Raymond, Illinois. The shrine has changed little, but the footage contains a chat with longtime caretaker Francis Marten, who … Continue reading More 1993 footage from a Route 66 trip
Bowling alley in Bloomington closes after 55 years
The AMF Circle Lanes bowling center near Route 66 in Bloomington, Illinois, closed Sunday after more than 55 years in business, according the Bloomington Pantagraph. Management didn't explain the closure, but told the newspaper a decision was made to shutter it after "a comprehensive analysis." Translation: The AMF Circle Lanes was another in a long line of … Continue reading Bowling alley in Bloomington closes after 55 years
One way to repurpose an old sign
Steve Paulken, city manager for Winslow, Arizona, sent these photos of the old Moore's Pawn & Trading sign along Route 66 in town being refurbished, thanks in part to a city program. Paulken wrote in an email: This sign has been here for over 30 years, but in recent years has been unused and totally faded out. … Continue reading One way to repurpose an old sign
Big Texan Steak Ranch considers moving
The Big Texan Steak Ranch in east Amarillo may move from the location it's called home more for than 40 years, according to a big article in the Amarillo Globe-News. Co-owners Bobby and Danny Lee, sons of late Big Texan founder Bob Lee, told the newspaper the Big Texan is bursting at the seams with customers, and something's gotta … Continue reading Big Texan Steak Ranch considers moving
Gasconade River Bridge makes Missouri’s Most Endangered list
Route 66's closed Gasconade River Bridge near Hazelgreen, Missouri, made Missouri Preservation's Most Endangered Historic Places list for 2015. The Old Phillipsburg General Store in the Route 66 town of Phillipsburg, Missouri, also made the list. The annual list, announced Friday, is designed to call attention to properties endangered because of deterioration, neglect, encroachment, potential demoltion … Continue reading Gasconade River Bridge makes Missouri’s Most Endangered list
Kingman building ‘welcome arch’ to its downtown
Kingman, Arizona, is building a "welcome arch" across its downtown Beale Street, according to the Kingman Daily Miner. The arch would be installed as part of Kingman's participation as a quarterfinalist in the America's Best Communities contest in which $10 million is at stake, city manager John Dougherty said. Dougherty said the ABC team, which … Continue reading Kingman building ‘welcome arch’ to its downtown
Former cop pleads guilty to Tucumcari motel arson
A former police officer and another man pleaded guilty Friday to arson charges in burning down the closed Payless Inn on Route 66 and an abandoned house in Tucumcari, New Mexico, on Sept. 3, according to the Quay County Sun newspaper and other media outlets. Dustin “Dusty” Lopez, the former Tucumcari officer, and Robert Sandoval … Continue reading Former cop pleads guilty to Tucumcari motel arson
Lightning strike closes Santa Rosa restaurant for weeks
The historic Route 66 Restaurant in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, will be closed for weeks after a lightning strike destroyed the building's electrical system, according to this week's print edition of the Guadalupe County Communicator, based in Santa Rosa. The strike Wednesday afternoon knocked out a fuse box and scorched a wall of the restaurant, … Continue reading Lightning strike closes Santa Rosa restaurant for weeks
‘Great Food Truck Race’ on Route 66 begins Aug. 23
The sixth season of the Food Network's "The Great Food Truck Race" begins Aug. 23 with a variety of challenges along Route 66 towns, according to a news release this week. The season opener will air at 9 p.m. Eastern Sunday, Aug. 23. Here's a trailer for the series: More from the news release: In … Continue reading ‘Great Food Truck Race’ on Route 66 begins Aug. 23