Helen Shea, the widow of Shea's Route 66 Museum owner Bill Shea Sr., died Monday at a hospice in Springfield, Illinois, according to an obituary from Butler Funeral Homes. She was 96. A Springfield native, she worked at Sangamo Electric and helped run Shea's gas-station museum in Springfield. Bill Shea converted a Marathon station on Route 66 into a museum … Continue reading Widow of Bill Shea dies
The top 10 icons of Route 66 are …
The readers have spoken. We now know the top 10 icons of Route 66. About a month ago, we launched an online poll via PollDaddy.com to find out from readers what they considered to be Route 66's top 10 icons. The criteria were the icon must be a specific place on or near Route 66 and be … Continue reading The top 10 icons of Route 66 are …
Will Rogers Museum will promote Route 66 in 2015
The Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore, Oklahoma, will include the promotion of Route 66, aka the Will Rogers Memorial Highway, during a series of changes for the upcoming year, according to a news release published in the Tulsa World. The museums, which also includes the Rogers' Birthplace Ranch in Oologah, Oklahoma, also are planning: … Continue reading Will Rogers Museum will promote Route 66 in 2015
Effort to save the Gasconade Bridge goes beyond the rally
Last week, "Roamin' Rich" Dinkela organized a rally at the foot of Route 66's Gasconade River Bridge near Hazelgreen, Missouri, that was closed Dec. 18 by the state because of deterioration. The rally was designed to urge the Missouri Department of Transportation to repair, not replace, the 90-year-old bridge. Dinkela's efforts continued beyond the rally. … Continue reading Effort to save the Gasconade Bridge goes beyond the rally
Yacovelli’s restaurant near St. Louis is closing
Yacovelli's Restaurant and Catering, one of St. Louis' oldest eateries, is closing its doors for good on New Year's Day, according to various media reports. Employees and owners of the restaurant held a "Last Dance, Last Chance" party on Friday. The restaurant will be open on Tuesday and Wednesday, and will have a last hurrah … Continue reading Yacovelli’s restaurant near St. Louis is closing
Rocky Drake dies
Longtime roadies who traveled the Texas Panhandle may remember Rocky Drake, who died suddenly at age 58 on Friday. Drake was the husband of former Oldham County Chamber of Commerce director Linda Drake, who were based in Vega, Texas, for years. Linda, who survives, was heavily involved in promoting in Route 66, and she and Rocky often showed … Continue reading Rocky Drake dies
Soul food restaurant opens across from Victorville museum
If you've visited the California Route 66 Museum in Victorville and are feeling hungry, you don't need to go far for a meal. Renee Allen's Mac & Cheese and More opened last month at 16838 D Street, across the street from the museum. The restaurant also has a location in nearby Apple Valley, California. According to … Continue reading Soul food restaurant opens across from Victorville museum
Spy agency’s rocket launch had a Route 66 reference
The rocket launch of a device by the National Reconnaissance Office in 2011 came with a mission patch that included a prominent Route 66 reference. Here's the patch: According to the NRO, the device was launched aboard an Orbital Sciences Corporation Minotaur I rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Feb. 6, 2011. The launch was called NROL-66. … Continue reading Spy agency’s rocket launch had a Route 66 reference
Route 66 in selfies
Professional photographer Martin Hogeboom of the Netherlands took a series of self-portraits during a Route 66 motorcycle trip, then combined them into one video. See how many of the background locations you recognize: route 66. in selfies from Martin Hogeboom on Vimeo.
Los Angeles cafe was shown in Christmas film
Not many people know this, but a historic restaurant along Route 66 in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles was used in a prominent scene in the 2004 movie "Surviving Christmas," starring Ben Affleck. According to Los Angeles Magazine: Surviving Christmas is set in and around Chicago but some scenes were lensed right here … Continue reading Los Angeles cafe was shown in Christmas film