The historic Devil's Elbow Bridge in the Route 66 hamlet of Devil's Elbow, Missouri, is decorated for Christmas for what is believed to be the first time. According to the Pulaski County USA blog, which is an offshoot of its tourism office, the townsfolk decided to do something new with the bridge after a rehabilitation … Continue reading Devil’s Elbow Bridge decorated for Christmas
Three people try to make Route 66 more interesting
In recent days, newspapers have profiled three people hundreds of miles apart who are doing their part to try to dress up old stretches of Route 66. West of Needles, California, the Needles Desert Star reports Jim Nickel -- originally from Oregon -- has built several monuments to the branches of the U.S. military from … Continue reading Three people try to make Route 66 more interesting
Missouri closes Gasconade River Bridge
The 90-year-old Gasconade River Bridge that carries Route 66 near Hazelgreen, Missouri, was closed by the Missouri Department of Transportation a few days ago, and its reopening remains indefinite. According to a MoDOT page of unplanned bridge closures and restrictions, the bridge was closed Dec. 18 due to "multiple areas of concern ... and continued … Continue reading Missouri closes Gasconade River Bridge
White House petitioned to designate Route 66 a national landmark
Someone launched a We the People petition drive to the White House Sunday to designate "Old Route 66" as a historic landmark. The creator of the petition is listed as J.W. (I don't know who he or she is) of Springfield, Oregon, and has made the rounds on Facebook. The petitioner described the petition as … Continue reading White House petitioned to designate Route 66 a national landmark
“Eternal Route 66” DVD produced
Chuck Williams, who parlayed his Christian faith and enthusiasm for Route 66 into two editions of his "Eternal Route 66" book, recently announced he's created an "Eternal Route 66" DVD filmed on the Mother Road. Here's a trailer for the project. You'll probably recognize a few Route 66 landmarks in the background: https://youtu.be/U4rRckjxqvE A description … Continue reading “Eternal Route 66” DVD produced
Major section of Route 66 in Mojave Desert may reopen by January
A significant part of Route 66 in Southern Calfornia's Mojave Desert may reopen by January after flood damage forced its closing in early September. ZachNews, based in Needles, California, reported a 28-mile section of Route 66 from Ludlow to Amboy may reopen as soon as next month. Unprecedented flash flooding closed almost all the roadway … Continue reading Major section of Route 66 in Mojave Desert may reopen by January
Albuquerque motel destroyed by fire
Fire destroyed the former Mountain Lodge motel Thursday afternoon along Route 66 on the east edge of Albuquerque, reported the Albuquerque Journal and other media outlets. The motel had been converted into apartments. No one was hurt in the blaze, but five people reportedly were rendered homeless. The structure was a total loss. Here is … Continue reading Albuquerque motel destroyed by fire
Kingman festival boosts local economy
The town of Kingman, Arizona, saw a sizable increase in revenue because of the International Route 66 Festival in August, according to an article in the Kingman Daily Miner. Here's the breakdown from the July-to-September period: • Nearly 39,000 travelers visited the Powerhouse Visitor Center, a 20 percent increase over the same period in 2013 … Continue reading Kingman festival boosts local economy
Route 66 Gateways in Tulsa are finished
Construction of the Route 66 Gateways along Tulsa's eastern and western sections of the Mother Road now is finished, according to city planner Dennis Whitaker. Whitaker emailed these photos of the gateways at night: And here's one of the gateways in the daytime. Tulsa's Route 66 Gateways are on 11th Street near Yale Avenue Garnett … Continue reading Route 66 Gateways in Tulsa are finished
Next Exit History app needs more work
The Next Exit History app sounds like a good idea but needs plenty of extra work and refinement before I can recommend it to Route 66 fans and other roadies. Next Exit History was developed by the University of West Florida and Historical Research Associates. It's designed to help users with iPhone and Android devices to … Continue reading Next Exit History app needs more work