Although a great many of you have long since voted, the poll begun in early December about the top 10 icons of Route 66 remains open through Dec. 31. More than 18,000 votes have been collected so far. On midnight Dec. 31, the poll will close, we'll tally the results, and post a story about the … Continue reading Reminder: Icons poll open for 2 more weeks
Cafe on the Route reopens
Cafe on the Route, a beloved restaurant on Route 66 in Baxter Springs, Kansas, that closed abruptly nearly two years ago, has reopened, according to the Joplin Globe. Tim and Julie Potter of nearby Miami, Oklahoma, bought the restaurant this summer and began renovating it. The newspaper reported that he executive chef is Charles Bowen … Continue reading Cafe on the Route reopens
Santo Domingo Trading Post may reopen by 2016
The historic Santo Domingo Trading Post at Santo Domingo, New Mexico, apparently has set a tentative reopening in 2016 after years of rebuilding following a devastating fire nearly 15 years ago. The Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper, checking on the post being repainted by cartoonist Ricardo Cate, had this to report: Although work is about … Continue reading Santo Domingo Trading Post may reopen by 2016
Excuse our mess
Things may look a little strange on Route 66 News over the next few days. That's because we're going to do housecleaning on the site, testing and a full face-lift. A couple of readers have emailed about the website loading poorly or the comments field not working since moving to Dreamhost. After Dreamhost's technical gurus … Continue reading Excuse our mess
Museum’s penny press includes one with a Route 66 logo
The McLean County Museum of History in Bloomington, Illinois, recently unveiled a penny press that can make a souvenir coin with Abraham Lincoln and the Route 66 shield. According to the Bloomington Pantagraph, the museum's director of education wanted a penny press for years because it provides a cheap souvenir that children like. The machine … Continue reading Museum’s penny press includes one with a Route 66 logo
Bel-Aire Motel will be gone by summer
The owners of the troubled Bel-Aire Motel in Springfield, Illinois, reached a settlement agreement this week with the city to vacate and tear down the historic structure within six months, reported the State Journal-Register. The decrepit and crime-infested motel had racked up more than 1,000 code violations and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines over the years. … Continue reading Bel-Aire Motel will be gone by summer
Fundraiser launched for Route 66 barber shops documentary
A fellow that readers may recognize by the nickname of Haircut Harry is launching an Indiegogo fundraiser to make a documentary film about barber shops along Route 66. Titled "Zen and the Art of Barbering," Harry wants to raise $5,000 to cover travel expenses for the film. As of Thursday night, he'd raised more than … Continue reading Fundraiser launched for Route 66 barber shops documentary
Pulitzer winner documented Route 66
Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Edward Keating documented Route 66 beginning about 15 years ago in black-and-white images that often recalled the bleak Depression-era images of Dorothea Lange. Keating won the Pulitzer in 2002 for his photo coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City. He also spent 11 years on the Mother Road, documenting … Continue reading Pulitzer winner documented Route 66
One Whiting Bros. sign relighted
The good news last week was that one of the refurbished neon signs at still-operating Whiting Bros. station in Moriarty, New Mexico, was relighted to much fanfare. The bad news was, because of technical problems, the second sign didn't relight. Here's a video from the Mountain View Telegraph newspaper of the relighting. If the embedding … Continue reading One Whiting Bros. sign relighted
Pacific’s 70-year Christmas tradition began as a prank
Right before Thanksgiving, members of the local Lions Club raised 14 lines of lights to create a Christmas tree on the top of the bluff on Blackburn Park, next to Route 66 in Pacific, Missouri. It's been a tradition in Pacific for many years. A recent article in the Washington Missourian illustrates it's not only … Continue reading Pacific’s 70-year Christmas tradition began as a prank