The grapevines growing at Route 66 Trailhead Park in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., serve an ornamental purpose, but they hold a historical aspect as well. Gino Filippi, a city counciler for nearby Upland, Calif., and the son of local vintner Joseph Filippi, volunteers to help prune and maintain the 36 fledgling Mission grapevines at the park, … Continue reading The keeper of the Route 66 Trailhead Park’s grapevines
Garavelli’s, R.I.P.
Garavelli's Cafeteria in south St. Louis on the Chippewa Street alignment of old Route 66 closed last June. It ended nearly a century of a Garavelli's restaurants operating in St. Louis. Norma Maret Bolin, author of the well-researched "Route 66 St. Louis," sent me photos Thursday of the building being demolished, including the one above. … Continue reading Garavelli’s, R.I.P.
Long-lost Kingman motel sign resurfaces
A long-lost neon sign from the defunct Brandin' Iron Motel on Route 66 in Kingman, Ariz., resurfaced on eBay this week. The seller, based in Mesa, Ariz., says the sign had been in storage in Kingman for 40 years. The 16-by-9-foot sign's tubing doesn't work but remains mostly intact. Starting price is $2,495, and the … Continue reading Long-lost Kingman motel sign resurfaces
Hello from Transylvania
Another music tune today. Here's band called Night Losers, based in the Transylvania section of Romania, that combine folk-rock with traditional music. https://youtu.be/sJST9wzheLs (Hat tip: Denny Gibson)
A blues player’s take on “Route 66”
Frank Kocevar of Historic Seligman Sundries passed along this version of Bobby Troup's "Route 66" performed by blues musician Paul J. Miles. https://youtu.be/GUrET77DjuA Yes, he messed up one of the lyrics. But, as Kocevar did, I found Miles' enthusiasm infectious.
Hello from Japan
For more of a punk-rock feel of Bobby Troup's famous road song, here are The Virgins of Japan performing "Route 66." https://youtu.be/h9rn9oSCXa4 Sounds like they gobbled a fistful of trucker speed before going into the studio.
Nominate endangered Route 66 places to the National Trust list
If you think a Route 66 landmark faces imminent danger from the wrecking ball, you can do something that might make a difference. Kaisa Bartuli at the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program is recommending that roadies make nominations to the National Trust for Historic Preservation's list of 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2014. She explained … Continue reading Nominate endangered Route 66 places to the National Trust list
Eastern Flyer train passes by Rock Creek Bridge
Passenger rail service returned for the first time in many years last week with the Eastern Flyer train that starts in the Route 66 town of Sapulpa, Okla., and goes to Oklahoma City suburb of Midwest City and back again. Other trips in February are already sold out. The idea was to generate interest in … Continue reading Eastern Flyer train passes by Rock Creek Bridge
A trip down Memory Lane in a 1950 Hudson
Here's a nearly quarter-century-old video from Dan Uscian cruising Route 66 near Lexington, Ill., in his 1950 Hudson, including a 1926 alignment now called Memory Lane that includes re-creations of vintage billboards. The original stretch of Route 66 in Lexington is open for pedestrians or cycling, but townsfolk reopen it for vehicular traffic on special … Continue reading A trip down Memory Lane in a 1950 Hudson
Has a sea change occurred with Route 66 tourism?
About 100 residents of the St. Louis suburb of Crestwood, Mo., recently gave opinions on how to revitalize the Watson Road, aka Route 66, according to an article in Call Newspapers. It's encouraging enough so many showed up to an alderman's town-hall meeting. But what intrigued me is so many people cited Route 66 as … Continue reading Has a sea change occurred with Route 66 tourism?