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?
VFW wants to restore Skylark Motel tower and neon
The Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 2482 will apply for a grant to restore the tower and its "neon scene" of the former Skylark Motel in west St. Clair, Mo., according to an article by The Missourian. The VFW post, which uses the motel at 1087 North Service Road West as its headquarters now, is applying … Continue reading VFW wants to restore Skylark Motel tower and neon
El Garces may reopen as soon as March as a depot
The historic El Garces Hotel in Needles, Calif., may reopen as early as late March as an intermodal transportation facility -- but not as a hotel -- after a long rehabilitation, according to a recent report by the Needles Daily Star. According to the newspaper: Linda Kidd, city council woman and project committee member, said the hope … Continue reading El Garces may reopen as soon as March as a depot
Route 66 Wind project east of Amarillo secures financing
Boston-based First Wind announced Wednesday it had obtained $206 million in financing for its Route 66 Wind energy project in Armstrong and Carson counties near Amarillo, according to a news release from the company. First Wind obtained financing help from Morgan Stanley and Santander Bank. The new wind farm will be capable of generating 150 megawatts, which … Continue reading Route 66 Wind project east of Amarillo secures financing
A sweet old look to a new Waynesville building
This article was going to be primarily about a new candy shop in downtown Waynesville, Mo. More on that later. But first, it's intriguing how the shop's landlord transformed a vacant lot with a new building that manages to sport an attractive but old-fashioned look. It is Roubidoux Square at 115 N. Benton St. (map … Continue reading A sweet old look to a new Waynesville building
Arcadia in high-risk situation if nearby dam fails
Reports from television sometimes tend to get a little hyperbolic. But this one from KFOR-TV in Oklahoma City about the Route 66 town of Arcadia, Okla., brings a new angle to the state's newfound earthquake problem I hadn't considered. The gist: The Oklahoma Water Resources Board is increasingly concerned about earthquakes' effects on nearby Arcadia … Continue reading Arcadia in high-risk situation if nearby dam fails
U-Drop Inn neon lights are back on — in LED
The Facebook account of the historic U-Drop Inn gas station in Shamrock, Texas, recently announced the long-awaited installation of LED neon has been completed and the lights are on. According to the page, the neon will be on from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. nightly, although I'm certain the "lights on" time will be adjusted … Continue reading U-Drop Inn neon lights are back on — in LED
Online poll could help Tee Pee Curios win a grant
The new owners of Tee Pee Curios in Tucumcari, N.M., have entered the FedEx Small Business Grant contest that includes up to a $25,000 grant. You can vote for the Tee Pee daily at this link or clicking on the widget at left, and you can share the contest on Facebook and Twitter as well. … Continue reading Online poll could help Tee Pee Curios win a grant
Book review: “By Mopar to the Golden Gate”
What would it be like to travel the length of the Lincoln Highway, then return home on much of Route 66, in a classic car? Denny Gibson, a longtime aficionado of historic roads and an occasional commenter on this website, provides the answer in a new book, "By Mopar to the Golden Gate" (140 pages, … Continue reading Book review: “By Mopar to the Golden Gate”