The above image is a postcard of the long-gone Royce Cafe along Route 66 in Edmond, Okla., from the 1930s or '40s. Do you see anything different about it? If you're not spotting it, here's a close-up the unusual part: The "6,000 Live Citizens -- No Negroes" part of the postcard was a symptom that … Continue reading Should Route 66 towns that were sundown towns apologize?
The man behind the Triangle Motel
KC Keefer's latest clip in his ongoing "Genuine Route 66 Life" series consists of an interview with Alan McNeil, owner of the long-closed Triangle Motel in Amarillo, Texas. https://youtu.be/P1D3I7h95Vw You have to give McNeil credit -- he keeps plugging away nearly eight years after he started and with not a lot of money in hand. A … Continue reading The man behind the Triangle Motel
Fundraiser launched for The Road Crew at Kingman festival
A roadie has launched a FundRazr campaign on Facebook to get The Road Crew music group at this summer's International Route 66 Festival in Kingman, Ariz. Rick Zimmer wants to raise $10,000 by April 15 to defray the group's travel expenses for two performances during the festival on Aug. 15-16. Zimmer explained the campaign: Due to … Continue reading Fundraiser launched for The Road Crew at Kingman festival
Dutch Route 66 Association formed
Six Route 66 fans in the Netherlands recently formed the Dutch Route 66 Association during a dinner in Amsterdam "with the aim of promoting Route 66 and providing information to whomever has a need for it." At left is the group's logo, complete with the nation's symbolic wooden clogs. The people who formed the group … Continue reading Dutch Route 66 Association formed
Corvette installed at Route 66 Mural Park
One-half of a 1964 Corvette was installed Friday at the Route 66 Mural Park in Joplin, Mo., near Seventh and Main streets, where two alignments of Route 66 intersect. According to a news release from the Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau: The newly placed corvette will provide a photo opportunity for visitors to stand by … Continue reading Corvette installed at Route 66 Mural Park
Crystal City Shopping Center says it’s starting improvements
The historic but long-moribund Crystal City Shopping Center along Route 66 in southwest Tulsa soon will begin major upgrades, according to KTUL-TV in Tulsa and the shopping center's Facebook page. One post by the shopping center's Facebook page administrator said: Renovations have begun! The center will soon look like these renderings. New roof and store … Continue reading Crystal City Shopping Center says it’s starting improvements
Number of visitors to Pontiac increases again in 2013
The number of tourists to the Route 66 town of Pontiac, Ill., increased for the fourth straight year in 2013, according to numbers released this week by Pontiac Tourism. Tourism director Ellie Alexander said overall tourism numbers rose by 5 percent during the year, to a record 24,173. Pontiac saw robust increases in international visitors … Continue reading Number of visitors to Pontiac increases again in 2013
Williams marijuana dispensary plans move to bigger building
The Route 66 Wellness Center, the only medical marijuana dispensary in the Route 66 town of Williams, Ariz., plans to move to a bigger facility behind its current building, according to the Williams-Grand Canyon News. Now the dispensary's owners hope to move to a site behind its existing building, to 324 E. Railroad Ave. "The … Continue reading Williams marijuana dispensary plans move to bigger building
How a winery in Stroud became a tourist attraction
The Journal-Record in Oklahoma City recently published a long feature, via the Associated Press, about StableRidge Vineyards along Route 66 in Stroud, Okla. The story about winery, which has operated for nearly 10 years by Don and Annetta Neal, contains these fascinating nuggets: The main building of the site is a former Catholic church. Annetta … Continue reading How a winery in Stroud became a tourist attraction
Take a cruise with Hank Crawford
Jazz artist Hank Crawford, with a small group of six other musicians, delivers his take on Bobby Troup's "Route 66" in 1965. https://youtu.be/QTGJ1K9eeok Crawford, who died in 2009, perhaps was best-known for being the musical director for Ray Charles as well as his recording career. He also provided musical arrangements for Lou Rawls and Etta … Continue reading Take a cruise with Hank Crawford