KAET-TV, a PBS affiliate based in Phoenix, produces the "Check, Please! Arizona" program that places the spotlight on notable restaurants in the state. Recently, the program took a closer look at chef John Sharpe and his Turquoise Room, inside the historic La Posada Hotel on Route 66 in Winslow, Ariz. https://youtu.be/weHubtWKI40?t=17m44s I embedded the video … Continue reading PBS station pays a visit to the Turquoise Room in La Posada
Galena’s “Murder Bordello” being resurrected
A long-abandoned former bordello on Route 66 in Galena, Kan., owned by a serial-killer madam is being restored and will reopen next month as a site for guided tours. Russ Keeler, who operates After Midnight Paranormal Investigations, or AMPI, in Siloam Springs, Ark., persuaded the home's co-owners in January to spend thousands of dollars to restore … Continue reading Galena’s “Murder Bordello” being resurrected
Home movies of a 1950 road trip
A reader alerted me about this home-movie footage of a family vacation in 1950 that was preserved by the Prelinger Archive. The Route 66 material doesn't start until about the three-minute mark, when the family starts to cross the Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis. You'll also see footage along the Mother Road in … Continue reading Home movies of a 1950 road trip
Documentary about Route 66 will air Friday on European TV
For our European readers, Oscar-nominated director Katja Esson's five-part "Backroads" documentary is airing this week on the European television Arte channel, including the "Route 66 in the South West" segment on Friday. According to Arte's online channel guide, the program will air at 6:25 p.m. local time. Translated from German, the description of the program … Continue reading Documentary about Route 66 will air Friday on European TV
Medical marijuana dispensary opens in Williams, Ariz.
Commence with the silly stoner jokes. But, in all seriousness, a medical marijuana dispensary opened on Route 66 in downtown Williams, Ariz., in late January. Naturally, the clinic is called the Route 66 Wellness Center. According to the report in the Williams-Grand Canyon News, the dispensary serves about a dozen patients, although about 60 people … Continue reading Medical marijuana dispensary opens in Williams, Ariz.
Santa Monica Pier soon may undergo major renovations
The Santa Monica Pier, the traditional western endpoint of Route 66, will undergo major reconstruction that may start as soon as next month, according to the Santa Monica Mirror. According to the newspaper: In all, a 360-foot by 36-foot portion of the Pier, or 12,960 total square feet, will be demolished and then reconstructed over … Continue reading Santa Monica Pier soon may undergo major renovations
Turning the mundane into art
Take a look at the above street scene in Los Angeles. See anything unusual? If you haven't noticed it, a closer look: That object decorated in a Route 66-themed scene and other bright colors is a common utility box, located in East Hollywood at the corner of Normandie and Santa Monica Boulevard (aka Route 66). … Continue reading Turning the mundane into art
Sentiment grows to tear down Cadillac Ranch
Residents of Amarillo, Texas, are debating whether to dismantle Stanley Marsh 3's Cadillac Ranch art installation near Route 66 in the wake of sex-abuse allegations against him, reported Texas Monthly magazine. Since October, Marsh, 74, has been embroiled with civil lawsuits, then criminal indictments, over allegations that he sexually abused teenage boys. Naturally, this hasn't sat well … Continue reading Sentiment grows to tear down Cadillac Ranch
Long-term plan in Albuquerque includes more neon signs on Route 66
A long-term plan for Albuquerque calls for incentives for more neon signs along the Route 66 corridor, according to a story in the Albuquerque Journal. The initiative that Mayor Richard Berry calls "ABQ: The Plan" seeks to move more money into capital projects to spur more private investment. Funding isn't been sought yet, and Berry acknowledges the … Continue reading Long-term plan in Albuquerque includes more neon signs on Route 66
Grant will pay for Route 66 bicycle trail extension at Towanda
McLean County, Ill., was awarded an $800,000 state grant to extend the Historic Route 66 Bikeway more than 2 1/2 miles from Towanda, reported the Bloomington Pantagraph. The extension of the existing bicycle trail runs from Illinois Highway 29 to north to the end of an old alignment of Route 66. The Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program's requires a … Continue reading Grant will pay for Route 66 bicycle trail extension at Towanda