About six months ago, Frank Gifford of rt66pix.com found strong preliminary evidence that indicated Depew, Okla., was the first official Route 66 town bypassed by a later alignment of the Mother Road. This past week, Gifford said he has confirmed that Depew was indeed the first Route 66 community bypassed, in 1928. He calls Depew "the original … Continue reading Confirmed: Depew was first town bypassed by U.S. 66
St. Louis baseball legend Stan Musial dies
Stan Musial, the greatest player for the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team and one of the city's most beloved figures, died at age 92 on Saturday, reported the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and other media outlets. We'll let sports writers across the globe wax eloquently about Stan the Man's awesome batting statistics and his humble public … Continue reading St. Louis baseball legend Stan Musial dies
Carlyle Motel sign disappears
On a trip Saturday to check the Green Chile Kitchen on Route 66 in Yukon, Okla., we were dismayed to find that the historic Carlyle Motel neon sign on Oklahoma City's west side had been removed. The sign had been replaced with a nondescript, orange-and-white lettered backlit sign. A source I checked with the Oklahoma … Continue reading Carlyle Motel sign disappears
The saga of the Avery family and East Meets West statue
Someone has put together a short but clever video about Cyrus "The Father of Route 66" Avery and the East Meets West statue in Tulsa that was dedicated last fall. https://youtu.be/KX9NoBDqf3s You can view a detailed slideshow about the statue in this earlier Route 66 News post here.
Boots Motel sets “Raze the Roof” volunteer days
The owners of the Boots Motel in Carthage, Mo., have set dates for "Raze the Roof" weekend, where it's hoped enough volunteers will show up to remove the gabled roof of the historic Route 66 motel so the original flat roof can eventually be restored. From the motel's Facebook page: Priscilla and Debye have settled … Continue reading Boots Motel sets “Raze the Roof” volunteer days
El Comedor restaurant is changing owners
https://youtu.be/WyoNnCoACq4 The historic El Comedor de Anayas restaurant along Route 66 in Moriarty, N.M., famous for its neon rotosphere and New Mexican cuisine, will no longer be in the Anaya family for the first time in 60 years, reported the Albuquerque Journal. Owner Mike Anaya, who also closed the nearby Mike's Friendly Store a couple … Continue reading El Comedor restaurant is changing owners
Sites in the Southwest kissed by snow
I found another superb time-lapse video, by Henry Jun Wah Lee of Evosia Studios, of the Southwest, including the Petrified Forest National Park and the Grand Canyon. But the star is Monument Valley after a light snowfall: Manic Star - Timelapse Tour of the American Southwest from Henry Jun Wah Lee / Evosia on Vimeo.
“Route 66 RV Adventure” preview
You may remember John Holod, who was shooting a documentary about Route 66 in 2011 for his "RV Adventure" DVD series. Holod has posted a generous 30-minute preview of his "Route 66 RV Adventure: Exploring the Mother Road" film, which is 90 minutes total. https://youtu.be/dzi_h_H80GA The DVD can be ordered here for $19.95.
Two Tucumcari motels earn TripAdvisor awards
Not just one, but two motels in the Route 66 town of Tucumcari, N.M., were given 2013 Traveler's Choice Awards by TripAdvisor.com for being rated among the top 25 bargain hotels in the United States. The Blue Swallow Motel was ranked No. 3 in its category, and the Motel Safari was No. 20. Both motels sit … Continue reading Two Tucumcari motels earn TripAdvisor awards
Spectacular views of the Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona has long been a popular side trip for Route 66 travelers. Here's likely best video of the park you'll see, courtesy of Lee Kirchner and Kevin Rossi of GOTM Films. Grand Canyon : Blink of Time from GOTM Films on Vimeo. Another excellent video, shot by Dan Carter … Continue reading Spectacular views of the Grand Canyon