A restaurant review in the Springfield News-Leader revealed that the historic Rockwood Court Restaurant in Springfield, Mo., recently was reborn as Tubby's Diner. The new owner, Jason Russell, remodeled the restaurant, improved the food, and restored its Route 66 charm, the newspaper reported. The site housed the first restaurant and motel on Route 66 in … Continue reading Rockwood Court restaurant reborn as Tubby’s Diner
70 minutes of Nat King Cole
Sit back and enjoy this 1 hour, 10-minute collection of performances by Nat King Cole and his band. Cole was known for his velvety singing voice, but a number of tracks also show his skills at jazz piano. Cole popularized Bobby Troup's "Route 66" when it became a big hit in 1946. You can skip … Continue reading 70 minutes of Nat King Cole
Mixed messages seen from Route 66 Rendezvous fundraising
The annual Route 66 Rendezvous in downtown San Bernardino, Calif., is halfway to its goal for donations, or it's in jeopardy of being canceled, depending on which regional newspaper report you read. The lead paragraph from today's San Bernardino County Sun: Without $36,000 in donations from the community, there will be no Stater Bros. Route 66 … Continue reading Mixed messages seen from Route 66 Rendezvous fundraising
Midpoint Cafe making improvements to midpoint sign
Dennis Purschwitz, new owner the Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas, said on a Facebook post he's making improvements to the "midpoint of Route 66" sign across the road from his restaurant. The project involves installing paver stones to make a more park-like setting, wheelchair / ADA access to the sign, and a platform immediately behind … Continue reading Midpoint Cafe making improvements to midpoint sign
Motel 6’s Mother Road correspondent
You may remember that Dan Bakst won a Route 66 trip and a bunch of goodies from the Motel 6 chain in a contest. He was required to post his adventures from the road via video and social media. Roadies weren't thrilled that the trip would exclude historic Route 66 motels. But his posts on … Continue reading Motel 6’s Mother Road correspondent
La Fonda soon will undergo renovations
The historic La Fonda Hotel in downtown Santa Fe, N.M., soon will undergo significant interior renovations and make small cosmetic changes to the exterior, reported the Albuquerque Journal. The outside work required approval by the city's Historic Districts Review Board, and it was granted Tuesday. That includes the addition of a small staircase on the southwest … Continue reading La Fonda soon will undergo renovations
UPDATED: Route 66 festival sees disappointing numbers
The Route 66 International Festival in Victorville, Calif., saw only about 5,000 visitors during the weekend -- a disappointment for area businesses and organizers, reported the Victorville Daily Press. Some of them blamed the above-100-degree heat for low attendance, while others criticized a lack of organization and marketing. The festival attracted about 800 paid visitors … Continue reading UPDATED: Route 66 festival sees disappointing numbers
A trip into the past
This is a special music video. Not only does it contain audio of live-in-concert performance of "Route 66" by Asleep At the Wheel during the 1970s, but it's interspersed with footage of Route 66 from a 1980s news report and vintage photos of the band. You'll even spot the U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, Texas, a … Continue reading A trip into the past
A mountain will rise north of Galena
The landscape near old Route 66 north of Galena, Kan., probably will see a significant change by fall of 2013 -- a 40-foot-tall hill in the wake of the cleanup of a closed smelting plant. According to a plan by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment unveiled Aug. 3, the agency will clean up … Continue reading A mountain will rise north of Galena
Route 66 town adds charging station for electric cars
The small Route 66 town of Atlanta, Ill., has added a charging station for electric vehicles just a half-block off old Route 66, reported the Bloomington Pantagraph. Bill Thomas, a director for the Atlanta Betterment Fund economic development group, compared the adding of a charging station to gas stations before the Route 66 era began … Continue reading Route 66 town adds charging station for electric cars