Galena businesses love downtown’s new look

A few weeks ago, we showed a photo of the new streetscaping and resurfacing of downtown Route 66 in Galena, Kan. The Joplin Globe in nearby Joplin, Mo., wrote a follow-up story about the project. Apparently businesses are enthusiastic about the new look: Mayor Dale Oglesby said that with Ortho Four-States investing in the town, … Continue reading Galena businesses love downtown’s new look

Casino will be built at Twin Arrows area

The Navajo Nation is building a Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort at the Twin Arrows exit near Route 66 in eastern Arizona, reported the Arizona Daily Sun today, with an anticipated opening of May 2013. The casino will be located north of the Twin Arrows exit off Interstate 40. The newspaper said: The Twin Arrows … Continue reading Casino will be built at Twin Arrows area

Vancouver tourism chief writes book about Route 66

Stumbled onto this today ... Rick Antonson, president and CEO of Vancouver Tourism, talks about his new book, "Route 66 Still Kicks," on the "Urban Rush" television show in Canada: https://youtu.be/aTfIEKr7l-U According to Amazon, the book won't be available until September. However, it appears you can order it direct from the publisher, Dundurn Press, or … Continue reading Vancouver tourism chief writes book about Route 66

Students will share ideas for Route 66 corridor

An intriguing partnership with University of New Mexico students and the City of Albuquerque, as reported by KRQE-TV: UNM, city team up to boost Route 66: krqe.com It's hard to see a down side here. If the students come up with just one good idea, it would reap benefits for years to come.

Birthday wishes

Today, here are Independence Day well-wishes to the United States from far-flung guests at the Historic Seligman Sundries coffee-house on Route 66 in Seligman, Ariz. https://youtu.be/r8aX9oyOmB8 Incredibly, Seligman Sundries co-owner Frank Kocevar says all the footage was shot in a mere two-day period in late June. It's another example of how much Route 66 fascinates … Continue reading Birthday wishes

How to navigate around a bridge project in Joliet

The historic Ruby Street Bridge in Joliet, Ill., is being repaired for the next four months starting Monday, reported Illinois Route 66 expert John Weiss. Alas, the official detour bypasses southbound visitors from Joliet entirely. However, Weiss emailed these directions for those who want to stay close to Route 66: Route 66 travelers should not follow … Continue reading How to navigate around a bridge project in Joliet

Rehab of Devil’s Elbow Bridge is on the horizon

It appears the long-percolating bid to repair the historic Devil's Elbow Bridge on Route 66 in Devil's Elbow, Mo., finally will start to happen this fall, according to the Waynesville Daily Guide. From a report about a Pulaski County Commission meeting, the newspaper said: [F]inal plans for the project should be submitted to MoDOT by … Continue reading Rehab of Devil’s Elbow Bridge is on the horizon

Pig Hip sign restored

The historic sign at the site of the Pig Hip Restaurant in Broadwell, Ill., was restored by members of the Illinois Route 66 Association last weekend, reported The Logan County Herald. The newspaper reported: The original sign had been blown down by a storm and association members had restored, rebuilt and replaced damaged elements to … Continue reading Pig Hip sign restored

Part of El Garces project to move forward

After more than two years of inactivity, at least part of the project to restore the historic El Garces Hotel in Needles, Calif., finally will commence again, reported a recent story in the Needles Desert Star. The holdup in the project was getting a ruling on whether a joint development agreement to allow for a transfer of … Continue reading Part of El Garces project to move forward

Book review: “Road Trip USA” (sixth edition)

I'm pleased to report that the Route 66 section of the newly published sixth edition of Jamie Jensen's popular "Road Trip USA" (Avalon Travel, 1,002 pages, paperback) contained no errors that I could detect. That seems an unusual way to begin a book review. However, longtime readers of Route 66 News may remember my 2009 … Continue reading Book review: “Road Trip USA” (sixth edition)