Jim Marcacci and Bruce Logsdon of Sound & Image Videography are producing a documentary about the history of the colorful Coliseum music venue in Benld, Ill., which is on an older alignment of Route 66. Sound & Image has just released a 9-minute promotional video. You'll see a lot of good memorabilia and information. The breadth … Continue reading Promotional trailer for Coliseum documentary
So who had the first drive-thru restaurant?
This story from The Tribune-Democrat in Johnstown, Pa., delves into the history of drive-throughs, which has squirreled its way into American life from drugstores to liquor stores to restaurants to banks to even funeral homes. As for drive-through restaurants, it's claimed that Red Chaney at the famous Red's Giant Hamburg on Route 66 in Springfield, … Continue reading So who had the first drive-thru restaurant?
Webb City’s Route 66 Center opens Tuesday
The Route 66 Center that's being built in a vintage gas station in downtown Webb City, Mo., will open Tuesday morning, reported the Joplin Globe. The building one block west of Main Street on Broadway will house a shop of Webb City and Route 66 merchandise, a display room, a meeting room, and an office. … Continue reading Webb City’s Route 66 Center opens Tuesday
Joplin may not rehire organizer for Mother Road Marathon
Reinke Sports Group of Winter Park, Fla., which helped organize and market the recently completed inaugural Mother Road Marathon in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri that drew 1,500 runners, may not be rehired for the 2011 event. Tim Cox, the new director of the Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau, announced Friday on Facebook that Reinke wouldn't … Continue reading Joplin may not rehire organizer for Mother Road Marathon
Virtual road trip
This demonstration video by Google shows how you can cruise Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica on Google Street View. A few gaps still exist, but they're closing more each day.
Route 66 being used to help sell Camel cigarettes
For the last few weeks, an online promotion by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. has been using Route 66 and related images from the historic highway to help promote its Camel cigarettes. This was revealed in a news release today by Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, which is criticizing RJR's "Break Free Adventure" campaign for allegedly trying … Continue reading Route 66 being used to help sell Camel cigarettes
Birthday party
I wasn't at the Santa Monica Pier today for Route 66's 84th birthday party. But the Voice of Santa Monica was there, shooting a lot of photos for its Flickr pool. You're bound to see some roadies you recognize, including Ken "The Landrunner" Turmel and 66-to-Cali owner Dan Rice. And I'm pretty sure this image … Continue reading Birthday party
Another dressed-up station in Tucumcari
Here's another closed gas station in Tucumcari, N.M., that's been repainted to help dress up the town a bit. This station, which is nearly finished, is made up to look like a petrol stop from the long-defunct Whiting Bros. chain. Richard Talley, owner of the Motel Safari and one of the volunteers in this townwide … Continue reading Another dressed-up station in Tucumcari
Veterans Day tribute 2010
This is Veterans Day, and we rightfully spend time remembering the people we know who served in the military. But this serves as a tribute to the veterans who couldn't make it home from Afghanistan and Iraq. Let's not forget them, too. UPDATE: Here's an editorial in today's Arizona Daily Sun in Flagstaff that says … Continue reading Veterans Day tribute 2010
“Lucky Sevens”
Ricko Donovan's song about "living way too fast" features mentions of Route 66. A few days ago, he decided to perform this song at the Route 66 exhibit at the Petrified Forest National Park in eastern Arizona.