Chris Epting of AOL News has a dynamite headline that accompanies his story about the Route 66 town of Oatman, Ariz. -- "Oatman: A Town That Rose from its Asses." Although the town boasts re-enacted gunfights, keeps an Old West flavor, and preserved the hotel where Carole Lombard and Clark Gable honeymooned in 1939, Epting … Continue reading Oatman gets kicks from its burros
Scenes from the Okie Twist-Off
We decided to go to Oklahoma City on Saturday to see the fourth annual Okie Twist-Off car and music festival. The event, which brings in rat-rod and rockabilly fans, also served as a fond farewell to its host, 66 Bowl, which has been sold and soon will be converted into an India grocery store. Organizers … Continue reading Scenes from the Okie Twist-Off
A checkoff for the Mother Road?
Tucked into this business column by Tim Landis of the Springfield State Journal-Register is this fascinating little item: * ROUTE 66 now has its own Illinois income-tax checkoff. The checkoff for promotion and preservation of the historic route is among four signed into law last week by Gov. Pat Quinn. The others are for Habitat … Continue reading A checkoff for the Mother Road?
Filmmakers plan documentary on Benld’s Coliseum
Former schoolteachers Jim Marcacci and Bruce Logsdon have started planning a documentary about the history of the colorful Coliseum music venue in Benld, Ill., according to the Springfield State Journal-Register. The Coliseum, which sits on an early alignment of Route 66 and predates the road, now exists as a sprawling antiques mall. But vestiges of … Continue reading Filmmakers plan documentary on Benld’s Coliseum
An obscure alignment of Route 66 in Flagstaff
The Arizona Daily Sun today posted an article about the Mike's Pike street in Flagstaff, Ariz. -- a neighborhood which can boast itself of carrying an original alignment of the Mother Road. The Sun reports: It goes largely unnoticed by the thousands of motorists traveling along Milton Road, yet its history is hardly without lore. … Continue reading An obscure alignment of Route 66 in Flagstaff
El Vado finally safeguarded by city of Albuquerque
The city of Albuquerque finally has gained ownership of the historic El Vado Motel along Route 66, and city officials are exploring ideas on what to do with it now, reports the Albuquerque Journal. Among the ideas are converting the property to a Route 66 neon museum, an artists' colony space, or even as a … Continue reading El Vado finally safeguarded by city of Albuquerque
A cruise through Hooker Cut
Here's something you don't see on YouTube all that often -- the 1940s Hooker Cut alignment of Route 66 near Devil's Elbow, Mo. The videographer says this four-lane alignment of Route 66 is "abandoned," although that's not true. It's still used by local motorists, although it certainly isn't seeing the traffic volume it saw 50 … Continue reading A cruise through Hooker Cut
The neon road
Well, this is a neat project. The city of West Hollywood, Calif., and the Museum of Neon Art in Los Angeles have installed a new art installation of four neon signs along Route 66, according to The LAist. The display began Thursday. "We were looking at projects that would sort of help our history, even … Continue reading The neon road
Art show features Route 66 photography
If you're traveling through Pennsylvania in the next few days or so, you may ought to head to New Hope Arts Inc. in New Hope to see the "Automania: Second Gear" exhibit that includes works by photographer John Slavin. Here's how CentralJersey.com describes the show: A wooden sign that points left to L.A. and right … Continue reading Art show features Route 66 photography
Railroad quiet zone idea gathers steam in Kingman
Earlier this year, the city of Kingman, Ariz., looked into the possibility of a railroad quiet zone to keep trains from sounding their horns when passing through town. The City Council demurred and asked to see whether a similar quiet-zone program in Flagstaff is working. According to a report in the Kingman Daily Miner, the … Continue reading Railroad quiet zone idea gathers steam in Kingman