Here's an interesting tidbit in this story from the Peoria Journal-Star about the The World's Largest Covered Wagon, just off Route 66 in Lincoln, Ill.: Reader's Digest readers named it the Best Roadside Attraction in America in 2010. The venerable magazine recently ran its annual Best of America survey, which focuses on what it calls … Continue reading Big covered wagon wins roadside attraction poll
A look at the Arizona Route 66 passport
On Thursday, I received in the mail from Sharlene Fouser the new Arizona Route 66 passport that is being distributed at tourism offices and businesses along the Mother Road in the state. Here's what it looks like, outside and inside: The passport contains only 20 pages, but includes a short history of the road, trivia, … Continue reading A look at the Arizona Route 66 passport
Programming note
It appears Route 66 News was down for more than an hour on Thursday night. The hosting service, WordPress.com, suffered a systemwide outage, taking 10 million sites -- including this one -- with it. However, it appears the problem has been fixed, and no data has been lost.
Fire kills man in former Route 66 motel
A man died in a fire Wednesday at a former motel along the Kearney Street alignment of Route 66 in Springfield, Mo., according to news reports. James Martin Steffens, 51, died as a result of smoke inhalation. According to the Springfield News-Leader, the fire was caused by careless smoking in his room at the Rancho … Continue reading Fire kills man in former Route 66 motel
Webb City works on visitors center
Here's the work being done on the interior of the future Route 66 Visitors Center in downtown Webb City, Mo., that's going in an old gas station on Route 66. The building is on Main and Broadway. The old gas station also will be home to the city's chamber of commerce. (Photos courtesy of Ron … Continue reading Webb City works on visitors center
Deep thought
If fire officials say you should get a sprinkler system for your very old building and no hydrants are nearby, maybe you should listen to them. Sigh.
Riviera Roadhouse destroyed by fire
The historic Riviera Roadhouse on Route 66 in Gardner, Ill., was destroyed by fire Tuesday night and is still burning, according to an e-mail I received from the editor of The Braidwood Journal. The historic Route 66 restaurant and lounge was owned and operated for decades by Bob and Peggy Kraft until the two retired … Continue reading Riviera Roadhouse destroyed by fire
Photo-op building in Kingman will be razed
A building in Kingman, Ariz., that was decorated in a Harley Davidson motorcycle theme and frequently used by Route 66 travelers as a photo opportunity will be razed by the railroad, reported the Kingman Daily Miner. The Burlington Northern-Santa Fe railroad owns the structure, and it's fallen to into disrepair, including part of the roof … Continue reading Photo-op building in Kingman will be razed
Can’t see the bottles for the trees
Here's a good video that shows the Bottletree Forest, made by Elmer Long, along Route 66 in Oro Grande, Calif. The clip shows how wonderfully weird the whole place is. Long's blog is here, although it's updated only sporadically.
Not a wallflower
The International Walldog Mural and Sign Art Museum in Pontiac, Ill., has seen hundreds of visitors since opening May 1, according to a report in the Bloomington Pantagraph. "We have been doing really well, and we are getting visitors from all over," said museum manager Kristen Mehlberg. "We've had visitors from 15 states and seven … Continue reading Not a wallflower