Details of the annual international Route 66 festival near the tri-state area of Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas have been trickling out in recent weeks, and the Joplin Globe published a roundup of the June 17-20 event on Friday. The gist of it is that many of the big events will be hosted at the complex … Continue reading Details released of Route 66 festival
Tower Theater again is aglow
The neon lights of the historic Tower Theater on Route 66 in Oklahoma City burned Friday night for the first time in decades. John Murphey of the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program was there, and here are some excerpts of notes from the event: Approximately 200 people gathered in a parking lot across the street … Continue reading Tower Theater again is aglow
Fire threatens Victorville museum
A fire that gutted the historic Halstead Building in downtown Victorville, Calif., threatened the nearby California Route 66 Museum on Friday morning, reported the Daily Press. Scores of firefighters were able to beat back the blaze from damaging the museum. But the Halstead Building was a total loss. The Halstead Building was home to the … Continue reading Fire threatens Victorville museum
Commercial break
Looks like the Kit Kat folks ended up on the Mother Road in Arizona:
“Sweet Hitch-Hiker”
A great highway song from a great American band, Creedence Clearwater Revival.
Museum waits and waits and waits
The Illinois State Police Museum, located on Route 66 on the northeast side of Springfield, Ill., was initially awarded a $100,000 state grant in 2002 for expansion. Eight years and three governors (of two political parties) later, the museum is still waiting for that grant, according to the State Journal-Register. And while the $100,000 grant … Continue reading Museum waits and waits and waits
Computer pioneer dies
Ed Roberts, a pioneer in the personal computer industry, died today at age 68 after a bout with pneumonia. According to an obituary on TechFlash, Roberts created the early MITS Altair 8800 computer, which inspired Paul Allen and Bill Gates to launch an early version of BASIC and thus giving birth to Microsoft. What does … Continue reading Computer pioneer dies
We don’t do that
I like practical jokes as much as the next guy. The ones by these folks and anything involving Brad Paisley are pretty funny. But doesn't it seem counterproductive for news outlets to engage in such foolishness, even if it is April Fool's Day? (Yeah, Science magazine, I'm looking at you.) I've invested a lot of … Continue reading We don’t do that
Route 66 among top foreign destinations for British
The Chicago and Illinois Tourist Office reported on a Tweet yesterday that Route 66 was voted by British citizens as "the most iconic road trip in the world." That's not terribly surprising. But a follow-up report this morning shows how powerful Route 66's allure is: According to a recent study by the Chicago and Illinois … Continue reading Route 66 among top foreign destinations for British
French president, first lady want to cruise Route 66
Tucked into a story from Forbes.com about French President first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy's visit to America this week is a snippet that caught my eye: The couple went around the room to greet each of their guests and spent about 10 minutes chatting with those in attendance. Bruni-Sarkozy charmed a group of besotted women, telling … Continue reading French president, first lady want to cruise Route 66