Jobe's Drive-In in El Reno, Oklahoma, is scheduled to reopen as a restaurant in June after it closed nearly a decade ago. Oklahoma Route 66 Association President Rhys Martin noted early this summer that the sign for the Route 66 landmark had been spruced up. According to a recent story in the Yukon Progress-News, longtime … Continue reading Jobe’s Drive-In in El Reno scheduled to reopen in mid-2024
Angel Delgadillo receives President’s Award for National Leadership in Historic Preservation
Ninety-six-year-old Angel Delgadillo traveled to Washington, D.C., to receive the President’s Award for National Leadership in Historic Preservation on Nov. 8 from the National Trust of Historic Preservation. According to a news release from the National Trust, Delgadillo's honor "recognizes an individual or organization that has demonstrated exceptional contributions to the field of preservation." It's … Continue reading Angel Delgadillo receives President’s Award for National Leadership in Historic Preservation
Mexican restaurant with Route 66 theme opens at the former site of Sonrise Donuts in Springfield
A Mexican restaurant called Lil Fiesta on Route 66 recently opened in the space that held Sonrise Donuts and its iconic sign for many years in Springfield, Illinois. Lil Fiesta on Route 66 opened Friday at 1101 S. Ninth St. (aka Route 66) in a space that also held another Mexican restaurant, for a few … Continue reading Mexican restaurant with Route 66 theme opens at the former site of Sonrise Donuts in Springfield
Buck Atom statue in Tulsa will have a companion sometime next year
It appears Buck Atom has a girlfriend. The namesake fiberglass giant at Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios on 66 in Tulsa will have a companion statue coming sometime in 2024. Mary Beth Babcock, owner of the souvenir shop at 1347 E. 11th St. (aka Route 66), announced last week that Stella Atom, a 19-foot-tall space cowgirl, … Continue reading Buck Atom statue in Tulsa will have a companion sometime next year
El Rancho Grande restaurant in Tulsa marks its 70th year
The landmark El Rancho Grande Mexican Food Restaurant near downtown Tulsa recently marked its 70th anniversary of operation. El Rancho, located at 1629 E. 11th St. (aka Route 66), remains best known for its well-preserved neon sign and that it is a pioneer in Mexican restaurant food in the United States. The restaurant marked the … Continue reading El Rancho Grande restaurant in Tulsa marks its 70th year
Large mural goes up along Route 66 in Wayneville
The Route 66 corridor of Waynesville, Missouri, recently saw a new, large mural painted on one of its buildings. Missouri-based outdoor artist Ray Harvey finished a postcard-inspired and Route 66-centric mural on the new Dollar General building at 1413 U.S. Route 66. According to the Pulaski County Weekly, Dollar General and the city came to … Continue reading Large mural goes up along Route 66 in Wayneville
May Cafe, known for its lumberjack Muffler Man, to close temporarily around Christmas
The May Cafe, a Vietnamese restaurant in Albuquerque for over 30 years, will close temporarily around Christmas, its owner told the Albuquerque Business Journal. The restaurant is famous among Route 66 enthusiasts for its Paul Bunyan fiberglass statue, known generically as Muffler Men. The statue was restored in 2019 after a windstorm tore off its … Continue reading May Cafe, known for its lumberjack Muffler Man, to close temporarily around Christmas
Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield may be expanded
The Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, Illinois, may be expanded to include a replica of future President Abraham Lincoln's 1844 cottage and the nearby Elijah Iles House, named for one of the city's early settlers. U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth introduced legislation last week to expand the boundaries of the site, which is run … Continue reading Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield may be expanded
Glancy Motel in Clinton is torn down; fate of its sign remains unknown
The historic Glancy Motel along Route 66 in Clinton, Oklahoma, fell victim to the wrecking ball Tuesday to make way for a new Oklahoma Highway Patrol station. Here's a first look at the razing from the Discover Clinton Oklahoma page on Facebook: The motel's iconic sign, however, was not torn down. According to recent editions … Continue reading Glancy Motel in Clinton is torn down; fate of its sign remains unknown
Forest Manor Motel in Lebanon is torn down
The closed Forest Manor Motel in Lebanon, Missouri, just down the road from the Route 66 landmark Munger Moss Motel, was demolished in recent weeks. The razing of the 80-year-old motel on the city's east side was reported by the Lebanon-Laclede County Route 66 Society. The motel originally was built in 1941 as the Green … Continue reading Forest Manor Motel in Lebanon is torn down