The Santa Monica Pier, which for many travelers serves as the symbolic end of Route 66, is marking the 100th anniversary of when construction on it began. The Long Beach (Calif.) Press-Telegram published an interesting history about the pier, including these nuggets: It was originally built to help carry raw sewage out into the ocean. … Continue reading Santa Monica Pier soon will mark 100 years
Spreading the Route 66 gospel
TheDoings-LaGrange.com published a report on Route 66 enthusiast David G. Clark's presentation at the LaGrange, Ill., Library about the history of the Mother Road in Chicago. Clark does these presentations from time to time. If you've never seen them, the article at least gives a taste of what they're like. Clark also has a Web … Continue reading Spreading the Route 66 gospel
Miami seeing spike in hotel rooms
The town of Miami, Okla., has made ambitious (and welcome) plans to play up its Route 66 connection in recent months. If all those additional Route 66 tourists show up, they'll need a place to stay. Miami has that covered, too -- the number of hotel rooms in the city are projected to nearly double … Continue reading Miami seeing spike in hotel rooms
Century-old Grand Canyon business will close
Verkamp's Curios has operated on the edge of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon for 102 years -- even before Arizona became a state. However, Verkamp's will close in September, and you can blame a good chunk of that on the federal government, reports the Canadian Press: The family's final chapter at the canyon … Continue reading Century-old Grand Canyon business will close
Tornadoes kill six in Picher
NOTE: Many updates below. Tornadoes killed at least 16 people Saturday evening in southwestern Missouri and northeastern Oklahoma, including six in Picher, a former mining town just off Route 66. The Joplin Globe reports: John Sparkman, of Picher, Okla., characterized the damage done by a tornado in the Northeast Oklahoma community this evening as "complete … Continue reading Tornadoes kill six in Picher
Cyclist will test her recovery after accident
On Sunday, Amy Mack and about 40 other cyclists are embarking on a 3,400-mile ride from Los Angeles to Boston, part of it on old Route 66. That's a remarkable enough quest. But Mack is doing it three years after she was nearly killed in a biking accident, reports the Kalamazoo (Mich.) Gazette: Thrown more … Continue reading Cyclist will test her recovery after accident
Springfield, Mo., a stop on Model T tour
NOTE: Bumped for important update below. The Ford Model T is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, and enthusiasts from Southern California and beyond are celebrating with cross-country tours, including one that crosses the nation on Route 66 and the Lincoln Highway National Road, aka U.S. 40. According to the Springfield News-Leader, members of the … Continue reading Springfield, Mo., a stop on Model T tour
Hanging around in Hackberry
Here's a nicely done video about the Hackberry General Store, located on Route 66 in Hackberry, Ariz.
Final days
A couple of readers have submitted photos of the dismantling work being done on the Harvey House in Seligman, Ariz., before its final demolition later this month. Here, you can see workers removing the historic roof tiles: According to Dan Lutzick, who is overseeing the rehabilitation of another Harvey House in Needles, Calif.: The supervisor … Continue reading Final days
Berdoo Bikes festival will return
The first Berdoo Bikes & Blues Rendezvous in San Bernardino, Calif., was declared a success, and will return next year, organizers told the San Bernardino County Sun. it was estimated optimistically that it would draw 3,000 registered motorcycles and 12,000 paying spectators. The actual number was 1,500 bikes and 7,000 spectators. Despite the shortfall, organizers … Continue reading Berdoo Bikes festival will return