One of the proposed names for an upcoming major-league baseball team in Amarillo contains a Route 66 reference, but if residents have their way, they want the organization to create a new list from scratch. The San Antonio Missions, a San Diego Padres affiliate, are moving its Class AA team to a new downtown stadium … Continue reading Proposed names for Amarillo baseball team scored an error
Tag: Amarillo
Fire damages Silver Spur Motel in Amarillo
A fire Thursday morning damaged the historic Silver Spur Motel in Amarillo, Texas, causing about $60,000 in losses. The motel, noted for its vintage cowboy-boot neon sign, is at 4011 Amarillo Blvd. East (aka Route 66). According to a local television station, the fire began about 11 a.m.: Officials say the owner of the motel … Continue reading Fire damages Silver Spur Motel in Amarillo
Long-closed Inn of Amarillo soon will be torn down
The city of Amariilo likely will be on the hook financially to demolish the long-closed and squalid Inn of Amarillo, also known the Holiday Inn West or the Vic-Mon Motor Hotel. A big problem for the city is the cost to raze the structure -- about $800,000 on the low side. The price is so steep, … Continue reading Long-closed Inn of Amarillo soon will be torn down
Heritage House bed-and-breakfast soon will open in Amarillo
A new lodging option soon will open in Amarillo in a historic house about a mile south of Route 66. It's the Heritage House bed-and-breakfast at 1620 S. Polk St. (map here), which sits south of the Sixth Street alignment of Route 66. The home was built in 1906 by E.L. Dohoney and bought in … Continue reading Heritage House bed-and-breakfast soon will open in Amarillo
Amarillo officially declared a cultural district
Amarillo officially recently was designated a cultural district by the Texas Commission on the Arts. Amarillo was one of 35 cities receiving the cultural-district tag, according to a story in the Amarillo Globe-News. It took two years for the city to get that designation. The Amarillo Cultural District encompasses five areas, including Historic Route 66 "with its … Continue reading Amarillo officially declared a cultural district
Willem Bor creates new Route 66 miniatures
Longtime readers probably know of Willem Bor of the Netherlands, who in the last few years has created miniatures of well-known Route 66 landmarks for museums or private individuals. The bad news is Bor contracted cancer and had to cancel one of his upcoming trips on Route 66. The good news is because he's got … Continue reading Willem Bor creates new Route 66 miniatures
The early history of Cadillac Ranch
The Artsy website posted a well-researched article of how the Cadillac Ranch art installation in Amarillo, Texas, came to be, including vintage photos of it being built. Cadillac Ranch turned into a roadside icon -- including for Route 66 travelers -- in the four decades since local tycoon Stanley Marsh 3 commissioned it from the Ant Farm … Continue reading The early history of Cadillac Ranch
More details released on future Big Texan Steak Ranch
While groundbreaking remains weeks away, the owners of the Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo revealed many plans for a bigger restaurant and other attractions just down the road. The current Big Texan seats about 500 people, but customer demand has outgrown it with no room to expand. According to the Amarillo Globe-News, the restaurant loses more than … Continue reading More details released on future Big Texan Steak Ranch
Fire damages historic dance hall in Amarillo
A fire Saturday heavily damaged the Soul Town nightclub along old Route 66 in Amarillo, Texas, and the longtime owner is assessing how to rebuild it. Jimmy Dunn, 77, owns Soul Town, which before was the Crystal Pistol strip club, at 907 E. Amarillo Blvd., aka Route 66. The Amarillo Globe News reported: At 6:38 … Continue reading Fire damages historic dance hall in Amarillo
Is the Big Texan Steak Ranch on Route 66?
The answer: Yes. It sits on an obscure and short-lived alignment of Route 66 from the 1920s. More on this later. While recently reporting the Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, likely will begin building a bigger complex soon, I wrote this bit: Although the Big Texan no longer sits on Route 66, it began on Amarillo Boulevard … Continue reading Is the Big Texan Steak Ranch on Route 66?