Couple acquires John’s Modern Cabins, Vernelle’s Motel in Missouri

A couple with close family ties to the shuttered Vernelle's Motel near Newburg, Missouri, also recently acquired the long-closed John's Modern Cabins property next door. They plan to convert the Vernelle's property into an RV park, using the now-abandoned Interstate 44 / Route 66 roadbed, and rename it Vernelle's Route 66 RV Park & Campground. … Continue reading Couple acquires John’s Modern Cabins, Vernelle’s Motel in Missouri

Researcher finds a photo of the precursor of John’s Modern Cabins

Joe Sonderman, a researcher of Route 66 in Missouri and other states, found a rare image of the roadside business that later became John's Modern Cabins near Newburg, Missouri. The image is above. Sonderman wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday: This is the oldest photo I have ever seen of the spot that became … Continue reading Researcher finds a photo of the precursor of John’s Modern Cabins

Vintage photo of John’s Modern Cabins surfaces

Route 66 postcard collector and author Joe Sonderman recently helped unearth a long-forgotten photograph of John's Modern Cabins near Newburg, Missouri, taken in August 1966. Sonderman posted the image -- along with another rare photograph of nearby Vernelle's Motel during the same period -- on Saturday on Facebook. To date, the 1966 photo of John's … Continue reading Vintage photo of John’s Modern Cabins surfaces

Painted Desert Trading Post, John’s Modern Cabins get some TLC

The ruins of two Route 66 landmarks -- the Painted Desert Trading Post in Arizona and John's Modern Cabins in Missouri -- received a bit of a new lease on life when volunteers helped stabilize the long-abandoned structures. Several members of the Route 66 Co-op, which purchased the Painted Desert Trading Post a few weeks … Continue reading Painted Desert Trading Post, John’s Modern Cabins get some TLC

Donations sought for possible cost-share preservation grants

Roamin' Rich Dinkela this week launched a campaign to raise matching donation dollars for possible cost-share grants from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program to help rehabilitate or stabilize the Painted Desert Trading Post in Arizona and the Gasconade River Bridge in Missouri, plus also offering money or elbow grease to preserve what's left of … Continue reading Donations sought for possible cost-share preservation grants

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

DVD review: “The Missouri Maze”

Unoccupied Route 66 continues its mix of history and atmospheric images of forlorn Route 66 sites in its latest documentary, "The Missouri Maze." The 26-minute film ($14.95 list, shipping included), directed by KC Keefer and hosted by Nick Gerlich, tells about a mid-Missouri area where Route 66 ended up realigned, realigned again, then abandoned by Interstate 44. Here's … Continue reading DVD review: “The Missouri Maze”

Trailer for “The Missouri Maze” film released

Filmmaker KC Keefer and host Nick Gerlich of Unoccupied Route 66 recently released this trailer for "The Missouri Maze," an area of the Show Me State where Route 66 was rerouted several times. The ruins of John's Modern Cabins near Newburg, Missouri, play a prominent role, although other landmarks of the region also appear. https://youtu.be/E_91r4gqDe0 "The Missouri … Continue reading Trailer for “The Missouri Maze” film released

A look at Route 66 in 1985

This 1-hour, 42-minute documentary film from 1985, "Route 66," has been making the rounds on the Internet since it was uploaded it on YouTube a few days ago and Route 66 yahoogroup creator Greg Laxton posted it on Facebook. Roadies praise it because it provides the Mother Road's most comprehensive look just before U.S. 66 was … Continue reading A look at Route 66 in 1985

Film footage of two Route 66 landmarks during the 1980s

The Facebook page of the Dutch Route 66 Association recently uncovered some footage from the 1980s of two Route 66 landmarks. One is John's Modern Cabins, which had been abandoned for about 15 years and was already declining when the footage was shot. It was located east of Arlington, Missouri. https://youtu.be/bMJjW8HdfaQ We'd managed to uncover … Continue reading Film footage of two Route 66 landmarks during the 1980s