A compromise between state and local officials will preserve one mile of the fabled Ribbon Road of original Route 66 in northeast Oklahoma after the county voted recently to grind up the asphalt on the three-mile stretch. KSNF-TV in nearby Joplin, Missouri, reported that Miami Mayor Bless Parker, state Rep. Steve Bashore, Lt. Gov. and … Continue reading Compromise leaves 1 mile of endangered Ribbon Road in Oklahoma untouched
Tag: Miami OK
County decides to grind up Sidewalk Highway asphalt despite pleas from preservationists
Ottawa County, Oklahoma, has decided to grind up the original asphalt and make other significant alterations to the 9-foot-wide "Sidewalk Highway" of original Route 66 between Miami and Afton. The county recently took the action despite pleas from the Oklahoma Route 66 Association and other historic preservationists to keep the century-old "Ribbon Road" intact as … Continue reading County decides to grind up Sidewalk Highway asphalt despite pleas from preservationists
Restoration of West Winds Motel sign in Erick among Oklahoma Route 66 Commission grants
The restoration of the neon sign for the closed West Winds Motel in Erick, Oklahoma, is among the $6 million in grants recently awarded by the Oklahoma Route 66 Commission. A list of the funds given from the state's Route 66 Revitalization Grant Program was posted in a document on the commission's website. Several grant … Continue reading Restoration of West Winds Motel sign in Erick among Oklahoma Route 66 Commission grants
Several Oklahoma organizations with Route 66 ties awarded preservation grants
The Oklahoma Historical Society awarded 37 entities a total of $520,000 in grants this year, including several with Route 66 ties. We mentioned yesterday the Totum Pole Park near Foyil received a $20,000 grant to help restore its Fiddle House. Here are the rest of them that are relevant to Route 66: Friends of the … Continue reading Several Oklahoma organizations with Route 66 ties awarded preservation grants
Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission launches Kickstart 66 Tour on Thursday
The Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission is starting a Kickstart 66 Tour this week with the goal to spark development along the highway before its centennial in 2026. According to the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, staff from the Oklahoma Arts Council and Oklahoma Main Street Center will make a series of stops in communities along … Continue reading Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission launches Kickstart 66 Tour on Thursday
Oklahoma Route 66 Association wants plans altered for rehabbing Ribbon Road
The Oklahoma Route 66 Association is asking fans of Route 66 and Oklahoma history to lend their voice to an effort to preserve the Ribbon Road, a unique stretch of the famous highway in Ottawa County. “We agree that the road needs to be rehabilitated,” said Rhys Martin, president of the association. “With the centennial … Continue reading Oklahoma Route 66 Association wants plans altered for rehabbing Ribbon Road
Sidewalk Highway in Oklahoma undergoing historic review before rehabilitation work begins
A section of 9-foot-wide Sidewalk Highway, aka Ribbon Road, of Route 66 near Miami, Oklahoma, is undergoing a required Section 106 review before Ottawa County begins work to restore the century-old roadway. Section 106 is a review period required by the National Historic Preservation Act anytime work is imminent on or near historic properties. The … Continue reading Sidewalk Highway in Oklahoma undergoing historic review before rehabilitation work begins
Miami, Oklahoma, firefighters seek to restore 1949 firetruck
Firefighters in the Route 66 town of Miami, Oklahoma, are raising funds to restore their 1949 firetruck so it can be used for parades and other special events. The 75-year-old Seagrave firetruck undoubtedly was used many times over the decades in fires and accidents along Route 66 in the city. The city estimates it will … Continue reading Miami, Oklahoma, firefighters seek to restore 1949 firetruck
Coleman Theatre in Miami hosting a film festival this weekend
The historic Coleman Theatre in downtown Miami, Oklahoma, is playing host to Sunny Side Up Film Festival on Friday through Sunday after it was delayed for two years by the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizer Rock Whitehead talked to the Joplin Globe about the event: The festival is bringing to Northeast Oklahoma a diverse cast of filmmakers to show off … Continue reading Coleman Theatre in Miami hosting a film festival this weekend
Renovations of Route 66’s Sidewalk Highway in Oklahoma to begin in 2023
A long-awaited renovation of a 9-foot-wide, century-old section of Route 66 -- better known as the Sidewalk Highway -- in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, is slated to begin sometime in 2023. According to KSNF-TV, the project is in the planning stage: “What we got is a 1920 Federal Highway which is now a national trail, and … Continue reading Renovations of Route 66’s Sidewalk Highway in Oklahoma to begin in 2023