Route 66 birthday party set for Monday in Springfield, Missouri

The city of Springfield, Missouri, will throw a free 92nd birthday party Monday afternoon for Route 66 from the downtown spot where the highway received its number in 1926. The party at 3:30 p.m. Monday at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Park Central East in downtown Springfield will mark the spot when a telegram … Continue reading Route 66 birthday party set for Monday in Springfield, Missouri

Several Route 66 cities receive brownfield grants

Several large Route 66 cities will receive brownfield grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency "to assess, clean up and redevelop underutilized properties while protecting public health and the environment." According to a news release from the agency, 144 cities will receive a total of $54.3 million. Here are the Route 66 communities that will receive … Continue reading Several Route 66 cities receive brownfield grants

Giant cashew among the proposals for downtown Springfield

A developer proposed building of a giant cashew near downtown Springfield, Missouri. It's not a joke. The Springfield News-Leader reported Mat Burton of the Vecino Group recently made the pitch for the art installation at Idea Commons, an area between downtown, which carried an early alignment of 66, and Chestnut Expressway. Missouri State University, the … Continue reading Giant cashew among the proposals for downtown Springfield

Route 66 figures prominently in Chinese-food documentary

At least two restaurants on Route 66 were featured in "The Search for General Tso," a 2014 documentary about the rise of Chinese cuisine in America. The Route 66 town of Springfield, Missouri, also figures prominently. A total of only 13 theaters screened the film upon its early 2015 release, so it barely made a … Continue reading Route 66 figures prominently in Chinese-food documentary

John T. Woodruff’s 150th birthday observed

People gathered in Springfield, Missouri, on Saturday night to mark the 150th birthday of John T. Woodruff -- one of the city's top early developers and a key figure in establishing U.S. Highway 66. The event occurred at the former Kentwood Arms Hotel, now a dormitory for Missouri State University, in downtown Springfield. More in … Continue reading John T. Woodruff’s 150th birthday observed

Route 66 projects included in Springfield capital-improvements plan

The city of Springfield, Missouri, will undertake more than 100 capital-improvement projects worth more than $80 million in fiscal year 2018, including a few Route 66 plans. The Springfield News-Leader reports the city council needs to approve the list next month, and the fiscal year begins in July. So it probably will be late summer … Continue reading Route 66 projects included in Springfield capital-improvements plan

C-SPAN to feature Springfield, Missouri, in January

Residents of Springfield, Missouri, last week welcomed a film crew from C-SPAN that will feature the city during the cable network's C-SPAN Cities Tour of several medium-sized cities. Among the segments the nonprofit cable network featured were about Wild West figure Wild Bill Hickok, the Trail of Tears, Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield of the Civil … Continue reading C-SPAN to feature Springfield, Missouri, in January

Route 66 a reason Trump picked Springfield for speech

U.S. President Donald Trump will give a speech today about tax reform in Springfield, Missouri, and one of the reasons he choose the Ozarks city was because of its historic link to Route 66. According to the Springfield News-Leader, a senior White House official mentioned Route 66 prominently during a conference call with reporters: "This is … Continue reading Route 66 a reason Trump picked Springfield for speech

Birthplace of Route 66 Festival attendance shatters records

Total attendance at the just-completed Birthplace of Route 66 Festival in Springfield, Missouri, not only broke a record, but shattered the old mark. The Springfield Business Journal reported total attendance over the past weekend was 53,000, which exceeded last year's record of 38,000 by an astonishing 40 percent. The newspaper reported: During the event celebrating … Continue reading Birthplace of Route 66 Festival attendance shatters records

New Route 66 exhibit opens in History Museum on the Square

History Museum on the Square in downtown Springfield, Missouri, on Monday opened its latest exhibit, "Memories of the Mother Road: Birthplace of Route 66." The show will run through the end of the year. Katy Rawlins, office manager for the museum, explained the show in an email: The exhibit focuses on the route through Springfield … Continue reading New Route 66 exhibit opens in History Museum on the Square