Southwest Missouri county will dedicate three historic sites

The Greene County Historic Sites Board on Saturday will dedicate three locations west of Springfield, Missouri, along Route 66 as historic sites, reported the Springfield News-Leader. One of the ceremonies will include a lightning ceremony for a restored neon sign at a former tourist cabin complex. The sites are: Barnes Town & Country, 8240 W. Highway 266, formerly … Continue reading Southwest Missouri county will dedicate three historic sites

Old gas station will be converted into a barbershop

A reputed former Sinclair gas station in Springfield, Missouri, soon will reopen as a barbershop and waxing studio later this fall, reported the News-Leader newspaper. The station is just a few hundred feet south of the College Street alignment of Route 66. Dacy and Ryan Mulcahy agreed to buy the station at 640 W. Walnut … Continue reading Old gas station will be converted into a barbershop

Springfield erects new welcome sign, Red’s Giant Hamburg replica

On Friday, right when the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival was kicking off, the city of Springfield, Missouri, showed off its new Route 66-themed welcome sign and a replica of the long-gone Red's Giant Hamburg restaurant sign at the newly christened Route 66 Roadside Park. The Springfield News-Leader had some details about the park: Plans … Continue reading Springfield erects new welcome sign, Red’s Giant Hamburg replica

Did Springfield, Missouri, miss the boat in promoting Route 66?

A few days ago, the Springfield News-Leader published a long, soul-searching piece titled "Selling 66" that asks the question: Has Springfield, Missouri, done a good job promoting Route 66? If you have to ask, you know the answer. Springfield has realized its error and is trying new things to bring tourists, including the future Birthplace of … Continue reading Did Springfield, Missouri, miss the boat in promoting Route 66?

Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program announces 2014 grants

The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program on Thursday announced five cost-share grants totaling $77,000 for 2014, including one for an endangered bridge in Oklahoma. Here are the recipients: Rock Creek Bridge, Sapulpa, Oklahoma ($5,013 National Park Service grant, $5,013 match by recipient)– The bridge carried traffic on Route 66 from 1926 until 1952. The bridge, on the … Continue reading Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program announces 2014 grants

Springfield tunnel once was part of a brewery

Last week, workers clearing land for the future site of a Route 66-themed park on College Street in Springfield, Missouri, found a series of underground rooms that probably were at least a century old. This week, media outlets -- including the Springfield News-Leader -- found the tunnel once was part of the Springfield Brewing Co. … Continue reading Springfield tunnel once was part of a brewery

Ground broken on Birthplace of Route 66 Park

Officials in Springfield, Missouri, held a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday for the Birthplace of Route 66 Park as part of the College Street revitalization project. This report by KOLR-TV contains some vintage footage of Route 66 in Springfield: Officials hope to get the first stage of the park completed by the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival … Continue reading Ground broken on Birthplace of Route 66 Park

Groundbreaking on Route 66 park in Springfield is tomorrow

A groundbreaking ceremony for the Route 66 roadside park in Springfield, Missouri, is set for 10 a.m. Tuesday, reported KSPR-TV in Springfield. The park will be on West College Street, between Fort and Broadway. The park, which celebrates the city's role as "the birthplace of Route 66," or where the region's road officials accepted the … Continue reading Groundbreaking on Route 66 park in Springfield is tomorrow

Brand USA now focusing on Route 66 tourism in Missouri

A recent article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch confirms what we'd suspected -- that Brand USA next would be concentrating on promoting Route 66 in Missouri. We'd noted a few weeks ago that Brand USA, aka DiscoverAmerica.com, had posted high-quality YouTube videos promoting parts of Route 66 in Illinois for potential British, Japanese and German … Continue reading Brand USA now focusing on Route 66 tourism in Missouri

Fundraising goal reached for Route 66 roadside park

A Route 66-themed roadside park planned in Springfield, Mo., has more than reached its $15,000 fundraising goal with two days remaining, reported KOLR-TV in Springfield. Springfield-based CrowdIt.com, a crowd-funding online service, helped spur the campaign. Here's the station's report: The campaign included this very cool promotional video: Because the campaign raised extra money with two … Continue reading Fundraising goal reached for Route 66 roadside park