This isn't on Route 66, but still significant for lovers of historic highways. After all, we're talking about the granddaddy of the entire bunch. From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: While excavating for construction of a new bridge overpass near the Brownsville Drive-In, PennDOT workers discovered what turned out to be a 200-year-old portion of the original … Continue reading Portion of original National Road found
Month: October 2008
Election Day for Atlanta
Nov. 4 is the day that Americans will choose a new president. It's also the day in which the residents of Atlanta, Ill., are considering a property-tax hike to boost the operations of a new museum. From the Lincoln Courier: Residents in the Atlanta Public Library District will be asked to approve a tax levy … Continue reading Election Day for Atlanta
William Least Heat-Moon writes another road-trip book
Back in 1982, William Least Heat-Moon wrote one of the great books about the road, "Blue Highways: A Journey into America." The 13,000-mile itinerary of "Blue Highways" didn't follow Route 66. But the author's willingness to explore the nation's backroads and its people -- and his refusal to patronize the interstates and fast-food joints -- … Continue reading William Least Heat-Moon writes another road-trip book
So how much is the Illinois Route 66 plan going to cost?
The answer: no one knows. But the Chicago Sun-Times group attempts to fish for a few answers regarding an ambitious proposal to enhance the Route 66 experience in Illinois: ... Ambrose said they are continuing to seek state and federal funding. Most recently the group applied to receive a federal grant for $475,000 which would … Continue reading So how much is the Illinois Route 66 plan going to cost?
Running Phil update
The Hillsboro (Ill.) Journal-News ran into Phil Rosenstein, the man who's running across the country for the Mario Lemieux Foundation, as he trodded into central Illinois last week. Rosenstein made it into Chicago, the eastern end of Route 66, on Wednesday. But the journey doesn't end there. He hopes to run into Atlantic City, N.J., … Continue reading Running Phil update
A Route 66 tribute to St. Louis
St. Louis roadie Joe Sonderman has put together this video tribute to the Mother Road in the Gateway City. A lot of the images come from his postcard collection and the archives of the Missouri Department of Transportation. Most of these photos also can be found in his book, "Route 66 in St. Louis."
Preservation Conference tour heads into Kansas
The Joplin (Mo.) Globe ran into a group from the National Preservation Conference in Tulsa that was touring Oklahoma's eastern end of Route 66, plus the Mother Road in Kansas. Among the sights taken in were the Blue Whale of Catoosa, Okla.; Afton Station in Afton, Okla.; a stretch of the old 9-foot-wide highway, the … Continue reading Preservation Conference tour heads into Kansas
Velorex crew make it to Santa Monica
The Czech group that was driving three-wheeled Velorex vehicles on Route 66 rolled into Santa Monica on Wednesday, reports the New York Times' Wheels blog. The group, which had a host of Dutch and American sponsors, left from the Art Institute in Chicago on September 27 and arrived in California on Wednesday. Along the way, … Continue reading Velorex crew make it to Santa Monica
Preservationist wins Oprah leadership contest
Route 66 preservationist Anne Dodge, of Cambridge, Mass., was one of 80 women who won a contest to be named to the O White House Leadership Project by O, The Oprah Magazine. Dodge was selected for her work in developing "a program encouraging historic preservation and economic development along Route 66 by connecting motel owners … Continue reading Preservationist wins Oprah leadership contest
Notes from the Preservation Conference
I attended a couple of Route 66-related seminars and took a stroll in the exhibition hall on Wednesday during the National Preservation Conference at the Tulsa Convention Center in Tulsa. Here are a few news items that should be of interest to roadies: -- I ran into Albert Okura, owner of the Juan Pollo restaurants … Continue reading Notes from the Preservation Conference