Swingin’ west January 6, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Music.add a comment
Here’s the Texas Trailhands, based out of Fort Worth, doing a Western swing version of Bobby Troup’s “Route 66.”
International hit January 6, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Road trips.1 comment so far
Drawing on the Daily Oklahoman’s story a few days ago, the Christian Science Monitor further examines Route 66′s increasing appeal to foreign travelers.
“Race to the Rocker” footrace set for April January 5, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Businesses, Events, Sports.1 comment so far
A four-mile “Race to the Rocker” footrace is scheduled on Route 66 in and west of Cuba, Mo., at 9 a.m. April 4.
The inaugural race starts at Britton Funeral Home in Cuba and ends at Fanning 66 Outpost General Store, home of the proclaimed World’s Largest Rocker.
The race is sponsored by the store and JOG Inc., or Joggers of God. It will raise money to buy equipment for a new high school track in Cuba.
A T-shirt design for participants will feature the store’s big rocker, which also will mark its first anniversary that week.
To register for the race, go here. Information also is available at JOG Inc.’s site here.
Culver’s is building a Route 66-themed restaurant January 5, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Restaurants.4 comments
Route 66 News doesn’t give a lot of ink to chain restaurants, when plenty of great mom-and-pop eateries on the Mother Road are available.
However, we’re giving credit where credit is due. Culver’s, a Wisconsin-based chain famous for its “butterburgers” and frozen custard, is building its first restaurant in Webb City, Mo. And here’s Culver’s excellent move, according to the Joplin Globe:
This will be the first Culver’s in the chain with the a Route 66 theme. There are over 400 Culver’s sites nationally.
A special logo, resembling a fancy hood ornament, has been created for the event. The ornament says: “Culver’s Route 66, Webb City, Mo. — America’s First.’’
The Culver’s in Webb City is set to open in March.
Co-founder of Boots Motel dies January 5, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Motels, People.1 comment so far
Ilda Boots, co-founder of the Boots Motel on historic Route 66 in Carthage, Mo., died Friday at age 102 at a nursing home in Glenpool, Okla., reports the Carthage Press.
The Bootses also founded the Boots Drive-In restaurant across the road, which is defunct.
According to the newspaper, after talking to Ilda’s son Bob:
She was very much involved in the operation of the Boots Motel.
“In fact, she ran it during some of the World War II years when Dad was working down in Pryor, Okla.,” wrote Bob. “She had a friend named Zella clean the rooms, and she did the rest.”
Ilda and Arthur were divorced while Bob was still in the Air Force.
“Dad built Boots Drive-In, but my uncle and I bought him out after a few years and Mom worked for us for many years afterwords,” said Bob. “She looked after the gifts and souvenirs, reordering as needed, took cash and checked out the register and maybe the most important thing, greeted the customers with a smile. She was an integral part of Boots Drive-In for many years, even after I left and came to Tulsa.”
The Boots Motel was established at Garrison and Central in 1939. That was where Route 66 intersected with U.S. 71, and for many years was called the “Crossroads of America.”
Reputedly, movie star Clark Gable stayed at the Boots Motel overnight during a cross-country trip. The Boots closed a few years ago and is now owned by Vince Scott of Carthage. For now, the future of the motel is in limbo.
(Photo by Jim Ross)
Update on Bristow Motor Co. fire January 5, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Businesses, Preservation.1 comment so far
A month ago, a fire that started in the repair-shop area of Bolin Ford in Bristow, Okla., was believed to have destroyed the historic Bristow Motor Co. building that was part of the complex.
For reasons that are too boring to recount here, I wasn’t able to check the scene until Sunday. What I saw was not nearly as grave as I anticipated.
For certain, the fire destroyed the hangar-shaped maintenance building, as you can see here. Even part of the big Ford sign was discolored by the intense heat:
But the two architecturally distinctive parts of the building, including one on the corner that was built in 1923, appeared to have suffered minimal to no damage. I’m thinking that perhaps they were spared by a firewall:
For now-obvious reasons, I’m optimistic that much the Bristow Motor Co. building will be repaired with a minimum of fuss.
Wind power near Route 66 January 4, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Weather.add a comment
Construction of a wind turbine on a “gob nob” mining-waste hill near Farmersville, Ill., has been finished and will begin producing power this week, reports the Springfield Journal-Register.
Art’s Motel & Restaurant owner Barry Lambachia, who also can see the gob knob from his office, said he his hopeful the novelty of a wind turbine might draw additional traffic at the Route 66 landmark on the edge of Farmersville.
“It was a slow year (2008), but hopefully it will pick up. I think that’s a good idea (wind power). I would like to do that. I’m on Ameren, and it’s too expensive,” Lambachia said.
The single turbine was built by the Rural Electric Convenience Cooperative of Auburn and will power about 300 homes.
The hill in Farmersville, created by a pile of slag from a long-gone coal-mining operation, allows the turbine to take advantage of stronger, upper air currents. The cooperative has photos of the turbine’s construction process here.
Mining slag piles are sprinkled throughout the state. So dozens of towns could take advantage of these otherwise-marginal hills. In fact, I’ve heard that my hometown is doing just that.
A huge windfarm adjacent to Route 66 exists in Weatherford, Okla., and a park in town is dedicated to the alternative power. There also are windfarms just off the Mother Road in Wilderado, Texas, and San Jon, N.M.
Route 66 draws in foreign travelers January 4, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Highways, Road trips.1 comment so far
An article in the Daily Oklahoman reiterates what we’ve been saying for months — that Route 66 won’t be as adversely affected by the weak U.S. economy as other tourism segments because of a boom in foreign visitors.
“This year the overseas tourists are taking advantage of a weak U.S. dollar,” said Amanda Davis, Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau program director.”It’s a huge deal.”
Foreign tourists are fascinated by cowboys and American Indians and Oklahoma, she said.
Davis said a big draw to Oklahoma for Route 66 lovers is the 426 drivable miles of the highway. [...]
Davis said motorcycle tour groups spend between 30 and 45 days driving Route 66, including 15 nights in Oklahoma. Those groups spend money in every community in which they stop, she said.
“In Miami, we had 35 groups stop by last year, and that’s not counting the groups that stop real early in the morning or late in the afternoon,” Davis said.
Most groups’ average 40 riders and may spend as much as $8,000 during an overnight stay, she said.
The world is bringing itself to the Mother Road. It sells itself.
Atlanta’s Palms Grill should reopen by spring January 4, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Museums, Preservation, Restaurants, Towns.1 comment so far
The long-closed Palms Grill in downtown Atlanta, Ill., has been meticulously renovated its Route 66 glory days and should reopen by spring, reports the Peoria Journal-Star.
The storefront restaurant has been restored according to a depiction in a photograph taken during the era when Johnson worked there as part of a new museum project of the Atlanta Public Library.
It should be fully operational by spring. The restaurant portion of the building will be rented out and generate income to support the adjacent museum. [...]
The museum currently is located in the basement of the library, and relocation of the collection would allow for its expansion, as well as more breathing room for library operations. [...]
The first phase of construction, now complete, included restoration of the building’s facade, a new roof and restoration of the first-floor storefronts. The second phase, which was scheduled to be complete by the new year, included the addition of a second-story section to accommodate the museum’s exhibits and a climate-controlled space for its collections.
Other work in the second phase brought the cafe back to life in meticulously re-created detail – based in part on Johnson’s memories of the diner – and included restoration work on the neighboring bank and law office and handicapped-accessible restrooms on the first and second floors.
The article includes a photo of the front of the Palms Grill, circa 1940.
Atlanta deserves a lot of credit for fully embracing its Route 66 heritage in recent years.
A crash-landing near Route 66 January 3, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in History.add a comment
The Hillsboro (Ill.) Journal-News has the remarkable story of two Air Force bombers that crash-landed in a field near Route 66 near Litchfield, Ill., on Feb. 15, 1945. The story was related by Terry Birkenkamp and Marge (Birkenkamp) Allen, who saw it all as children at the time.
The bombers were supposed to be delivered from Battle Creek, Mich., to Scott Field in Belleville, Ill. But the pilots encountered heavy snow en route, and other airport landing options were closed because of the weather.
So the planes landed in a field near the Frank Birkenkamp farm. This is in the area of Ninth Street and Kruse Road, near the Kruse Auto Salvage business on old Route 66 now.
One of the bombers was damaged during the landing. Scott Field personnel sent a crew over to dismantle the planes and haul them off so repairs could be made later.
Terry recalls the dismantling crew offering his dad oil from the plane engines. His dad obtained around 20 gallons which he stored in eight gallon milk cans and used in his tractor for the next 15 to 20 years.
Terry also reported that two guards stayed at his family home over night while the planes were being dismantled and noted that each was wearing a 45 caliber gun.