Novel takes place on Route 66 May 20, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Books, Road trips.add a comment
Jane Sutton wrote a book, “The Ride,” part of which takes place on the Mother Road.
Hot Indie News has this description:
Barbie Anderson approached that fateful Thursday much as she had the other 8,395 days of her marriage. However, on that morning, one phone call begins a sequence of events that turns her mundane existence into chaos. She struggles to come to terms with the disclosure of shocking family secrets while trying to save her loveless marriage.
Her attempts to return to normalcy are hindered by a sizeable inheritance, her self-esteem issues, an estranged daughter, and a self-centered husband. When a handsome stranger enters the fray, Barbie finds herself embarking on the ride of her life down Route 66 and on the road to self discovery.
In The Ride, author Jane Sutton has created a character that forces emotion from you as you laugh, cry, feel empathy, and anger as Barbie searches for her identity and discovers that life is one fantastic ride.
A free sample of the book can be read here. The book can be purchased from ArcheBooks Publishing here, or from Amazon here.
Details released about Oklahoma Pop museum May 19, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Art, Books, History, Movies, Museums, Music, Television, Theaters.add a comment
A news conference on Tuesday revealed all of the details about a proposed Oklahoma Pop museum in Tulsa, devoted to the history of the state’s music and its popular culture. You can read more about it here.
It was mentioned a few days ago that Route 66 would be part of the museum. Bob Blackburn, executive director of the Oklahoma Historical Society, made it clear that the Mother Road wouldn’t be a huge focal point, but that the highway will be prominently mentioned as playing a role in Oklahoma’s culture — from Tulsan Cyrus Avery making sure the fledgling road passed through the Sooner State, to songs about Route 66, to Michael Wallis‘ best-selling book “Route 66: The Mother Road” to the Disney-Pixar movie “Cars.”
A few more notes from the news conference:
– The Oklahoma Pop museum will be in the Brady District, which is north of downtown Tulsa. Blackburn said three sites are being considered.
– Organizers envision a building containing 45,000 square feet, including 16,000 for exhibit space. The rest will be devoted to a cafe, gift shop, special events and programming, offices and the like. Blackburn said the museum’s design would change if needed.
– Included in the initial design is a 50-by-80-foot facade that’s can show LED video presentations.
– Placing the museum in Tulsa makes sense, as the city has long been considered as the cultural center of Oklahoma. Local musicians such as Leon Russell, Bob Wills, J.J. Cale, Garth Brooks, Ronnie Dunn, the GAP Band, and Hanson make that apparent.
– The museum will not only be devoted to music, but other popular culture such as film, literature, theater, radio and television.
– The museum is estimated to cost $33 million. Blackburn is seeing $25 million via a state bond issue and $8 million in private money. The George Kaiser Family Foundation already pledged $1 million on Tuesday.
– Blackburn acknowledges that getting $25 million from the state during a recession will be a challenge. However, the Historical Society raised $50 million from the state in the late 1990s to establish the Oklahoma Historical Museum in Oklahoma City. He said “we need to get momentum” when the economy recovers and that supporters need to prepare to lobby for the project in the next legislative session.
– The Oklahoma Pop museum projects an opening date of summer 2013.
(Artists’ renderings courtesy of the Oklahoma Historical Society)
Airport Motel being cited by city May 19, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Motels.1 comment so far
Kip Welborn, a roadie who lives in St. Louis, reports that the nearby City of Hazelwood has been citing the historic Airport Motel for allowing semi-tractor trailers to park on its lot.
The Airport Inn is located just off Lindbergh Boulevard, aka Route 66, near Interstate 270.
Welborn wrote about the citations against the motel:
The owners face a hefty fine, and the fear is that the City is using this Ordinance to force the place out of business. We know the attorneys who are representing the owners (they have owned the business since 1972) and they are looking for information connecting the Motel with truck and other travel, during Route 66′s tenure and thereafter. Any information regarding the hotel prior to 1972 would be appreciated. Its location denotes that it would be ideal for 66 traffic–truckers and otherwise, and I don’t know how many options 66er’s had before they got to the Motel … any inspiration anyone has as to the motel would be appreciated, as the significance of the place on Route 66 may be a factor.
According to the late Skip Curtis’ 1994 book, “The Missouri Route 66 Tour Book”:
Built by the Holtzman family, after the new Bypass 66 was built (1936), this motel, with four rooms in the front, two in the rear and four in another building in the back, has been in continuous operation since. A 1946 AAA directory rated the motel as “very nice.”
This situation bears watching. If anyone has any other useful history about the motel, contact Welborn at rudkip(at)sbcglobal(dot)net
(Photos courtesy of Kip Welborn)
More on the Palms Grill reopening May 19, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Preservation, Restaurants.add a comment
The Bloomington (Ill.) Pantagraph has more about the reopening of the long-closed, historic Palms Grill on Route 66 in Atlanta, Ill.
Palm trees were first placed in the cafe by Atlanta resident Robert Adams, who opened the eatery in August 1934. Adams was inspired by palms he saw in California.
Customers also get a taste of yesteryear from menu offerings that include fried bologna and grilled Spam sandwiches. There’s also more typical offerings such as roast beef, turkey, hamburgers and hot dogs. Most lunches are $5 to $7.
Homemade pies, including peach, blueberry, banana cream and coconut cream, are popular, Thomas said. Another favorite is the blue plate special, consisting of meat and two or three side dishes on a divided blue plate.
Hours for the business are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The Palms opened in April, but its grand reopening celebration is Friday evening.
This is winding up to be a very good month for Route 66. The Meadow Gold sign in Tulsa is set to be relit on Friday, and the Rock Cafe will reopen the same day.
Students take a closer look at Route 66 May 19, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Businesses, Publications, Restaurants.add a comment
The Prairie, a student-run newspaper at West Texas A&M University, has published a special issue that takes a closer look at historic Route 66, particularly in the Amarillo area.
There’s an overview of the road’s history and a closer look at a number of businesses, including the Texas Ivy antique store, the Golden Light Cafe, the Natatorium Ballroom, Alley Katz antiques and the legendary Big Texan Steak Ranch.
An index of all the newspaper’s Route 66 stories can be seen here.
A Marine visits Amboy May 19, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in People, Road trips.add a comment
Lance Cpl. Aaron Kristopik recently traveled down Route 66 in Southern California and visited the ghost town of Amboy, according to a story on the U.S. Marine Corps Web site.
Kristopik, hailing from Connecticut, checked out Roy’s, Amboy Crater and the nearby Salt Evaporation Plant. He also did some reflecting:
Kristopik said the trip helped him answer a lot of questions about himself, and also about the desert. He said he is going to take some time to recover and try to become a Marine Security Guard to see more of the world, not just Southern California.
“I’ve learned from all of this that life is what you make of it,” he said. “I’ve made use of my time at the Combat Center. Now, I want to branch out, get a feel for the rest of the Marine Corps and the world.”
Stimulus money awarded for Route 66 welcome center May 18, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Gas stations, Museums.add a comment
Money from the recently passed federal stimulus package will be used to partly fund the establishment of a Route 66 welcome center in Webb City, Mo., reports the Joplin Globe.
The Route 66 Welcome Center in Webb City is to be developed in an old gasoline service station at Webb Street and Broadway. The project received $25,828 of the $47,000 that was requested.
Wendy Brunner-Lewis, spokeswoman for MoDOT’s regional office in Joplin, said the projects will proceed through the normal federal-aid procedure, including environmental and cultural reviews, but at an accelerated pace. The projects also must complete the design procedure.
“We expect most projects will begin construction at some point after the first of the year,” she said.
That’s right in the downtown area of Webb City, and I believe the site is an old Goodyear tire shop.
UPDATE: The Carthage (Mo.) Press has a few more details about the Webb City welcome center’s location:
Chuck Surface, economic development director for Webb City, said the welcome center is being built in a former gas station one block west of Main Street on Broadway Street on a jog in the original Route 66.
“It’s a place where Route 66 jagged one way, then immediately turned back the other way,” Surface said. “It’s an old gas station that the city acquired and with the help of the DNR we removed the old gas tanks, there were six of them, and cleaned up the residual pollution.”
Rock Cafe update May 18, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Events, Restaurants, Television.1 comment so far
I guess the rebuilding of the Rock Cafe in Stroud, Okla., was going too smoothly to last.
The reconstruction of the historic Route 66 restaurant after a fire a year ago has encountered a few snags in recent days, including the previously mentioned problems with a vent hood that should be rectified by midweek and the unexpected death of an electrician.
However, owner Dawn Welch expects the Rock Cafe to be fully operational by June 1.
The Rock Cafe will have its first day of business on Friday, May 22, as previously announced. KTUL-TV’s “Good Day Tulsa” will carry a live feed from the restaurant at 8:15 a.m. that day. Welch and other employees will provide tours, and a slide show of the restaurant’s rebuilding will be shown.
However, the menu will be very limited until June 1 or so. Hours will be from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. through the relatively short transition phase. Beignets and coffee will be served for breakfast, and hot dogs and sweet tea and perhaps another dish during the lunch and afternoon hours.
After June 1, the Rock Cafe should revert to its usual 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. hours and a full line of dishes.
Cajon Pass interchange project includes reopening Route 66 May 18, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Highways.add a comment
The Inland Press-Enterprise reports that the California Department of Transportation wants to rebuild the bottlenecked interchange of Interstates 15 and 215 in Cajon Pass, and that the plan includes bringing back a portion of Route 66 there.
All plans for the new interchange include connecting Cajon Boulevard from Kenwood Avenue to Glen Helen Parkway. By doing so, it also puts an old stretch of Route 66 back in action.
“Right now you couldn’t ride a dirt bike down it,” said Conkle, chairman of the Route 66 Alliance, which supports and markets the historic highway.
If Cajon connects, Conkle said it will be a celebration for Route 66 fans, and the only recent occurrence where the highway is getting a second chance.
“This is bringing back rather than tearing up,” Conkle said.
Conkle elaborated on this plan in a separate e-mail:
The key for us is that no matter which proposal is accepted all three include re-connecting Route 66. So the importance for us that once that happens you can travel the old road from the Cajon Pass all the way thru Los Angeles and on to Santa Monica.
Also this will be the first time that an old section that has been closed and/or demolished will be returned to almost its original state and alignment. Or as one of the Caltrans engineers said “a new old road”.
Plans are to sign and mark this new OLD section in ways that will inform travelers of the historic significance of this stretch of road.
It makes a lot of sense to do this, and not just for tourism reasons. In case there’s a big wreck on the interstates, old Route 66 will provide an alternate route to get around the mess. So, it’s good news all around.
“GMA Weekend” keeps going west May 18, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Road trips, Television.add a comment
Here are two co-hosts of ABC’s “Good Morning America Weekend” driving a 1959 Corvette west of Albuquerque on Route 66.
The second half of the segment can be viewed online here.