Holbrook to mull opposition to bypass December 2, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Businesses, Highways, Towns.add a comment
I suspected that a proposed highway bypass in the Route 66 town of Holbrook, Ariz., would eventually encounter some opposition.
It looks like the opposition is happening. According to the Tribune-News, the Holbrook City Council is considering a resolution to oppose a plan to route traffic from Highways 77 and 377 away from Holbrook and onto Interstate 40.
The resolution presented by staff to the council stated opposition to any bypass of Holbrook by the Arizona Department of Transportation. It also stated that the city opposes the construction of any new highways in or around the city that have the stated purpose of bypassing Holbrook. The reasons cited in the resolution were that the cost of building a new controlled-access highway would be enormous, requiring the acquisition of thousands of acres of new rights of way, and the high cost of concrete and asphalt, putting a tremendous burden on taxpayers and future highway users.
In addition, the resolution stated that a new controlled access highway bypass would divert vehicles away from existing businesses that are dependent upon commerce generated from traffic on existing highways.
The council will consider amending or voting on the resolution after gathering more information from public hearing scheduled for mid-December about the bypass.
But considering that Holbrook saw its businesses languish after Interstate 40 supplanted Route 66 decades ago, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the townsfolk aren’t going to accept a new, proposed bypass without some semblance of a fight.
UPDATE: Highway engineer Richard Moeur has some of the reports from the state about the proposed bypass.
A look back at Henry’s restaurant December 1, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in History, Restaurants.add a comment
David Allen of the Inland Valley (Calif.) Daily Bulletin takes a nostalgic look at the unique Henry’s restaurant on Route 66 in Pomona, Calif., which was demolished more than two decades ago.
More remarkably, the exterior – a large oval dome with broad windows and wooden trellises at the roof’s edges – is variously remembered as resembling an upside-down wooden boat or a spaceship.
The wildly unusual building on Route 66 defied description when it opened on Sept. 5, 1957, too.
“Unique and modernistic architecture” was the vaguely worded praise in the Pomona Progress-Bulletin.
The writer did make an attempt to describe the building, as follows: “The establishment is distinguished by its oval roof and glass panels. When it is lighted from within at night the effect is that of a huge inverted glass bowl.”
A wooden boat atop a glass bowl. What’s not to love?
The restaurant originally was part of the Oklahoma-based Chicken in the Rough chain, which started in 1936 and once had nearly 250 restaurants across the nation. Like the lone survivor of the Ku-Ku chain that’s now beloved by Route 66ers, it’s not wise to always criticize chain restaurants.
The only photos I’ve found of Henry’s are here.
The issues of the Route 66 State Park Bridge December 1, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Bridges, Preservation, Television.add a comment
Longtime roadie Joe Sonderman appeared on KTVI-TV in St. Louis to discuss his opposition to the state’s planned demolition of the Route 66 Bridge at Route 66 State Park near Eureka, Mo.
I think Sonderman did a good job outlining why it may be a bad idea to knock down the bridge. But given the dangers the dilapidated bridge poses, it’s understandable why MoDOT is anxious to act for safety reasons.
See the video yourself for an overview of the issues involved.
Harley & Annabelle documentary released on DVD December 1, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Movies, Music, People.add a comment
Two years ago, Joe Summars of Fluxfaze Creative Enterprises began shooting a documentary about Harley and Annabelle Russell, aka the inimitable Mediocre Music Makers, at their Sandhills Curiosity Shop just off Route 66 in Erick, Okla.
It appears the film is finished. Summars started selling the “Harley & Annabelle — Living Legends in Erick, Oklahoma” on DVD for $19.95 at filmbaby.com a few days ago.
The movie clocks in at 1 hour, 18 minutes and is rated G. The DVD includes outtakes and music videos.
Here’s the summary of the film:
In their own words: “We wanna welcome you to the ‘World Class, World Famous Sandhills Curiosity Shop’ right here in Erick, Oklahoma, ‘The Redneck Capitol of the World’, would you believe where you can see ‘Rednecks Work And Play in Their Own Environment’! It’s ‘Insanity At Its Finest’! YEE HAW!”
After struggling together for 13 years to start up several conventional retail businesses in a tiny, nondescript , economically depressed farm/ranch/oilpatch community long since bypassed by the interstate highway system in southwestern Oklahoma, Harley and Annabelle Russell finally hit upon a completely crazy but wholly rewarding way to earn an honest (if totally unconventional) living from nothing but the kindhearted generosity of others.
This imaginative and creative mom and pop team harnessed, combined, and developed their formidable array of artistic skills and talents to neatly and effectively fill an unexpected but rapidly emerging niche in the American tourism industry. Travelers from around the world seek them out by all means of transportation including wheelchair, on foot, by bicycle, motorcycle, bus, classic automobile, ship and aircraft for a unique experience of exquisitely zany, totally off-the-wall redneck hospitality and mirth.
A trailer for the film can be seen at the link. This video also provides a fairly accurate taste of what the Harley & Annabelle Experience is like: