Barney’s Beanery marks 90th year October 21, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in History, Restaurants.1 comment so far
Barney’s Beanery, a West Hollywood restaurant based on Route 66, is marking its 9oth anniversary this month. And the Los Angeles Times today has one of the most attention-getting lead paragraphs I’ve read:
It’s a story so revolting and so legendary that it has achieved near mythical status. One night in the 1960s, during a particularly heavy bout of drinking, Jim Morrison stood up and urinated on the long wooden bar at Barney’s Beanery in West Hollywood. Rock god status and titillating snug leather pants or not, Morrison was booted from the famous restaurant and bar.
“Of course, this being Barney’s, they wiped it off and put a plaque there,” jokes Jim Ladd, the KLOS-FM DJ known for spinning raw, classic rock sans formulaic playlists for nearly 40 years. He adds, “Probably every rocker that has ever come through L.A. has gone to Barney’s.”
Other celebrities — including Clark Gable, Rita Hayworth, Jimmy Page, Janis Joplin and Jack Nicholson — have gathered at Barney’s (and presumably been better-behaved).
Barney’s, founded by John “Barney” Anthony, actually started in Berkeley, Calif., but moved to Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood in 1927 — the year after U.S. Highway 66 was officially commissioned.
Anthony was known for giving a meal of beans to destitute travelers during the Great Depression in exchange for license plates. Those plates now decorate the bar.
Barney’s has opened four other such restaurants around the region, and plans another in downtown L.A. But the owner says he’ll stop it there — he doesn’t want the dilute the coolness factor of the original restaurant, which is still going strong.
The whole story is worth reading, which includes the bad (the restaurant excluded homosexuals for decades) and the good (the effort to keep Barney’s atmosphere and food as roadhouse-authentic as possible).
(Hat tip: Kevin Hansel)
Centennial farm on the Mother Road October 21, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Preservation.add a comment
The Journal-News in Hillsboro, Ill., posted a fascinating story about the Manske-Niemann farm, which sits on Route 66 south of Litchfield, Ill., and dates back more than 150 years.
The farm is listed as a Illinois Department of Agriculture Centennial Farm, was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003, and has been listed on Landmarks Illinois’ 10 most endangered sites twice.
Day-to-day upkeep is no small task. There are 25 structures on the farm, most built in the 1800s. [...]
The centerpiece to the farmstead is the impressive white, two-story brick 1850 Italianate residence that squarely greets those who travel up the lane.
On the south side of the house is the original iron fence.
“I still have receipts and papers on it,” Miss Niemann said.
Members of the historical society marveled at the excellent condition of the century and a half old structures, many painted red with white slats and most sitting on elevated blocks or pilings.
The caretaker is Ophelia Niemann, who manages to do most of the maintenance herself. Make sure you read the whole thing; it’s like the whole farm dropped into the 21st century via time warp.
A slide show of the farm can be seen here.
“Cars 2″ teaser trailer released October 20, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Movies.1 comment so far
Disney-Pixar released a 30-second teaser trailer to “Cars 2″ on Wednesday night. Here it is, starring Mater and Lightning McQueen:
It’s the sequel to “Cars,” which came out in 2006. Much of the first film took place in the fictional Route 66 town of Radiator Springs, and set off a wave of new travelers to the Mother Road. And those travelers found quite a few places and people that resembled what they saw in the movie.
“Cars 2″ is slated for a summer 2011 release.
“Cars 2″ doesn’t seem to take place much on Route 66. Instead, it’s being described as a comedy-spy caper in Europe and other far-flung nations. Even if “Cars 2″ doesn’t take place on Route 66 at all (which I doubt), it will rekindle interest in the first “Cars” movie and bring another wave of travelers to the Mother Road.
The “Cars 2″ official website is here. A gallery of conceptual images from the film also is at the site.
Pier will host Route 66 birthday event October 20, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Events.2 comments
The Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, Calif., is hosting a Route 66 celebration on Nov. 11 — the 84th anniversary of when U.S. Highway 66 was officially commissioned.
66 to Cali owner Dan Rice is leading the charge for the birthday party. Below is a tentative schedule for the day’s events. All of the events take place on the Santa Monica Pier, which has become a traditional endpoint for westbound Route 66 travelers:
- 8:30 to 9 a.m. - Veterans Day recognition ceremony
- 9 to 9:30 a.m. - Classic car caravan arrives (140 vintage automobiles are scheduled)
- 9:30 to 10 a.m. – Civic leaders speeches and state resolution proclaming Nov. 11 as Route 66 Day
- 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Authors and artists event
- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Car show begins
- 11:11 a.m. – Gumpathon runners finish transcontinental run across the USA
- 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Interview of Gumpathon finishers
- 1 to 3 p.m. – Route 66 “Legends” Series begins (onstage interviews with various Route 66 icons)
- 3 to 4 p.m. – Route 66 car show awards onstage
- 4 p.m. – Route 66 birthday event concludes
Rice may make other announcements later about the event. Stay tuned.
Wayside exhibits soon will be installed in Pontiac October 20, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, History.1 comment so far
The city of Pontiac, Ill., has received five Route 66 Heritage Trail wayside exhibits for several sites around the city, according to a news release from Pontiac Tourism.
The Route 66 Heritage Trail exhibits are a project of the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway Commission.
The new Pontiac wayside exhibits are made of stainless steel and feature background stories about five of Pontiac’s Route 66 heritage sites:
- Route 4 Bridge and Ideal Tourist Camp and Garage (near Route 4 Bridge)
- Old Log Cabin Restaurant (Old Route 66, north of Pontiac)
- Ladd School Pedestrian Underpass (500 N. Ladd St. near Baptist Church)
- Original Illinois State Police District 6 headquarters (720 Lincoln Ave.)
- 1942 Illinois State Police District 6 headquarters (Old Route 66, south of Pontiac)
“These outdoor interpretative panels will tell the stories of their Route 66 locales to our many American and international visitors,” said Bill Kelly, executive director of the Illinois Route 66 Heritage Project.
After installation, the exhibits will be easily accessible and available for travelers 24 hours a day. The wayside exhibit project started last year.
(Photo courtesy of Pontiac Tourism)
30-day break for the billboard October 20, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Signs.1 comment so far
It appears Zoom Media, which seeks to erect a billboard near the Round Barn on Route 66 in Arcadia, Okla., will stop work on the billboard for 30 days while it and the Arcadia Historical Society seek a compromise, according to the Edmond Sun.
The society and many townsfolk say the billboard blocks the view of the historical structure. It has not been confirmed by the society’s attorney whether the billboard conforms to town codes, although Zoom Media insists it does.
The compromise that was proposed during an Arcadia Town Council meeting on Tuesday night comes with five options:
- Zoom Media will give the historical society $10,000 or the entire income generated by the billboard in its first year, whichever is greater. Potential income is $21,600.
- The historical society pays $12,000 to help relocate the billboard somewhere between the eastern edge of Arcadia and Interstate 35 near Edmond. Zoom Media would then donate the property where the billboard stands to the society.
- The historical society pays $12,000 to help relocate the billboard on Zoom Media land in Edmond, and also donate the Arcadia land back to the society.
- The society buy the billboard at cost — about $57,000 — and Zoom Media would donate $10,000 to remove and dispose of the billboard within 30 days.
- Zoom Media would donate two of the billboard’s four advertising spaces to the society.
Quite a few folks spoke at the meeting in support of the barn and against the billboard. That included the son of Luke Robinson, who led the restoration effort to restore the Round Barn after its roof collapsed in 1988. The 1898 barn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
When the skeleton of the billboard went up last week, there was such an outcry against it that work on finishing the billboard was halted.
Art tour on the Mother Road October 20, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Art, Events, People, Road trips.add a comment
The “Art On and Off the Mother Road” event on Nov. 12-14 features artists on or near Route 66 in central Oklahoma, including two who have been Route 66 66 advocates for years.
Shellee Graham, who lives near Arcadia, will show her collage prints using PhotoShop images, including her Big Money series. You’ll probably also be able to see her “A Slice of Route 66 in 1926″ art print, shown below:
Graham also has written several books, including one about the famed Coral Court Motel in St. Louis.
Jerry McClanahan’s art gallery in Chandler is included on the tour. McClanahan has gained a lot of attention for his paintings of vintage cars next to current or defunct Route 66 landmarks. This scene below in Sayre, Okla., shows his style:
McClanahan also wrote the “EZ66 Guide to Travelers” a guidebook to those wanting to drive the length of the Mother Road.
For more about the art tour, go here.
(Images courtesy of Shellee Graham and Jerry McClanahan)
Moving day October 19, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Businesses, Preservation, Signs.2 comments
Here’s a video from The Oklahoman of the 66 Bowl neon sign being dismantled and taken away last week.
It’s a final chapter of the historic 66 Bowl, which was recently sold to the Spices of India grocery store.
The bowling alley’s content’s were auctioned shortly after that, with the JYD team buying the sign for $3,900. JYD plans to refurbish the sign.
UPDATE: Here’s a good profile of the team that bought the sign.
Kingman may convert rail depot into museum October 19, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in History, Museums, Preservation, Railroad.add a comment
The under-renovation railroad depot in Kingman, Ariz., may be converted into a local railroad museum, according to the Kingman Daily Miner today.
The Kingman City Council today will consider authorizing the city to enter into a formal agreement with the Mohave County Historical Society to fund the development and operation of a railroad museum at the train depot. If approved it would be the third such agreement the city has entered into with the historical society – the city already pays $10,000 a year out of its Tourism Development Commission budget for the upkeep and operation of the historic Bonelli House, and another $50,000 from the Powerhouse fund to maintain the Route 66 Museum there.
The depot was built in 1907, and renovations are scheduled to be complete in November. And, as you may have surmised, it was a Harvey House.
The depot is at Fourth Street and Andy Devine Avenue (aka Route 66). Map is here.
A word from our sponsor October 18, 2010
Posted by Ron Warnick in Motels, Restaurants, Television.add a comment
The Schlotzsky’s Route 66 promotion ended a few weeks ago, but it looks like the restaurant chain has a new one.
This is the first time I’ve seen this commercial. And it’s pretty cool. The big prize is a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro.
I spotted the Desert Hills Motel in Tulsa, featured rather prominently in the background.