Newest gas station face-lift in Tucumcari May 16, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Gas stations, Preservation, Railroad.7 comments
Here’s the latest abandoned gas station along Route 66 in Tucumcari, N.M., that received a new coat of decorative paint.
It’s the gas station at the Paradise Motel on the west end of town, given a Sinclair Oil decor. The repainting was finished over the weekend. Richard Talley, owner of the Motel Safari in town, said in an e-mail:
We’re also in the process of securing 2 or 3 new locations for the gas station project, which will allow us to easily reach our goal of at least 7 new gas stations total by the time winter comes around again.
Here are the other gas stations that have been repainted:
These projects are a way to dress up eyesores in town, and give it a nostalgic look as well. It’s a great way for many Route 66 towns to spruce up without a lot of money.
Also, Talley reports:
At some point we’ll include some photos of the Train Depot too, which is currently under complete renovation and scheduled to open in November this year. Some street-scaping with new antique period light poles has been completed over there, and the depot’s roof decking has just been replaced.
(Photos courtesy of Richard Talley)
Call your insurance man May 15, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Religion.add a comment
I’ve always joked that the straight man in this “Route 66: A Road Trip through the Bible” series needed combat pay.
In this case, it’s true.
State funding cuts to Claremore museums prove minor May 14, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Museums.add a comment
Funding cuts to two prominent museums in Claremore, Okla., were much less than originally anticipated, reported the Claremore Daily Progress.
Oklahoma lawmakers reached a budget agreement this week that included a 7 percent reduction in funding to the state tourism office. But the Will Rogers Memorial Museum and the J.M. Davis Arms Museum in Claremore each saw funding reductions of less than 1 percent.
Funding reductions of 33 percent for the Davis Museum and 20 percent for the Rogers museums originally were proposed. The newspaper credited Sen. Sean Burrage (D-Claremore) and Rep. Marty Quinn (R-Claremore) for keeping those funding cuts minimal.
Visitors come from across the nation, some following historic Route 66, to visit Claremore and its museums. A growing international trend has visitors from other nations landing in California or Chicago and renting cars to drive Route 66. Those visitors often stop, dine, and otherwise spend money in Oklahoma because of the history and museums in Claremore. That resource is an economic boost that Oklahoma needs to protect and nurture in the tight economy, say local leaders.
The connection between Oklahoma’s roadways, in particular Route 66 and tourism is also important, but ODOT official say they will move forward with critical maintenance and repairs of the state’s highway system.
At one point in February, a lawmaker proposed a bill that would have phased out state funding for those museums. The state was facing a $400 million budget shortfall, and the lawmaker advocated shifting the savings from that proposed phase-out to more important areas, such as schools and highways.
Hot wheels May 14, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Museums, Vehicles.add a comment
Here’s a good video shot from the inside of the Route 66 Auto Museum in Santa Rosa, N.M.
The museum’s truly terrific car collection is well worth your time. It’s also well-stocked with Route 66 souvenirs.
Midpoint Cafe placed on the market May 13, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Food, Gas stations, People, Restaurants.4 comments
Fran Houser has put her Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas, up for sale after a 20-year tenure in which she elevated it to a prime stop for travelers on Route 66.
Houser said in a phone interview Friday that the asking price is $195,000. Those interested should call her home phone at 806-538-6380.
The Midpoint, formerly known as Jesse’s Cafe, is touted as the halfway mark of Route 66 between Chicago and Santa Monica, and also gained nationwide notice for the restaurant’s small-town hospitality and its delicious “ugly crust pies.”
Houser also gained fame when she served as an inspiration to the Flo character in the original Disney-Pixar “Cars” movie in 2006.
Houser said she still enjoys meeting with Route 66 travelers. But she said she and longtime helper Joann Harwell have encountered some physical problems in recent years. Houser said a visit with her daughter in April convinced her to travel more and do other things “while I have time.”
Houser said she planned to open a western-wear store in an old gas station next to the Midpoint Cafe after the restaurant is sold. “I don’t want to lose contact with the Route 66 people,” she said.
As for the restaurant’s financial viability, she noted that customer numbers are looking great so far this tourist season, and that Midpoint already is being booked for tours for 2012.
Exhibit features old/new of Route 66 May 12, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Art, Events, Photographs.1 comment so far
A University of Tulsa photographer’s unique work featuring Route 66 landmarks past and present will be displayed from starting 6 to 10 p.m. Friday at Dreamer Concepts at 324 E. Main St. in Norman, Okla. The photos will be there until June 3.
Natalie Slater is a grad student at TU and is pursuing a master’s degree in fine arts and photography. A news release explains her exhibit at Dreamer:
Her collection of photographs, titled “The Mother Road: Revisited” consists of photographs taken in the 1950s combined with photographs from modern day Route 66. After pinpointing the exact location of the 1950s images and taking photographs of the present locations, Slater has then combined and manipulated the two images to create something that speaks to the changes brought by the last half century.
“The biggest hurdle is finding the exact location each 1950 photograph was taken,” Slater said. “After the location is realized and the new photograph has been made the real magic begins. This project is an effort to show what America has done to its once booming American symbol, ‘The Mother Road.’”
Here’s one of the photographs from the exhibit, juxtaposing an old image of Tulsa’s old Meadow Gold sign (which still exists) with a modern-day street and vehicles:
A magazine of these photographs can be purchased, or downloaded for free, here. It’s worth seeing, including a past-and-present image of Tulsa’s Warehouse Market building.
(Hat tip: Jennifer Day, Oklahoma Historical Society)
New “Cars 2″ trailer May 12, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Movies.add a comment
Disney-Pixar today released a new trailer for the upcoming animated feature “Cars 2.”
“Cars 2″ will be in theaters on June 24.