“Oklahoma Hills” June 23, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Music.add a comment
A lot of star power on this recording — Bruce Springsteen, Arlo Guthrie, and Joe Ely performing this song for a Woody Guthrie benefit.
Bank buys back Boots Motel … for now June 22, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Motels, Preservation.add a comment
Ron Hart of the Route 66 Chamber of Commerce emailed this report on the foreclosure auction today of the historic Boots Motel of Carthage, Mo.
The Historic Boots Motel was auctioned on the Carthage Courthouse steps at 2 pm. This afternoon, and the new owner is the lien holder, the Carthage Hometown Bank, which placed the only bid of $101,000. Members of the local media, the realtor Jim Hunter, Ron Hart of the Route 66 Chamber of Comerce and members of the Carthage Committee that pledges continued efforts to find a buyer.
It appears that the bank will keep the Boots Motel listed with the realtor in hopers of a buyer being found soon, and it also appears that the first offer of $150,000 might secure the property. The land alone is worth $100,000 at current valuation, so getting the Motel structures for an extra 50 grand is really a good deal.
The big concern now is that time is running-out. The bank is under pressure to remove this “liability” ASAP, and to the first reasonable offer, preservation-minded or not.
Hart also wrote this:
Let’s don’t let this priceless icon fall into the hands of another “flipper”. Let’s think outside the box. Any corporations that support Route 66 should be contacted. Actors, musicians, sports stars, NASCAR teams, …..the money is there, we need to communicate that around the world. Someone knows somebody that might help the cause. Reference the www.BootsMotel.com website for photos and information, and the Facebook “Save the Boots Motel” page for updates. Please post any suggestions or leads on the Guest Book or on the Facebook page.
“Lonesome Town” June 22, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Music.2 comments
I often think of the ghost town of Glenrio when I hear this Ricky Nelson classic:
“Tulsa Telephone Book” June 21, 2011
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Here’s a darkly humorous song written by Tom T. Hall, covered a few years ago by Calexico:
“The Long Cut” June 20, 2011
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Many roadies opt to take the long cut instead of a short cut in their travels. So this song by Uncle Tupelo seems appropriate:
Boots Motel to be auctioned within days June 19, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Motels, Preservation.1 comment so far
Ron Hart of the Route 66 Chamber of Commerce passed along this information to the Route 66 yahoogroup on Saturday about the Boots Motel in Carthage, Mo.
The Boots Motel is being Auctioned-Off in a few days!
According to Clarence Hall of the Carthage Hometown Bank, the present owner has defaulted and the Bank auction will be held this Tuesday at around 2 pm. on the Jasper County Courthouse steps in Carthage. Bidding may start at $150,000. According to Mr. Hall, the bank could end-up… being the new owner of the Boots Motel, and would begin anew looking for a buyer. Yes, this is short notice as I just learned about it yesterday. It is entirely possible that the valuable land under the motel could result in another speculator buying the property and demolishing the motel.
Hart says he’ll pass along information as he gets it. Needless to say, if someone’s going to preserve this 1939 Route 66 motel, they’d better come forward quickly.
Book review: “Route 66 American Icon” June 19, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Art, Books, Photographs.2 comments
Here’s a sign a photography book is really good: When I first opened it, I gasped. And when my wife saw the images in it, she gasped as well.
Photographer Shannon Richardson‘s new book, “Route 66 American Icon” (160 pages, hardback, self-published, $66), will elicit that sort of reaction. It proves to be a testament to the power of photography.
Indeed, it contains the best photos from Route 66 that I have ever seen. Considering the prodigious talent that has captured the Mother Road with photography, that is high praise indeed.
Richardson writes in the book’s afterward:
I wanted to document the road in a cinematic and nostalgic style, using traditional black and white film with conscious attention to avoid anything modern day from appearing in the composition. Although the images are contemporary, the evoke the essence of Route 66′s famed past.
“Cinematic” is a key word. Richardson, a commercial photographer based in Amarillo, used an expensive Hasselblad camera and high-quality black-and-white film to capture fine detail in many Route 66 landmarks. He also framed the images well, and the contrast amid the images made them nearly jump off the pages.
Many of the 132 images — especially neon signs — were shot during twilight or darkness, giving them a film noir quality. Think of great black-and-white movies — “Casablanca,” “Sunset Boulevard,” and yes, “The Grapes of Wrath” — and you’ll comprehend the atmosphere in “Route 66 American Icon.”
A double image of the Blue Whale of Catoosa in Shannon Richardson's new book.
No people will be found in these pages, although one burro makes a partial appearance.
Instead, you’ll see doorways, neon tubing, peeling paint, and puffy clouds. A sense of decay and abandonment come from the images, but so do dignity and resolve — much like the Mother Road’s history.
My favorite images from Richardson’s book? It’s tough to choose, but they would include an empty barber chair in Angel Delgadillo’s shop in Seligman, Ariz.; the Blue Whale of Catoosa, Okla; a close-up of a “Curios” sign in Holbrook, Ariz.; and a tight shot of the now-removed 66 Bowl neon sign in Oklahoma City.
Highly recommended.
(Review copy of the book courtesy of the author. The Facebook page for “Route 66 American Icon” can be found here.)