Upcoming video golf game features Route 66 course July 21, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Sports, Video games.add a comment
Golden Tee Golf, maker of video golf games commonly found in taverns and arcades, soon will release a new game called Golden Tee 2012 that features the Dusty Bend golf course built along Route 66.
Here’s a sneak preview released today:
I spotted replicas of the Wigwam Motel, a Bunyon Muffler Man, and a huge Sinclair Oil dinosaur.
Here’s a description of the game from Golden Tee Golf:
Built along Route 66, Dusty Bend Golf Course seems like a step back in time. You’ll never know what roadside attractions you’ll encounter as you golf along “the mother road” in Sayre, Oklahoma. Trees are scarce, but the farm buildings and tourist traps replace them with a landscape as well as some unexpected landmark new to the game. Venture off the fairway too far and the dusty dirt will make its presence known. It goes without saying that you’ve never played a course like this.
Golden Tee Golf says the game should start arriving in bars and arcades in “early fall.”
Joliet prison may become tourism attraction July 21, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Movies, Preservation.1 comment so far
The long-closed Joliet Correctional Center, located off Route 66 in Joliet, Ill., and the setting for the opening scene of “The Blues Brothers,” is seriously being considered as a tourism site, according to a report in the Chicago Tribune.
The Joliet prison opened in the 1850s, and during the early years, inmates were used to build the massive walls of limestone from local quarries. Since it closed in 2002, the prison has sat empty as a blighted reminder of Joliet’s storied prison history. The building still draws scores of visitors from around the globe, many who want to go inside.
“(Tourists) are mesmerized by that thing,” said Tony Contos, executive director of the Joliet Area Historical Museum. “I think it’s just the idea of what’s behind those walls.”
Prison tourism can be big business. About 100 major prisons worldwide have been converted into museums, including Alcatraz in San Francisco, Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, the Tower of London and South Africa’s Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela served time.
Joliet, along with the Illinois Film Office and Department of Corrections, receives dozens of requests each month to tour the facility from filmmakers, photographers, prison buffs and even family members of former prison employees.
However, it’s going to take a lot of money to clean up the prison. It’s been damaged by weather, groundhogs, vandals, and old age. Asbestos and lead paint also need to be removed.
Joliet says it would consider partnering with the state on upgrading the property, or the state selling the prison to the city.
Joliet in 2009 opened Old Joliet Prison Park, which features kiosks about the history of the prison just outside its walls.
John Mayer talks about recording “Route 66″ July 21, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Movies, Music.add a comment
Recording artist and guitar hotshot John Mayer talks about recording Bobby Troup’s “Route 66″ for the first “Cars” movie in 2006:
Mayer’s performance is part of the “Cars” soundtrack.
San Bernardino County will sign part of Route 66 July 20, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Signs.2 comments
San Bernardino County in California plans to designate a portion of historic Route 66 as “County Highway 66″ as a way to kick-start its County Route Marker Program.
According to a news release from the county:
Vice-Chairman Mitzelfelt is using $45,000 of his office’s discretionary funding to pay for the signage on the route. No federal dollars or other funding sources will be tapped for this effort.
More than 250 miles of this iconic highway run the length of San Bernardino County from Upland through Needles, making a portion of Route 66 by far the most appropriate place to launch the County Route Marker Program, the first to be added in the state since 1983.
Signs placed at various intervals along the route will serve as “bread crumbs” for travelers to follow as they explore significant landmarks.County Route 66 will begin on National Trails Highway in the unincorporated community of Oro Grande at the border of the City of Victorville, continue north onto Main Street in the City of Barstow, continue east on Interstate 40, travel north on Nebo Street near Barstow, head east on National Trails Highway, and then north on Goffs Road to its junction with US-95. Cultural and historical sites along this alignment include the City of Barstow and the communities of Daggett, Newberry Springs, Ludlow, Amboy, Cadiz, Chambless, Essex, and Goffs, as well as the Mojave National Preserve. This alignment can be expanded to include additional portions of or all of Route 66 at a later date.
According to Google Maps, using as much as old Route 66 as possible, the county will sign about 160 miles of Route 66. Considering how much of that stretch is desolate, more signs is a good thing for novice Route 66 travelers.
(Via Victorville Daily Press; image courtesy of San Bernardino County)
Rose Bowl Events Center put up for sale July 20, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Businesses, Gas stations.add a comment
The Rose Bowl Events Center, formerly known as the Rose Bowl bowling alley in Tulsa, has been placed on the market for $1.1 million, according to a flyer received from Kevin Anderson & Associates.
The distinctively shaped building at 7419 E. 11th St. (aka Route 66) was built as a bowling alley in 1961 until its closure in 2005. AMF shuttered the facility and slapped it with a noncompete clause, rendering it useless to be reopened as a bowling alley.
Chris Whinery of Whinery Mortgage renovated the facility and reopened it as the Rose Bowl Events Center in 2008. However, the massive 33,000-square-foot building was open only fitfully.
A flyer of the Realtor listing can be downloaded here.
Also, the Realtor is offering the Rose Bowl Events Center and an adjacent building and lot for $1.4 million in a package deal. That flyer can be downloaded here.
Anderson also is listing other historically significant Route 66 properties in Tulsa:
— The George Tune’s automotive building and an adjacent cottage-style gas station list for $200,000. The gas station at 2446 E. 11th St. was built in 1928. The flyer for the property can be found here.
— The former Swinney’s Hardware building at 32 S. Lewis Ave. (aka Route 66) is listed for $785,000. The building was built about 1930, according to assessor’s records. The flyer for the property can be found here.
Those interested in any of the properties should call Anderson at 918-406-3197.
(Images courtesy of Kevin Anderson)
Tucumcari will try again for racino July 19, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Businesses, Sports, Towns.add a comment
Investors in will apply Wednesday to the New Mexico Racing Commission for a horse-racing track and casino license in Tucumcari, reported the Clovis News-Journal.
Coronado Partners’ plans to develop the $60 million Coronado Park on 300-acres, featuring live racing from May to August each year during the heart of the triple-crown racing season nationally, and 600-slot casino within Tucumcari city limits on Historic Route 66 and I-40. The site’s location within the city limits means that all utilities and ancillary infrastructure are now available. [...]
While no specific timetable for evaluation of its application has been established, Coronado Partners believes it has made a strong case for the viability of Coronado Park in Tucumcari.
“At this time we believe we are the only entity to apply for the license,” Frost said. “There are still six more weeks left in the application progress.” [...]
If approved, Coronado Park plans to open for the 2013 racing season featuring a 56-day meet.
Tucumcari applied for a racetrack-casino license in 2008, but lost to Raton. However, the casino in Raton never opened. The state then voided Raton’s license.
Investors claim a “racino” will create 300 jobs with an annual payroll of $9 million in Tucumcari. Although a racetrack and casino sound like a boon, such rosy forecasts seldom prove accurate.
And with horse-racing seeing a general decline nationwide, it might be prudent for Tucumcari boosters to scale back their expectations a bit.
UPDATE 6/20/2011: The Albuquerque Journal also posted a story about the license application by Tucumcari.
No friend of Route 66 — again July 19, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Businesses, History, Preservation.5 comments
You have to admit, at least Sen. Tom Coburn is consistent.
The Republican U.S. senator from Oklahoma has targeted the National Park Service’s Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program in his newly published “Oklahoma Waste Report” (pdf document) — his latest salvo against the much-praised Mother Road program.
In one chapter of the report, “Get Your Federal Grants on Route 66,” Coburn writes:
Most recently, NPS has provided federal funding to a number of old gas stations, hotels and gift shops. For instance, $30,000 helped to restore an historic filling station in Bristow for use as an auto body repair business, $30,000 was used to renovate an abandoned gas station and used car lot in Tulsa with a new roof, windows, and utilities, along with a new heating and cooling systems, $10,000 was used to replace the roof at the Park Hill Motel in Vinita, and $23,000 was used to initiate extensive repairs on the Seaba Station, an ― antique, gift, and tourist shop near Chandler.
Obviously, as an advocate for the Mother Road, Route 66 News isn’t going to criticize the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. In our view, it’s a small program that’s paid big dividends for mom-and-pop businesses along historic 66 for more than a decade. It serves the NPS National Register of Historic Places‘ core function of preserving historic properties. And with its minuscule budget, the corridor program costs less than one penny for every person in the United States.
What Coburn fails to mention is at least three of the mentioned properties which received cost-share grants became the sites of new businesses, or grew more financially viable. In other words, these once-abandoned or marginal buildings turned into small businesses that hired workers and boosted the local economy.
This latest episode shows without a doubt that the Coburn is no friend of Route 66. The senator has made half-baked allegations before about the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. He also tried to block legislation that would have renewed the program for another 10 years.
Oklahoma Route 66 historian Jim Ross and Tulsa blogger Michael Bates found Coburn’s stance on the Route 66 program so misguided, they wrote rebuttals.
Both Ross and Bates are staunch conservatives, by the way. This wasn’t a knee-jerk reaction by either of them. The fact they departed from Coburn on this issue speaks volumes.
Texas Route 66 group gives donation to Joplin tornado relief July 19, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Towns, Weather.2 comments
On behalf of the Old Route 66 Association of Texas, Ron Hart of the Route 66 Chamber of Commerce gave a $500 check to the Joplin Salvation Army for tornado relief efforts in Joplin, Mo.
More than 150 people died and hundreds were injured in the May 22 twister, which destroyed a third of the town.
Hart, a Joplin native, wrote in an e-mail and a Facebook post:
The money came from the profits of last month’s National Route 66 Festival in Amarillo, and was contained in a letter which stated,”In the spirit of the Historic Route 66 family, the Association wanted to send a little contribution to our fellow Route 66 city … ”
Marcia Flom accepted the check and said the donation would be used to help the survivors of the tornado get back on their feet. Other Route 66 communities have already made donations of money, new toys, food and water. [...]
They were very appreciative of the donation, and said that all donations are used for helping the survivors of the tornado. If anyone wants to donate on their own, their address is: Joplin Salvation Army Donation Center, 802 S. Grand, Joplin, MO. 64801, phone 417-624-2766. They lost their recently opened thrift store to the tornado, but their downtown store is untouched, and very busy, as you might expect. They cannot use used clothing or toys due to health reasons, so sending a check will do the most good, no matter how small.
You also can donate online here.
The group RebuildJoplin.org also is earning praise for its recovery efforts.
Springfield takes closer look at motel as museum July 19, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Motels, Museums.add a comment
The city of Springfield, Ill., again is thinking about converting the ramshackle Bel-Aire Motel into a Route 66-themed visitors center and museum, reported the State Journal-Register today.
Springfield is considering other options for the Sixth Street motel after a recent inspection uncovered fire, electrical, and structural code violations.
Mayor Tim Davlin first proposed the idea of converting the Bel-Aire into a museum in 2008. But the money for the project never materialized. Davlin committed suicide in late 2010.
Alderman Cory Jobe said he requested the motel’s inspection, and indicated he wanted to get moving on doing something with the motel:
“We’re trying to put it back on the drawing board,” said Jobe, whose ward includes the motel at 2636 S. Sixth St.
“It’s become somewhat of an eyesore, and it’s obviously an entry and access point into the city,” Jobe added.
If the Route 66 museum doesn’t work, Jobe said he would at least like to see some other commercial development on the site.
Jobe said he believes $600,000 in state funding would be available to purchase and demolish the property, if the group can reach an agreement with the Bel-Aire owners.
The 1960s-vintage motel at 2636 S. Sixth St. has been a residential motel in recent years. Neighborhood groups also have complained to the city about the sale of illegal drugs and other criminal activity at the motel. [...]
As proposed by Davlin, the motel would be restored to its ‘60s look and would serve as a combination welcome center for city visitors and Route 66 museum. The restoration would include a theater, the “seal fountain,” neon lighting and a recreation of a vintage gasoline station.
The code violations weren’t considered serious, although another inspection is coming. The motel is owned by an absentee landlord in Florida. I suspect if the code problems aren’t sufficiently resolved by the follow-up inspection, the city likely will seize the property as a nuisance.
According to county records, the motel’s fair-market value was $754,000 in 2010.
2011 cost-share grant awards announced July 19, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Bridges, Gas stations, History, Motels, Preservation, Restaurants, Signs.1 comment so far
Today, the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program announced the awarding of 10 cost-share grants to Route 66 property owners for the 2011 fiscal year.
Here’s the listing, straight from the agency:
Route 66 Motel sign and roof rehabilitation, Kingman, Ariz. ($10,319 federal grant, $10,319 match by owner) – The Route 66 Motel has been a welcoming stop on Route 66 in Kingman for more than 50 years. Its towering red and yellow neon sign remains a beacon in the night for travelers stopping to photograph the sign, stay the night, or visit the Route 66 gift shop. Built in 1963 as the “Pony Soldier,” an aging electrical system has caused many portions of the motel’s sign to stop working, and the flat roof on the building needs repair. Grant funds will assist with these priority preservation needs, so it can continue to serve as an important Route 66 landmark.
Ariston Cafe rehabilitation, Litchfield, Ill. ($10,000 grant, $10,000 match) – The Ariston Cafe opened in 1935 and has been continuously operated by the Adam family ever since. The cafe offers favorites such as toasted ravioli and homemade red velvet cake. With its distinctive curved parapet, finely crafted brickwork, and its original Art Deco-style dining booths, this Litchfield landmark was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. In 2008, a preservation plan was prepared for the cafe, and rehabilitation work has been ongoing since. Grant funds will assist with the current phase of the project, which will focus on structural repairs to the exterior brickwork.
Dell Rhea Chicken Basket rehabilitation, Hinsdale, Ill. ($7,000 grant, $7,000 match) — Dell Rhea Chicken Basket has its origins in the 1930s as a lunch counter attached to a service station in Hinsdale. Oral tradition has it that two local farm women offered to reveal their excellent fried chicken recipe to the owner if he would promise to buy their chickens. The recipe was so good, that by 1946, the service station was closed and the new Chicken Basket was born. Built adjacent to the lunch counter site, the building reflects the no-nonsense, utilitarian, commercial style of the post-war years. After being bypassed by the interstate in 1962, the business fell on hard times. The Dell Rhea family purchased the Chicken Basket in 1963, and through savvy marketing and its famous fried chicken recipe, the business flourishes today. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. Grant funds will assist with much-needed structural repairs to the exterior brick walls.
Luna Cafe neon sign restoration, Mitchell, Ill. ($11,000 grant, $11,000 match) — The Luna Cafe in Mitchell was built in 1926, the same year Route 66 was commissioned as a highway. With over 85 years of continuous service, the Luna has reportedly had many famous visitors including Al Capone, Elvis Presley, Hank Williams Sr. and Ike & Tina Turner. Local memory recalls it serving variously as a cafe, piano bar, boarding house, brothel, upscale restaurant, and meeting spot for gangsters. The neon sign with its iconic ruby-red cherries lit up the night for over 40 years before going dark in the 1990s. The Missouri and Illinois Route 66 associations are partnering with the owner of the Luna to oversee the restoration of the sign.
Sprague Super Service window rehabilitation, Normal, Ill. ($10,000 grant, $10,000 match) — In 1931, William W. Sprague built a two-story, Tudor Revival-style building on Route 66 in Normal to meet the demands of motorists. Although Sprague opened the business during the Great Depression, he could count on travelers and local residents who needed food, gasoline, and car repairs to stay in business. By providing on-site housing in the upstairs portion of the building for himself and a station attendant, he could meet the needs of customers while lowering his housing costs. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008, the owner is restoring the building for use as a visitor center. Following a preservation plan prepared in 2009, a new roof and ADA-accessible bathrooms have been installed. Grant funds will now assist with rehabilitation of the historic, wood-frame windows.
Meramec River Bridge historic structures report, Eureka, Mo. ($15,000 grant, $30,000 match) — Constructed in 1931-1932, the Meramec River Bridge is a 1,009-foot-long, three-span, steel deck truss and girder structure. The bridge carried Route 66 traffic until it was bypassed by Interstate 44 in the 1960s. Today, it serves as a centerpiece of the Route 66 State Park, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. Now closed to traffic and under threat of demolition due to its deteriorated condition, it has been listed one of Missouri Preservation’s Most Endangered Historic Places for two years in a row. As part of a larger master planning effort, grant funds will assist with the preparation of a Historic Structures Report to evaluate preservation options for the bridge.
Sunset Motel “exit” and “extrance” neon signs restoration, Villa Ridge, Mo. ($7,100 grant, $7,100 match) — The Sunset Motel was built just after World War II in the Hi-Way Hills Subdivision of Villa Ridge. Built in a distinctive V-shape,
it had a twin-sister property known as the Pin Oak Motel just two miles west on Route 66. The motel featured a spacious
lawn and central garden, a circular driveway around the rear of the property, and front and back entrances to each room. Since 1971, the property has been owned by the same family, and is operating on a weekly rental basis. Restoration was begun in 2009 to replace the roof, repoint exterior brick work, restore the interior floors, and return the neon sign to operating condition. Grant funds will assist with restoration of the damaged and missing neon in the “Entrance” and “Exit” signs.
Wagon Wheel Motel roof replacement, Cuba, Mo. ($17,500 grant, $17,500 match) — Built just after the Great Depression in 1935, the Wagon Wheel Motel — known originally as the Wagon Wheel Cabins — is a rare example of the transition in roadside lodging from individual tourist cabins to attached units. A well-known local mason built the motel using local stone that farmers brought to him. While stone was a common building material for motels in Missouri, the Tudor-Revival styling was not. Today, the motel is still locally owned and operated, and is the earliest tourist court on Route 66 in Missouri that still accommodates nightly travelers. Ongoing restoration work has included porch and soffit repairs, window repair, floor refinishing, and heating/cooling improvements. Grant funds will assist with roof replacement on two of the motel units.
Arcadia Round Barn siding restoration, Arcadia, Okla. ($21,000 grant, $21,000 match) — The Round Barn has stood in Arcadia since 1898. During construction, boards were soaked in water to make them pliable enough to bend into the round shape of the barn. The barn was used for livestock and hay, but it is the dances on the second floor of the barn that people remember most. In 1914, Oklahoma County obtained a right-of-way and built a crude dirt road between the barn and the railroad tracks. In 1926, this unpaved road was designated U.S. Highway 66. The barn has been a landmark on the route ever since, and today serves as Route 66 and local history museum. The barn was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Grant funds will assist with repair of rotted siding boards and trim.
Firestone station restoration, Bristow, Okla. ($25,000 grant, $25,000 match) — The July 1929 Bristow Daily Record reported that Firestone had purchased lots on Route 66 for constructing a building that “will be one of the most modern in the state.” The store opened in May 1930 and included an Art Deco design with six large service bays, a wash bay, an office and sales area with large display windows. The station prospered through the 1950s, relying on its premier location and brand recognition, as well as is distinctiveness as a full service station. Now under extensive and meticulous restoration for use as an auto body shop, grant funds will assist with site improvements including the exterior lights, sign, and concrete driveway repairs.
(Most images courtesy of the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program)