Wigwam Motel in Southern California getting a face-lift August 11, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Motels, Preservation.add a comment
The Wigwam Motel on Route 66 in San Bernardino, Calif. (some listings have it in neighboring Rialto) is undergoing an exterior renovation, reported the San Bernardino County Sun.
The historic motel has a team of painters working to restore San Bernardino’s Wigwam Motel, 2728 Foothill Blvd., along the old Route 66, to its original external color scheme as part of its application to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Patel said.
“We hope to have this completed by the start of the (Stater Bros. 22nd annual) Route 66 celebration (on Sept. 15),” Patel said. [...]
On Wednesday, workers were scraping off the brown paint on the motel’s 20 teepees. Eventually all will be a white/cream color.
The original red zig-zag lines around the cones and red trim on the windows will also be restored, as will the yellow paint on the three poles protruding from each building.
The poles are actually heat vents that extend deep within the structure.
The Wigwam Motel’s Facebook page has been posting photos of the paint-stripped wigwams periodically, including this image.
These concrete wigwams were built in 1949 — the last in a series of seven designed by Frank Redford. The other two surviving Wigwam Motels are in Cave City, Ky., and Holbrook, Ariz. — the latter also on Route 66.
The Wigwams in San Bernardino went through a long and seamy decline, including reportedly renting rooms by the hour. But the Kumar Patel family purchased the motel in 2002, renovated it, and barred questionable clientele. The Patels received a Cyrus Avery Preservation Award for their efforts.
Progress report for Rancho’s Foothill project August 11, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Bridges, Highways, Towns.4 comments
The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin today posted what essentially is a progress report on the Route 66 / Foothill Boulevard project in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., including a new overpass over the road.
The project includes a new Baker Avenue Bridge to replace an 81-year-old bridge over Foothill that was removed. The new bridge for the Pacific Electric Trail will be finished by October. A part of the old bridge will be used for a nearby roadside park.
The Bulletin also reported:
In January, the first phase of the project, which is Foothill Boulevard from San Bernardino Road to Vineyard Avenue, is expected to be complete. The first phase includes, in addition to the bridge, construction of a trailhead park – with a parking lot, historical timeline, bathrooms, pedestrian and equestrian access to the trail and a piece of the original Route 66.
Road improvements west of San Bernardino Road – which include widening the thoroughfare from two to three lanes in each direction, as well as the addition of a median, bike lanes and sidewalks – will also be complete at the start of next year.
The second phase of the project, which affects Foothill from San Bernardino Road to Grove Avenue, is currently on hold because local redevelopment funds may soon be diverted to Sacramento. Steuer said construction could start in January and be complete in July. This final phase includes widening the street at the city’s western boundary from one to two lanes each way. It will also include a median, sidewalks and bike lanes.
The entire project is scheduled to be complete by fall 2012, when Route 66-themed arches will be erected on Foothill at the western and eastern city border.
Here’s an artist’s rendering of what that refurbished section of Foothill will look like:
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Town House eatery in Albuquerque is reopening August 10, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Restaurants.add a comment
The historic Town House Lounge and Restaurant, which operated on Albuquerque’s Central Avenue for 49 years before closing in 2007, will reopen within weeks.
Dino Argyres, son of Town House founder George Argyres, will operate the restaurant, said Dino’s daughter Shay Argyres. She said the menu will remain mostly similar to the original Town House offerings before its closure.
The restaurant won’t be in the original structure, but in another restaurant building on Central, near the intersection of Wyoming.
She said George Argyres will be at the restaurant “sometimes.” He immigrated to America from Greece more than a half-century ago. The Town House was a steakhouse that also served Greek and Mediterranean dishes.
The restaurant, she said, will reopen “sometime in September, early October at the very latest.”
The Town House was originally located at 3911 Central Ave. (aka Route 66), between the historic De Anza Motor Lodge and the recently razed Aztec Motel.
Shay Argyres said the restaurant’s trademark fiberglass steer has been erected on a platform, and the sign has been redone.
The soon-to-be-resurrected Town House has a Facebook page here. A recent photo of the restaurant can be found here.
UPDATE 8/15/2011: The Town House has a new Facebook page here. And here’s a photo of the restaurant’s new digs:
Depew annexes Route 66 Biker Park land August 9, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Motorcycles, Towns, Vehicles.add a comment
Trustees for the town of Depew, Okla., voted on July 28 to annex 120 acres several miles from the town that includes Charles Elliott’s Route 66 Biker Park, pending approval by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, reported the Sapulpa Daily Herald.
The only remaining hurdle is ODOT allowing Elliott the mow the right-of-way next to Oklahoma Highway 66. Elliott has said he would take over that responsibility, if needed.
The Elliott property has been a bone of contention with the county over several zoning issues after Elliott decided to transform his property into a recreational campground area. [...]
At this hearing Elliott indicated that he had spent $500,000 on improvements to the property, and vehemently denied allegations that his property would bring down real estate values for the surrounding area. At the hearing Elliott indicated that he foresaw musical concerts on the property and a “bikers’ church.”
The “bone of contention” sprung from Elliott’s Route 66 Biker Park hosting such rowdy parties — including topless karaoke — that neighbors complained. Creek County authorities stepped in and ended the big bashes. Elliott claimed he wasn’t subject to county rules regarding large gatherings because his property was set up as a church. He filed lawsuits against the county, which went nowhere.
So Elliott essentially skirted around county rules by persuading Depew to annex his land, putting it under the town’s jurisdiction instead.
Here’s something curious that reportedly happened next:
Immediately following the Trustee meeting, an Emergency Meeting was called. This second meeting was made in order to lawfully accept a donation of $24,000 from Metro Machine Inc., which is owned by Elliott.
Depew was in need of a police patrol vehicle, Elliott’s timely gift will provide for the purchase of a 2009 Dodge Charger police special from a firm operating from the state of Utah.
So Depew needed a vehicle to patrol that newly annexed area that’s four miles from town. Elliott obliged.
I doubt, however, whether this “emergency” meeting was lawful. The Oklahoma Open Meeting Act spells out the criteria:
5. “Emergency meeting” means any meeting called for the purpose of dealing with an emergency. For purposes of this act, an emergency is defined as a situation involving injury to persons or injury and damage to public or personal property or immediate financial loss when the time requirements for public notice of a special meeting would make such procedure impractical and increase the likelihood of injury or damage or immediate financial loss;
Perhaps a lawyer can chime in here and explain the legal contortions required to make this emergency meeting legal. But it’s hard to see how it could be. In Oklahoma, public bodies are required to give 48 hours of public notice before a meeting.
Hello from England August 9, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Music.add a comment
Here’s a jazzy version of Bobby Troup’s most famous song, performed by the Cambridge-based Rob James Trio:
Two Route 66 bridges in Missouri are subject of conference August 8, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Bridges, Events, Preservation, Web sites.add a comment
James Baughn, webmaster of the impressive Bridgehunter.com, is co-hosting the Historic Bridge Conference this coming weekend about endangered Missouri bridges, including two on Route 66.
The bridges on the Mother Road are the Meramec River Bridge at Route 66 State Park near Eureka, and the Devil’s Elbow Bridge in Devil’s Elbow. The third annual conference includes driving tours on Route 66 to tour bridges and brainstorming of ways to preserve them.
Previous conferences have been held in Pennsylvania. The Bridgehunter’s Chronicles and Bridgemapper.com also are co-hosting the conference.
Here’s the schedule for the event:
Friday, Aug. 12
11 a.m.: Driving tour of downtown St. Louis bridges, starting with the Eads Bridge and ending at the Chain of Rocks Bridge.
7 p.m.: Dinner with guest speakers at Verita’s Cafe & Wine Bar in Chesterfield. Speakers include Ed Darringer, author and photographer from Indiana; Julie Bowers, bridge restoration consultant from Iowa; and Jason Smith, teacher from Germany.
Saturday, Aug. 13
9 a.m.: Get-together at the Route 66 State Park visitor center to discuss the future of the Meramec River Bridge. John Regenbogen of Scenic Missouri and Ruth Keenoy of the Landmarks Association of St. Louis will speak.
Midday: Meeting at the Enoch’s Knob Bridge in Franklin County, a steel bridge that is reputed to be “haunted” but is threatened with replacement in the near future.
Afternoon: Visit to the endangered Devil’s Elbow Bridge and other Route 66 landmarks near Waynesville.
6 p.m.: Dinner and fundraiser at Ozark to save the Riverside Bridge.
Sunday, Aug. 14
Driving tour of bridges in western Missouri and eastern Kansas.
It should be noted that the situation for the Meramec River Bridge is grave, although efforts continue in an effort to preserve it. Pulaski County officials, mindful of tourism, have been adamant about trying to find ways to repair and preserve the Devil’s Elbow Bridge.
More about the conference can be found here. A conference flyer can be downloaded here. If you wish to participate, email Baughn at webmaster(at)bridgehunter(dot)com .
Route 66 TV channel launches on YouTube August 7, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Businesses, Events, Television.add a comment
This got posted by the newly formed Route 66 TV channel on YouTube over the weekend:
Here’s the description of the video:
The inaugural episode of Route 66TV. Join us for each episode as host Jim Conkle takes you on a journey down the “Mother Road” discovering the past, present and future of the legendary highway known as Route 66. In this episode Jim talks about a The 22nd Annual Stater Brothers Route 66 Rendezvous in San Bernardino, he also fills us in on a freeway project that will actually reconnect a section of Route 66 in So. Cal. and teases us about an upcoming interview with the developers of Topock 66 Spa and Resort, a Route 66 themed casino, on the “Mother Road”, being built along the Colorado River in Arizona.
In an e-mail, Conkle said a new video will be posted weekly. As for the Route 66 TV team, he said:
The team is made up of myself and three other guys, all professionals in the video producing industry. Don Fish, Jr is the owner of the studio and functions as director, Bill Comb and Danny Lopez are the video/sound men. Most of our shows will be done with two and/or three camera shoots. This is a very talented three guys who have some awesome equipment. I had shot some promos with another group that the finished product was not acceptable. With the new partnership we have done some shooting both outside and in studio to work out any kinks. Now we are ready to go to the next level, and this is our first step.
Conkle also said he envisioned the video series as a sort of “On the Road with Charles Kuralt,” except it’s Route 66.
Conkle’s had some good and bad times with Route 66 in recent years, of which I don’t have the space or desire to elaborate. (You can check the archives here if you’re curious.)
But as long as it stays focused on Route 66 ‘s businesses and people, this Conkle-led project will earn my support. If it’s good for the Mother Road, it’s good, period.